Position Vectors

& Unit Vectors

Jamie Frost
www.drfrost.org
@DrFrostMaths

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@DrFrostResource

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Last modified:2nd December 2024 charity in England and Wales (no
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Teacher Notes
Prerequisite
Knowledge Future Links
• Understanding and manipulating • Vector equations of straight
vectors. lines.
• Magnitude of a vector. • Vector equation of planes.
• Divide two points in a given ratio.

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Recap: Magnitude of a Vector

Recall that a vector represents a

𝐚 movement, and has 2 key

properties:
1. Direction and
2. Magnitude, written i.e. the
length of the vector.

If , then what is ?

¿ 𝐚 ∨¿ Using Pythagoras’
2 theorem,

3
Introducing Unit Vectors
! A vector is a unit vector if , i.e. it
has unit length.

Which of these vectors are unit vectors?

()
1
√2
( )0
1
( ) 1
1
−
1
√2

No Yes No Yes No Yes

|( )|
|( )|
|( )|
0
1
= √ 0 +1 =1
2 2
1
=√ 1 +1
2 2 1
1 √2
√( ) (
1 2
)
2
1
= + −
−
1 √2 √2
√2
Key Unit Vectors

Unit vectors in the directions of the , and axes are

defined as , and .

𝑧
! In 2D:

In 3D:

𝐤 𝑦 ,
𝐣
𝐢 𝑥
Any column vector can be expressed using , ,
notation:
Example Test Your
Understanding
a Write the following column 1 a Write the following column
vectors in form: vectors in form:

i
Write the iifollowing 3D i
Write the iifollowing 3D
vectors as column vectors: vectors as column vectors:
b b

i i
ii ii

a i +j ?
a i ii ?
ii
b i
b i ?

ii
ii ?
Why Use Form?

forms the building blocks of operations of

vectors.

e.g. We know we can add vectors: As we introduce new operators

on vectors, for example the
But why? In , form this becomes dot product and the cross
clearer: product , these rely on the
interactions between the unit
by collecting like terms. vectors .

𝐢 × 𝐣=− 𝐤
This form more generally enables
us to use algebraic
manipulation, including
distributivity of scalar
multiplication and gives us a
foundation for why operations on
vectors work in column form.
Example Test Your
Understanding
We can add and subtract 2 Simplify
vectors in form.

Simply the following:

¿6 𝐣 −12 𝐤 −2? 𝐢 −2 𝐣+2 𝐤

Using the
distributive
Collect like terms.
property of scalar
multiplication (i.e.
we can expand
out brackets!)
Recap: Magnitude of Vectors in 2D

𝑦
Determine the distance of the point
( 3 , 4) with coordinates from the origin.
𝑑
4 Using Pythagoras:

𝑂 3 𝑥

𝐚 We can use the same principle to

find the magnitude, i.e. the
𝑦 size/length, of a vector .

𝑥
Magnitude of Vectors in 3D

𝑧 Determine the distance of the point

with coordinates from the origin.

𝑦
( 3 , 4 , 12 ) Using Pythagoras on the base of the cuboid:

12 Then using the Pythagoras on the red

5 4 triangle:
3 𝑥
We could have similarly done this is one go
using:

! The magnitude of a vector :

and the distance of from the origin is

Example Test Your
Understanding
We can find the magnitude 3 Determine
of vectors in form. a
b
Determine
c
a (in 2D)
b
is equivalent to
c a
?
b
a
?

b c
?
c
Converting a Vector to a Unit Vector

Calculate

÷5 √ 3 2
+ 4 2
=𝟓
Find a vector with the
same direction as but a
magnitude of .

or
Recall that a scalar multiple
of a vector changes the
magnitude but not the
direction. Currently has magnitude . So scaling
For example, will be the same it by will make it times shorter, and it
direction as but times the will then have magnitude .
length/magnitude.
Example Test Your
Understanding
! To convert a vector to its 4 Convert the following to unit
corresponding unit vector , vectors:
divide it by its magnitude: a
b

a
Convert the following to unit
vectors: ?
a
b
b

a ?

b
Why Convert to a Unit Vector?
In further skills we will see that there are certain operations on
vectors that require them to be unit vectors.

