Calculus: Early Transcendentals 8th Edition

Published by Cengage Learning
ISBN 10: 1285741552
ISBN 13: 978-1-28574-155-0

Chapter 12 - Section 12.2 - Vectors - 12.2 Exercises - Page 805: 8

Answer

$|\vec{w}| = \sqrt 2$

Work Step by Step

The magnitudes of $\vec{u}$ and $\vec{v}$ are $|\vec{u}|=1$ and $|\vec{v}|=1$. We have that $\vec{u} + \vec{v} + \vec{w} = \vec{0}$. What this means is that if we travel on $\vec{u}$, then $\vec{v}$, then $\vec{w}$, we arrive at the same location. This makes for a vector diagram that forms a triangle, as shown here. For a right-angle triangle with two sides lengths of 1, the final side length, using the Pythagorean theorem, is $\sqrt{2}$. $c=\sqrt{1^2+1^2}$ This final side length corresponds to the magnitude of $\vec{w}$.
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