Vector Addition of differing quantities

AI Thread Summary
Vector addition of different quantities, such as displacement and velocity, results in a meaningless quantity because they represent different physical dimensions. The discussion highlights that combining vectors of differing types, like feet and dollars or miles per hour and seconds, does not yield a valid or interpretable result. Participants emphasize that the outcome of such additions lacks practical significance. The consensus is that vector addition should only be applied to quantities of the same type to maintain meaningfulness. Ultimately, the conclusion is that mixing different physical dimensions in vector addition leads to nonsensical results.
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My girlfriend had this problem on her first tutorial sheet at Univeristy. She is doing maths. I am doing physics and was interested in the answer.
It asked what the result was when a displacement vector was added to a velocity vector. The vector addition can obviously be done on these two quantities, but does the end answer actually mean anything? I would think it would be meaningless

Thanks.
Tom.
 
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No need to go to vectors to talk non-sense! What 3 feet plus seven dollars? What is 4 mi/hr+ 3 seconds? What is 2 degrees Celcius+ 5 gallons?
See we can all play!

The only good answer to the question posed is "a meaningless quantity"!
 
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