Adding vectors
Adding vectors is an interactive experiment in Vectors, a free simulation from StudyFi Lab that runs right in your browser.
Vectors add component by component: a + b = (a₁ + b₁, a₂ + b₂). On paper you move b to the tip of a (triangle rule), or you build a parallelogram from both vectors and the sum is its diagonal. The difference a − b is the sum a + (−b): the vector that leads from the tip of b to the tip of a.
Try this: Press “Place b at the tip of a” and watch the triangle form. Then switch to the parallelogram and set b = −a: the sum becomes the zero vector.
Frequently asked questions
What does the “Adding vectors” experiment show?
Vectors add component by component: a + b = (a₁ + b₁, a₂ + b₂). On paper you move b to the tip of a (triangle rule), or you build a parallelogram from both vectors and the sum is its diagonal. The difference a − b is the sum a + (−b): the vector that leads from the tip of b to the tip of a.
How do I try “Adding vectors”?
Press “Place b at the tip of a” and watch the triangle form. Then switch to the parallelogram and set b = −a: the sum becomes the zero vector.
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