Drag the vector from the right to the work area.
Check off the Values and the Angle on the top right corner to enable you to drag and change the size and direction of the vector.
Check off Sum if you want the App shows the result of the vector addition.
Use the eraser to clear the work area.
1. You take a walk in the park for 15 steps using a compass that points 25º North of East.
• How would you use the simulation to represent your path? Insert a screenshot here.
• Explain why the same representation works for illustrating this different scenario: You drive at 15 miles/hour using a compass that points 25º North of East.
• Write another scenario using different units that could also be represented the same.
2. In the simulation, a vector is described by four measurements: R, Ө, Rx, and Ry. Put a vector in the work area, and then investigate to make sense of what these four things represent. In your investigation, use a wide variety of vector measurements and all three styles of Component Displays. Then, describe in your own words what the measurements represent and what “component” means. Hint: you should have 3 screenshots for three styles of Component Displays with explanations.
3. Suppose you are driving 14 miles/hour with a compass reading of 35°north of east.
Represent the vector using the simulation. How fast is your car traveling in the north direction? How fast in the east direction? Calculate the speed in each direction and show a screenshot to prove your point.
4. To get to the sandwich shop, you left home and drove 6 miles south and then 10 miles west.
• If a bird flew from your house to the sandwich shop in a straight line, how far do you think the
bird would fly? Use the simulation to check your reasoning by insert a screenshot here.
• Calculate what direction should it fly from your house to get to the shop?
5. Suppose you and a friend are test driving a new car. You drive out of the car dealership and go 10 miles east, and then 8 miles south. Then, your friend drives 8 miles west, and 6 miles north.
• If you had the dealer’s homing pigeon in the car, how far do you think it would have to fly to get back to the dealership? Use the simulation to test ideas by inserting a screenshot here. Hint: Click the Lab icon at the bottom for 4 vectors.
• Calculate the distance and the direction that the bird has to fly represents the sum of the 4 displacement vectors.