In skill 708, we will see In skill 712, we explore

that the dot product of shortest distances between
two vectors, , gives the geometric entities, e.g. a point
cosine of the angle and a plane. If is a unit
between the two vector perpendicular to a
vectors, if both are unit plane, and is the equation of
vectors. the plane, then the shortest
distance between a point and
the plane is
𝐚
^ ^
𝒏
𝜃
^
𝐛 𝒑
e vi e
P r
w
Position Vectors
𝑦
Suppose we started at a point
and translated by the vector :
𝐴 ( 3 , 2)
𝒂= ( )
3
2
( )
4
0

𝑂 𝑥
𝐴 ( 3 , 2) ?
What is the
A vector used to represent
coordinate of this
point? a position is known as a
position vector.
This isn’t
allowed, because
we can only add A position can be thought
vectors to of as a translation from
If we treated
vectors. the origin, as per above. It
the point as a enables us to use positions
vector, then
in all sorts of vector (and
this solves the
problem:
matrix!) calculations.
Example Test Your
Understanding
! The position vector of a 5 The point has position vector
point is the vector, where is and . Determine the
the origin. is usually written as coordinates of the point .
.
The point has position vector
and . Determine the position
vector of point .

The position vector of

𝐵 is which corresponds to
the coordinates
?
𝑂 ( 0
4 ) This says that to
get from to (i.e.

( )
the position of ),
3 𝐴 ( 3,−1 )
𝒂= we can go from to
−1 and then to .
Vector Between Two Position Vectors
We can similarly find the vector between two position
vectors.
Two points and have position vectors
and . Determine the vector
To get from to , we
can go from to and
then to .
𝐴 (6 , 4 ) ⃗
𝐴𝐵

𝐵 ( 7 , −2 )

𝑂
You can find more easily by So to move , we do
the position vector
observing the change in and the of the target point
change in between the subtract the origin
coordinates: +𝟏 −𝟔 point.
Quickfire Position Vectors

6 Determine the vector in each case.

+𝟑

a ⃗
𝑂𝐴=
5 ( )
4 ⃗
𝑂𝐵 =
7
6 ( ) ⃗
𝑨𝑩 =
𝟑
𝟏( )
?

+𝟏

b ⃗
𝑂𝐴=
( )
5 ⃗
1
𝑂𝐵 =
( )
3
10
⃗
𝑨𝑩 =
( )
−𝟐
𝟗
?

c ⃗
𝑂𝐴=
(6)
−3 ⃗
𝑂𝐵=
(0)
−7 ⃗
𝑨𝑩 =
( − 𝟔? )
−𝟒
Dividing a Vector Between Position Vectors
in a Ratio
The point has position vector and the point has position vector .
Determine the position vector of the point , which lies between and ,
such that is .

Since we’re splitting up ,

Approach 1: find first. You may find it Approach 2:
more convenient to use Coordinate
Sticking with column notation than
vectors approach +14
notation. −7
𝐵 ( −3 , 19 )
𝐴 ( 4 ,5 ) 𝐶
is of the way
along .
3: 4 3:4
𝐴 𝐶 𝐵
The position
vector of is . Go
or from to to .

Starting from , we go of the way

along from to , using the
difference.
Test Your Understanding
7 [WJEC AS Level June 2018 Unit 1 Q11b]
The point has position vector and the
point has position vector .
Determine the position vector of the point ,
which lies between and , such that is .
(3 marks)

or

?
Example Test Your
Understanding
The distance between 8 [OCR A2 June 2018 P2 Q2i]
position vectors is the The points and have position
magnitude of the vector vectors and respectively. Find
between them. the exact length of .
(2 marks)
The points and have
position vectors and .
Determine the distance

( )( )( )
between and .
−3 1 −4
𝐴 ( 4 ,5 ) ⃗
𝐴𝐵= −1 −? −2 = 1
( 3
−4 ) 2 5 −3

𝐵 ( 7 , 1)

