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

Circle the best answer.
Ground velocity is their sum. Noah's plane has airspeed vector ⟨240, 0⟩ km/h. The wind adds ⟨-70, 168⟩ km/h (182 km/h in all). Which statement about the plane's motion over the ground is correct?
- It moves at 422 km/h, since the plane's 240 and the wind's 182 add
- It moves at about 353 km/h, and it heads about 28° south of east
- About 239 km/h, nearly its airspeed, but heading about 45° north of east
- It moves at 170 km/h and keeps heading east, since just the headwind part counts
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?
u = ⟨12, 5⟩ has length 13. v = ⟨3, 4⟩ has length 5. The claim says |u − v| = 8. u = ⟨12, 5⟩ has length 13. v = ⟨3, 4⟩ has length 5. The claim says |u − v| = 8. u = ⟨12, 5⟩ v = ⟨3, 4⟩ x y u has length 13 v has length 5 claim: |u - v| = 8 - The claim fails: u − v = ⟨9, 1⟩ has length 82, not 8
- 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
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: the diagonals AC and BD have different lengths, and a parallelogram's must match
- No: AB = ⟨6, 2⟩ but DC = ⟨7, 2⟩, so opposite sides are not equal vectors
- 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 = -80; they point opposite ways, because -12 ÷ 3 = -4
- k = 5; they point the same way, because 20 ÷ 4 = 5
- k = -5; they point opposite ways, because the multiplier is -1/4
- k = -5; they point the same way, because a multiplier below 1 just shrinks
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 - ⟨4, 2⟩, which is ½(u + v)
- ⟨5, 4⟩, which is v + ½u
- ⟨7, 2⟩, which is u + ½v
- ⟨-1, 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 = ⟨2, -3⟩ and v = ⟨3, 4⟩
- u = ⟨3, 4⟩ and v = ⟨2, -3⟩
- u = ⟨3, 4⟩ and v = ⟨-2, 3⟩
- u = ⟨6, 8⟩ and v = ⟨4, -6⟩
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) - Constant: the run grows by exactly 4 km in each hour
- Not constant: the hourly slides are ⟨4, 3⟩, ⟨4, 3⟩ and ⟨4, 4⟩, so hour 3 differs
- Not constant: the distances from the start are 5, 10 and about 15.6 km, so they grow
- Constant: the first two hours match, so the third reading must be a small error
Esme's rug vector is u = ⟨-6, 8⟩. A vector ku is 20 long and points down and to the right. Which k works?
u = ⟨-6, 8⟩ has length 10. The vector ku is 20 long with a positive run and a negative rise. u = ⟨-6, 8⟩ has length 10. The vector ku is 20 long with a positive run and a negative rise. u = ?-6, 8? has length 10. u = ?-6, 8? The vector ku is 20 long with a positive run and a negative rise. - k = -2
- k = 2 or k = -2, either one
- k = 2
- k = 20
Kira's triangle has corners P(0, 0), Q(9, 3) and R(3, 6). Kira says G(4, 3) is two-thirds of the way along the median from P. Which check settles it?
Triangle PQR with P(0, 0), Q(9, 3), R(3, 6). The median from P goes to M, the midpoint of QR. Triangle PQR with P(0, 0), Q(9, 3), R(3, 6). The median from P goes to M, the midpoint of QR. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 P Q R Triangle PQR. The median from P goes to M, the midpoint of QR. - ½ of side PQ is ⟨4.5, 1.5⟩, which is not G, so the claim fails
- Find M = (6, 4.5); ½ of that is (3, 2.25), not G, so the claim fails
- Add the corners: P + Q + R = (12, 9), which is not G, so the claim fails
- Find M = ½(Q + R) = (6, 4.5); then ⅔ of ⟨6, 4.5⟩ is ⟨4, 3⟩, so the claim holds
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⟩. - ⟨6, 8⟩
- ⟨7, 1⟩
- ⟨-1, 7⟩
- ⟨7, 7⟩