Question

Simple vector distance
one vector of length 4 is touching the tail of another vector of length 2. what is the distance between them. *see picture

Answer 1

i'm going through some examples in this book while i'm on vacation. this book wants me to actually physically measure this distance, which is rediculuous. I just don't have my vector calc book on me and am having trouble remembering if it's even possible to calculate this distance with the information given.

Answer 2

if you had an angle then yes, if not I couldn't think of a way how to approach that problem.

Answer 3

If i do recall correctly, i would add the magnitudes of each vector and then take the square root since it is the longest distance between them. but I then thought about the angles these could have beween them and so i don't this is correct.

Answer 4

ya, you're probably right @Spacelimbus . I just have this feeling that i swear i've done something like this before but i just don't have any of my material to look it up. Oh well. Thanks. :D

Answer 5

yes, I understand that @agentc0re, I believe the main point is that this triangle is not unique the way they defined it, even for vector calculus.