Experimental 2: VECTOR ADDITION
Mikee Masusi, Ysabel Mistal, Beatrice Montemayor
Department of Math and Physics
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
España, Manila Philippines
ABSTRACT
Scalar, from the word “scala” means
steps or ladder. These are quantities that can
be described by their magnitudes and
appropriate units. On the other hand, vectors,
comes from the word “vehere” which means
to carry. These are quantities completely
described by both a magnitude and a
direction. Vector addition is the process of
addition two or more vectors to determine the
resultant vector. In this experiment, three
methods were used in order to get the
resultant vector: the polygon method,
parallelogram method, and the component
method.
I. Introduction
Man used different physical quantities in
order to explain various wonders in this
world. Two of which are the scalar and vector
quantities. Scalar is a quantity that deals with
magnitude while vector deals with both
magnitude and direction.
Resultant displacement (R), also known
as the resultant vector, is the sum of two or
more vectors. The process of adding two or
more vectors together is called Vector
addition. There are different ways to achieve
the resultant: the polygon method,
parallelogram method, and the component
method.
The polygon method, or the “head to
tail” method, are vectors drawn from head to
tail to form an open polygon. In
parallelogram method, two vectors and
moved to a common point and drawn to
represent two sides of parallelogram. The
component method is the standard way to
add vectors. It involves adding the x-
components of each to get the total of x-
components, same application in the y-
component.
This experiment aims to: (a) determine
the resultant displacement by the component
method, parallelogram method, and polygon
method; (b) show that vector addition is
commutative and associative.
II. Theory
A vector is a quantity that has two
properties: magnitude and direction and they
follow specific rules of addition. In vector
addition, two or more vectors are being added
together into a vector sum. There are three
methods in achieving a vector sum:
component, parallelogram, and polygon. In
the component method, the resultant is
attained by adding the vectors together and is
called the vector sum or resultant vector. For
the polygon method, the resultant is
represented in magnitude and direction by
drawing the tail of the first vector to the head
of the last vector, which results to the closing
side of the polygon. Lastly, in the
parallelogram method, parallel vectors are
projected that have equal components as the
original vector and this forms a four-sided
figure. The resultant vector in this method
would be the parallelogram’s diagonal.
These are the following formulas
used in the experiment:
𝑉𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 𝑉𝑥
 𝑉𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑉𝑦
𝑅 = √∑ 𝑥 2 + ∑ 𝑦 2
𝑦 R = resultant vector
𝜃 = tan−1 | |
𝑥 θ = angle of the resultant vector
Percentage error:
|𝐴𝑉 − 𝐸𝑉|
%𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = × 100
𝐴𝑉
III. Methodology
Activity 1: Polygon Method
The initial position of one member of the
group was marked. The member underwent
the following successive displacements: 1m
E, 2.5m N, 3m 30 N of W, and 1m SE. After
following the said displacements, his final
position was marked. An arrow from his
initial position to his final position was
drawn, which represented his resultant
displacement. The magnitude as well as the
direction of his resultant displacement was
determined using a ruler and protractor.
Activity 2: Parallelogram Method
The resultant displacement was
determined by the parallelogram method with
the use of a suitable scale.
Activity 3: Component Method
The resultant displacement was
determined by the component method. The
resultant was used as the acceptable value,
and computed for the % of error of magnitude
as well as direction for the resultant
displacement obtained in activities 1 and 2.
V= vector magnitude
Vx= x-component
Vy= y-component
AV = accepted value (theoretical value)
EV = experimental value
IV. Results and Discussion
Table 1 shows the results for the polygon
method. Table 2 and graph 2 shows the
results using the parallelogram method. The
magnitude and direction computed for both
method are close to the accepted value,
having a percentage error of magnitude and
direction less than 10%. Meanwhile, in table
3, Using given values of A= 1m, B=2.5m,
C=3m 30 N of W, and 1m SE, the x-
component of each displacement were
computed using the formula Vcosine𝜃, the
sign of each will be based on the direction
given, getting a summation of -0.89m. On the
other hand, using Vsine 𝜃, the y-component
for each displacement was calculated getting
a summation of 3.29m. With the sum of the
x and y component, a magnitude of 3.41m
and a direction of 105.14° NW
Table 1. Polygon Method
Magnitude of R 3.58m
% Error of Magnitude 4.99%
Direction of R 100 °
% Error of Direction 4.89%
Table 2. Parallelogram Method
 Length of arrow 3.1 in Table 3. Component Method
representing R
Magnitude of R 3.1 m Displacement X-Component Y-Component
A 1m 0m
B 0m 2.5m
% Error of magnitude 3%
C -2.6m 1.5m
Direction of R 104°
D 0.71m -0.71m
% Error for direction 1.08% ∑ 𝒙=-0.89m ∑ 𝒚= 3.29m
Figure 1: Graph of Activity 2 Magnitude of R 3.41m
Direction of R 105.14° NW

