Question

Find the vector with magnitude 4 in the direction of <4, 5>

Answer 1

find the unit vector in this direction, then multiply the result by 4

Answer 2

i know the formula for the unit vector, but it doesn't ask for unit vector..? wouldn't I just multiply the vector by 4?

this is my confusion and the reason why i posted the simple question

Answer 3

@satellite73

Answer 4

Unit vector has a length (magnitude) of 1.
If you're able to find the unit vector, you then multiply that length by 4.

You don't multiply the original components by 4, if that's what you were asking.

Answer 5

@zepdrix hmmm thankyou. you just made it click in my head.. now i understand.
hard to put two and two together with these vectors for some reason...

Answer 6

ya they're a little weird :(

Answer 7

lol :)

Answer 8

he had the magnitude of the vector divided by 4?

Answer 9

Does the concept of unit vector make sense?
It took me a little while to get it.

You're finding the length of the vector, then dividing it length out of itself.
(Giving you a length of 1, since any length divided by itself is 1)

Answer 10

@sourwing whyd you delete your answer

Answer 11

hehe I dunno, it looked correct :x

Answer 12

its making more and more sense, yes. its just a vector with unit 1... i guess because we can do so much more, much easier, when its unit 1?

Answer 13

Ya it's much easier to scale up or down something which is of length 1.
That's probably the reasoning.

Answer 14

so its < 16/sqrt 41 , 20/sqrt(41) >

Answer 15

Ok looks good! You might want to rationalize it (get the irrational value from the denominators into the numerators with some algebra).

Answer 16

<16sqrt(41)/41 , 20sqrt(41)/41 > lol

Answer 17

good good good.
Since 41 is prime, looks like we have to leave it in that mess :P heh

Answer 18

haha thanks man :) i'm a socially awkward kind of guy and its hard for me to think in front of others. These vectors are really easy, its just the concepts that i'm more worried about since I plan on majoring in mechanical engineering.
You explaining it to me turned on that light bulb floating above my head

Answer 19

hah cool XD

Answer 20

I can relate I guess.
I don't like to be creative in front of other people -_-

I remember taking an art class, then final exam was basically "draw something".
I don't like drawing pictures in front of other people -_-
Pretty sure I failed that class lol.

Answer 21

lol
hurr-durr.com