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For the vector A = -8j + 4k, find its magnitude and direction.

User Elie
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1 Answer

1 vote

Final answer:

The magnitude of vector A is approximately 8.94 units. The direction of vector A is approximately -26.57° with respect to the y-axis.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the magnitude of a vector, you can use the formula:

|A| = sqrt(Ax^2 + Ay^2 + Az^2)

For vector A = -8j + 4k, the x-component (Ax) is 0, so we only need to calculate the y-component (Ay) and z-component (Az).

Ay = -8

Az = 4

Substituting these values into the formula, we get:

|A| = sqrt(0^2 + (-8)^2 + 4^2) = sqrt(0 + 64 + 16) = sqrt(80) = 8.94

The magnitude of vector A is approximately 8.94 units.

The direction of a vector can be represented as an angle with respect to a reference axis. To find the direction of vector A, we need to find the angles it makes with the x, y, and z axes.

Since Ax = 0, the angle with the x-axis is undefined.

The angle with the y-axis (θy) can be found using:

θy = arctan(Ay/Ax)

θy = arctan(-8/0) = undefined

The angle with the z-axis (θz) can be found using:

θz = arctan(Az/Ay)

θz = arctan(4/-8) = -26.57°

Therefore, the direction of vector A is approximately -26.57° with respect to the y-axis.

User Flaschbier
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