Distance is .
Problem Solving Involving Position Vectors

9 [Edexcel IGCSE Jan 2018 4H

Q18] Draw a
, and are points such that diagram!
and 𝐴
Given that the position
vector is and is the point such
that
( 3
−8 )
Find (2 marks)
a Find the coordinates of .
b
𝐶
marks)
(2
( ) 5
𝐷 ( 2 , 5 )? Diagram
6

a⃗
𝐷𝐴=
5
−
( 6) ( 3
?− 8) ( )
=
2
14
b

?
𝐸
Unknown Component for Collinear Points
Points are collinear if they lie on the same
line.
What are the implication
𝐵 𝐶 in terms of vectors?
𝐴
and are parallel.
( and are also parallel)
When vectors are parallel, one is a
scalar multiple of the other, e.g.

, and are collinear points with the position vectors , and

respectively, where is a constant. Determine the value of .

Equating components:

Equating components:

We could have
also used
Test Your Understanding
10 [Edexcel A Level Jun 2022 P2 Pure Q13a]
Relative to a fixed origin
• the point has position vector
• the point has position vector
• the point has position vector
where is a constant.
Given that , and lie on a straight line, find the value of .
(3 marks)

?
Angles Between Vectors & An Axis
Suppose we want to find the angle between a vector
and the -axis. Can we use basic trigonometry to do
so?
𝑧
We can form a
𝑦 right-angled
𝐚 triangle.
𝑥
𝜃𝑥 cos 𝜃 𝑥 =
|𝐚|
𝑥 𝑥
This length is simply
the -component of .  The angle between and the -axis
is:

and similarly for the and axes.

(Finding angles between two general vectors requires

knowledge of the dot product of two vectors, which we
cover in skill 708)
Example Test Your
 The angle between and the -axis
Understanding
is:
11 Determine the angle between:
a and the -axis
b and the -axis
and similarly for the and axes.
c and the -axis

Determine the angle between

( )
and:
a the positive -axis a
−1 1
?
b the positive -axis
𝜃 𝑧=cos =𝟓𝟒.𝟕°
√1 +1 +1
c the positive -axis b ?
2 2 2
c ?

c
Magnitude & Direction of the Sum of
Vectors
A 2-dimensional vector is such that and the angle
anticlockwise from the positive -axis is .
A vector is such that its magnitude is and the angle
anticlockwise from the positive -axis is .
Determine the magnitude and direction of .

Harder way using

triangle and
cosine/sine rules:

𝐛
3
𝐚 + 𝐛165 °
45 °
5 150 °
𝜃 𝐚
30 ° Direction of

Cointerior anticlockwise from the positive -

angles sum to . axis.

Magnitude of
Recap: Converting Vectors to Component
Form
The vector has magnitude and angle anticlockwise below the
positive -axis. Express the vector in component form as a column
vector.

35 ° What is the horizontal

What is the vertical component of ?
component of ? |𝐚|= 4
Using trigonometry:
Using trigonometry:
35 ° (Recall that for the
(Recall for the component adjacent
component opposite to the angle, we use )
to the angle, we use
)
As is decreasing, A vector as a column vector
we use shows the overall change in
and overall change in :
Recap: Converting Vectors to Component
Form
Conversely, if is in component form, i.e.

𝐚
𝑦 |𝐚|= √ 𝑥 +𝑦 2 2

𝜃
𝑥

! If a vector has magnitude and a direction

with angle above the positive -axis:

 If

(in the 1st and 4th quadrants)

Returning to the Previous Question…
A 2-dimensional vector is such that and the angle
anticlockwise from the positive -axis is .
A vector is such that its magnitude is and the angle
anticlockwise from the positive -axis is .
Determine the magnitude and direction of .

Easier way by converting to

components.
If and were converted to component form, we
could much more easily sum the vectors.
Convert each vector to
component/column vector
form.
Use

Direction (angle anticlockwise above the positive -

These values are
axis) Use consistent with
the previous
method.
Test Your Understanding

12 Two vectors and have magnitudes and respectively and

angles above the positive -axis and below the positive -axis.
Determine the magnitude and direction of .

Magnitude of :

? -axis):
Angle of (above positive