Final answer:
The sum of the two opposite vectors, one with magnitude of 8 meters East and the other with magnitude of 5 meters West, is a resultant vector with a magnitude of 3 meters East.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sum of two vectors can be found by adding them head to tail. For vectors that are directly opposite in direction (such as East and West), we subtract their magnitudes when they are in a straight line. In the question presented, there is a vector with a magnitude of 8 meters East and another with a magnitude of 5 meters West. To find the sum of these vectors:
- Since they are in opposite directions, we find the difference in their magnitudes: 8 m – 5 m = 3 m.
- The direction of the resultant vector will be towards the direction of the larger vector which, in this case, is East.
The sum of the two vectors is a single vector with a magnitude of 3 meters East.