Question

The Displacement is 5m. We found that using the

Pythagorean Theorem.
Vector Quantities require both a Displacement and a
Direction.
What direction is this Vector?
South
Northeast
West

Answer 1

A vector can be written as:

(R, θ)

Where R is the magnitude, in this case, we know that the magnitude of the displacement is 5m

Then:

R = 5m

and θ defines the direction, it's an angle measured from the positive x-axis.

(In the image, θ would be the angle located at the point A)

Now, if you look at the image, you can see a triangle rectangle.

Where the adjacent cathetus has a length of 4,

the opposite cathetus has a length of 3 units

the hypotenuse has a length of 5 units.

So we can use any trigonometric rule to find the value of θ, like:

sin(θ) = (opposite cathetus)/hypotenuse

Then:

sin(θ) = 3m/5m

Now we can use the inverse sin function, Asin(x), in both sides

Asin( sin(θ)) = θ = Asin( 3/5) = 36.87°

then the vector is:

(5m, 36.87°)

Now, if we define the positive y-axis as the North, and the positive x-axis as the East.

This vector would point at 36.87° North of East.

(or almost Northeast)