Solving Vector Addition Without Angle Measurements

[MrsAKG]

In class today we had a brief lesson on vector addition. I understand how to calculate the resultant when given a magnitude and angle measurent for each vector, but my teacher gave me no other examples. I have tons of homework problems that do not give me this information, but I am expected to solve. Can you please give me a brief overview of how to solve a vector addition problem without having angle measurements.

 

[arildno]

Welcome to PF!
Are you given visual information as to how the vectors you're supposed to add looks like?
In particular, are you supposed to draw how the sum of the two vectors look like?

Or:
Have you been given the vectors in the symbolic form:
Vector 1: (a,b) Vector 2 (c,d) where a,b,c,d are numbers?

 

[Alkatran]

In class today we had a brief lesson on vector addition. I understand how to calculate the resultant when given a magnitude and angle measurent for each vector, but my teacher gave me no other examples. I have tons of homework problems that do not give me this information, but I am expected to solve. Can you please give me a brief overview of how to solve a vector addition problem without having angle measurements.

A vector is basically a right triangle, you hook one triangle on to the end of the other one to add them. Perhaps your teacher, instead of giving you the adjacent angle and hypotenus, gave you two other bits of information?

 

[Nenad]

Vector Addition: If you have vector V(a,b,c), and vector B(d,e,f). V + B = (a+d,b+e,c+f)

Vector Subtraction: If you have vector V(a,b,c), and vector B(d,e,f). V - B = (a-d,b-e,c-f)

Dot Product:
V dot B = a*d+b*e+c*f

 

[HallsofIvy]

What information ARE you given?