# Drawing vectors on computer

1. Sep 29, 2007

### Tricore

I need to draw a couple of vectors for a math assignment. Any recommendations as to what program to use for this? Can LaTeX do it?

2. Sep 29, 2007

### Dr Transport

The draeing toolbar in Powerpoint isn't too bad, you can draw the vector, right-click on it to look at the prpoerties then scale & rotate as you need to do to finish the assignment. Latex will work, but you will have to get thru the learning curve.

3. Sep 30, 2007

### Tricore

Okay thanks, I'm doing my assignment in LaTeX anyhow so I'd prefer using that to draw too, but I can't find anything on drawing coordinate systems / vectors in LaTeX, got any links?

4. Sep 30, 2007

### las3rjock

There are a number of drawing systems for LaTeX, all of which can do what you ask. My personal favorite is pgf/Tikz, but Asymptote and Metapost seem like reasonable alternatives. pgf/Tikz can be used inline in a LaTeX document. Its default length unit is centimeters, the origin is in the lower left corner, and the drawing area expands automatically to fit its contents.

5. Sep 30, 2007

### Tricore

I just had a look a Tigz, and I must say it looks awesome! Simply fantastic, thanks a bunch guys!

6. Sep 30, 2007

### robphy

For simple graphics...

Look at my example in #6 [click on the picture] and my last post to see how I did it

You probably want to use the \vector command
see: http://cs5.ecok.edu/ByExample/node49.html [Broken]
http://www.ursoswald.ch/LaTeXGraphics/picture/picture.html

Note the limitations on the available slopes.
http://www-h.eng.cam.ac.uk/help/tpl/textprocessing/teTeX/latex/latex2e-html/ltx-43.html [Broken]

For more freedom, you can use \qbezier
https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=1278147&postcount=17
https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=969925&postcount=695
but you might have to draw the arrowheads yourself.

The above are all constrained by the LaTeX features available at PF.
Alternatively, you can try to include other packages
like http://tug.org/PSTricks/ .

Last edited by a moderator: May 3, 2017