Add, subtract and scale vectors
Grade 10 Math Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.
A student claims |u − v| = |u| − |v|. With u = ⟨12, 5⟩ and v = ⟨3, 4⟩ that gives 13 − 5 = 8. Kira checks it. What does Kira find?
- The claim fails: u − v = ⟨9, 1⟩ has length √82, about 9.1, not 8
- The claim holds: 13 − 5 = 8, and both lengths are exact whole numbers
- The claim fails: u − v = ⟨15, 9⟩ has length about 17.5
- The claim fails: u − v = ⟨9, 1⟩ has length 82, not 8
One knot is one nautical mile per hour. Luz tracks two ferries leaving one dock: A at ⟨12, 5⟩ knots and B at ⟨-4, -7⟩ knots. How far apart are they after 2 hours?
Both ferries leave the dock at the same time. A moves at ⟨12, 5⟩ knots and B moves at ⟨-4, -7⟩ knots. One knot is one nautical mile per hour. Both ferries leave the dock at the same time. A moves at ⟨12, 5⟩ knots and B moves at ⟨-4, -7⟩ knots. One knot is one nautical mile per hour. dock A (12, 5) knots B (-4, -7) knots - 20 nautical miles
- 1,600 nautical miles
- 40 nautical miles
- About 42.1 nautical miles
A sled track passes through P(1, 2) and Q(7, 5). Ari places flag R(13, k) on the same straight line. Which k works?
Points P(1, 2) and Q(7, 5) lie on one straight line. R(13, k) is also on it. Points P(1, 2) and Q(7, 5) lie on one straight line. R(13, k) is also on it. R(13, k) is also on it. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 P Q - k = 11
- k = 10
- k = 8
- k = 6
Tala's quilt has corners A(0, 0), B(6, 2), C(10, 7) and D(3, 5) in order. Tala asks if ABCD is a parallelogram. Which reasoning is correct?
Quadrilateral ABCD with A(0, 0), B(6, 2), C(10, 7), D(3, 5). A parallelogram needs AB = DC and AD = BC as vectors. Quadrilateral ABCD with A(0, 0), B(6, 2), C(10, 7), D(3, 5). A parallelogram needs AB = DC and AD = BC as vectors. A parallelogram needs AB = DC and AD = BC as vectors. −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 A B C D - Yes: AB and DC both rise 2 units, so those two sides must be parallel
- No: AB = ⟨6, 2⟩ but DC = ⟨7, 2⟩, so opposite sides are not equal vectors
- No: the diagonals AC and BD have different lengths, and a parallelogram's must match
- Yes: AB + BC = AD + DC = ⟨10, 7⟩, so the sides add the same
Pia's two rocket paths ⟨3, k⟩ and ⟨-12, 20⟩ lie along one line. Which k works, and do the paths point the same way?
Vectors ⟨3, k⟩ and ⟨-12, 20⟩ are on one line, so one is a scalar multiple of the other. Vectors ⟨3, k⟩ and ⟨-12, 20⟩ are on one line, so one is a scalar multiple of the other. Vectors ?3, k? and ?-12, 20? are on one line, so one is a scalar multiple of the other. ?-12, 20? - k = -5; they point the same way, because a multiplier below 1 just shrinks
- k = 5; they point the same way, because 20 ÷ 4 = 5
- k = -5; they point opposite ways, because the multiplier is -1/4
- k = -80; they point opposite ways, because -12 ÷ 3 = -4
Zee's quilt is parallelogram ABCD with A at the origin, AB = u = ⟨6, 0⟩ and AD = v = ⟨2, 4⟩. M is the midpoint of side DC. Which vector is AM?
Parallelogram ABCD with A(0, 0), B(6, 0), D(2, 4) and C(8, 4). M is the midpoint of DC. Parallelogram ABCD with A(0, 0), B(6, 0), D(2, 4) and C(8, 4). M is the midpoint of DC. M is the midpoint of DC. −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 −1 1 2 3 4 5 0 A B D C - ⟨7, 2⟩, which is u + ½v
- ⟨-1, 4⟩, which is v − ½u
- ⟨4, 2⟩, which is ½(u + v)
- ⟨5, 4⟩, which is v + ½u
Two vectors satisfy u + v = ⟨5, 1⟩ and u − v = ⟨1, 7⟩. Jun's car and trailer move with u + v = ⟨5, 1⟩ and u − v = ⟨1, 7⟩. Which pair gives u and v?
- u = ⟨3, 4⟩ and v = ⟨-2, 3⟩
- u = ⟨2, -3⟩ and v = ⟨3, 4⟩
- u = ⟨6, 8⟩ and v = ⟨4, -6⟩
- u = ⟨3, 4⟩ and v = ⟨2, -3⟩
Milo's drone log shows positions from the start of (4, 3), (8, 6) and (12, 10) km after 1, 2 and 3 hours. Milo claims constant velocity. What does the log show?
Positions in km from the start (0, 0): after 1 hour (4, 3); after 2 hours (8, 6); after 3 hours (12, 10). Positions in km from the start (0, 0): after 1 hour (4, 3); after 2 hours (8, 6); after 3 hours (12, 10). Positions in km from the start 0 4 8 12 3 6 10 km from start km (0, 0) after 1 hour (4, 3) after 2 hours (8, 6) after 3 hours (12, 10) - Not constant: the hourly slides are ⟨4, 3⟩, ⟨4, 3⟩ and ⟨4, 4⟩, so hour 3 differs
- Constant: the first two hours match, so the third reading must be a small error
- Constant: the run grows by exactly 4 km in each hour
- Not constant: the distances from the start are 5, 10 and about 15.6 km, so they grow
Bo's robot slides u = ⟨3, 4⟩, then turns a quarter turn left and slides the same distance. Where does it finish, as one slide from the start?
First slide u = ⟨3, 4⟩ (length 5). A quarter turn left of ⟨a, b⟩ is ⟨-b, a⟩. East is the positive run and north is the positive rise. First slide u = ⟨3, 4⟩ (length 5). A quarter turn left of ⟨a, b⟩ is ⟨-b, a⟩. East is the positive run and north is the positive rise. First slide u = ⟨3, 4⟩ (length 5). u = ⟨3, 4⟩ (length 5) north is the positive rise. East is the positive run. A quarter turn left of ⟨a, b⟩ is ⟨-b, a⟩. - ⟨7, 1⟩
- ⟨6, 8⟩
- ⟨7, 7⟩
- ⟨-1, 7⟩
Read this first
Use this
|u| = 5, |v| = 10. u + v = ⟨-2, 11⟩, so |u + v|² = 4 + 121 = 125.
Luz tests u = ⟨4, 3⟩ and v = ⟨-6, 8⟩. Their lengths are 5 and 10, and |u + v| = √125. What does 5² + 10² = 125 show?
- u and v point the same way, so the lengths add and |u + v| = 15
- u and v are perpendicular, so u + v closes a right triangle with legs 5 and 10
- Nothing: 125 is a coincidence that depends on these particular numbers
- u and v point opposite ways, so |u + v| = 10 − 5 = 5, the lengths' difference