Monday, November 16, 2009

`||bbv|| = 3, theta = 0^@` Find the component form of `bbv` given its magnitude and the angle it makes with the positive x-axis.

The magnitude of a vector `u = a*i + b*j,` such that:


`|u| = sqrt(a^2+b^2)`


Since the problem provides the magnitude `|v| = 3` , yields:


`3 = sqrt(a^2+b^2)`


The direction angle of the vector can be found using the formula, such that:


`tan theta = b/a`


Since the problem provides the direction angle `theta = 0^o` , yields:


`tan 0^o = b/a => b/a = 0 => b = 0, a!=0`


Replacing 0 for b in equation `3 = sqrt(a^2+b^2)` yields:


`3 = sqrt(a^2+0^2) => 9 = a^2 => a = +-3`


Hence, the component form of the vector v can be `<-3,0>` or` <3,0>.`

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