SOLUTION: Find the magnitude of the vector <-6, 4>. Write your answer in simplified radical form. Appreciate an step by step solution or a link to a vector calculator. Thank you.

Algebra ->  Trigonometry-basics -> SOLUTION: Find the magnitude of the vector <-6, 4>. Write your answer in simplified radical form. Appreciate an step by step solution or a link to a vector calculator. Thank you.       Log On


   

Question 1070006: Find the magnitude of the vector <-6, 4>. Write your answer in simplified radical form. Appreciate an step by step solution or a link to a vector calculator. Thank you.
Answer by swincher4391(1107) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The magnitude of a vector with components and x and y is sqrt%28x%5E2+%2B+y%5E2%29 So the magnitude of vector <-6,4> is sqrt%28%28-6%29%5E2+%2B+4%5E2%29 = sqrt%2836+%2B+16%29 = sqrt%2852%29 = sqrt%284%2A13%29 = sqrt%284%29+%2A+sqrt%2813%29 highlight%282%2Asqrt%2813%29%29.
Note, that if you start at the point (0,0) and go out to the point (-6,4), that is equivalent to the vector <-6,4> (provided that the line you drew continued out to infinity). But anyway, if you were then to draw a triangle and measured the hypotenuse (i.e. the distance from (0,0) to (-6,4)), that is the concept of the magnitude. It's just a variation of the pythagorean theorem / distance formula.