Among the methods used, the component

method was the most accurate in getting the
resultant vector since the values computed
were used as a basis or the accepted value.
Since both polygon and parallelogram
methods uses graphing there will be high
chances of getting errors when doing the
experiment. Based from the results of the
polygon and parallelogram method, the
percentage error for the parallelogram
method for the magnitude and direction were
3% and 1.08%, respectively. This shows that
the parallelogram method has a lesser chance
of getting error compared to polygon method
because it is in a drawn to scale basis.

V. Conclusion needs to be graphed. The parallelogram

To conclude, in order to attain the
resultant graphical and analytical
methods must be used since vector
quantities cannot be controlled unlike
scalar qualities. Using the different
methods: polygon method which uses the
idea of the head-to-tail graphical
presentation, parallelogram method,
which uses the idea of parallelograms,
and component method, which uses
vectors with angles.
Based from the experiment, the
component method is the most accurate
compared to the two other methods which
method shows that the associative
property of vectors addition since even if
you change the groupings it will always
have the same answer. The commutative
property of vector addition was shown
using the polygon method because even
though you change the order, it will not
affect the results of the resultant vector.
VI. Applications
1. You are given only the magnitudes of
two vectors: 3 units and 4 units. What
 is the range of magnitude of from his dormitory. Specify the
resultant? What must be the angle distance and bearing of the grocery
between these vectors to get A.) relative to the student’s dormitory.
Maximum resultant B.) Minimum
resultant C.) A resultant of magnitude X Y
of 5 units D.) A resultant of 6 units? 8.25m (cos 270) = 8.25m (sin 270) =
When two vectors point in the 0 -8.25
opposite direction, the smallest possible 4.0m (cos 0) = 4 4.0m (sin 0) = 0
value is 1 unit. (4 units – 3 units). If the 2.5m (cos 315) = 2.5m (sin 315) = -
vectors point in the same direction, the 1.77 1.77
largest possible value is 7 units (4 units + ∑X= 5.77 ∑Y= -10.02
3 units).
a. Maximum resultant: 0°
b. Minimum resultant: 180° 𝑅 = √(5.77)2 − (−10.02)2
c. Magnitude of 5 units: 90° = 11.56𝑚
d. Magnitude of 6 units: 60° ∑ 𝑌 −10.02
𝜃 = tan−1 | |=| |
∑𝑋 5.77
2. Differentiate distance from = 60.06°
displacement. Is it possible for you to 𝜃 = 360° − 60.06° = 299.94°
have no displacement even though
you have travelled a great distance?
Explain by giving examples. 4. Vector addition is commutative and
Distance is the measure between the associative. How can you show these
initial and final positions of the particle. It is two properties in this experiment?
the total length of the path travelled. On the The commutative property of vector can
other hand, displacement is the distance be shown using the polygon method.
travelled by the object in a specific direction. Changing the order of the given vectors will
Is the distance travelled from its initial not affect the resultant different. Meanwhile,
position to its final position in a straight line. in the parallelogram method, the associative
Yes, it is possible because for example, I property of vectors addition were used since
travelled 3m East then after I travelled all of the vectors were based to the x and y
another 4m North. My distance would be axis. Even if they are grouped or switched, it
3m+4m= 7m, since that’s the total measure will just yield to the same result and be the
that I’ve travelled. However, my same.
displacement is 5, because I am 5m away
from my original position.

3. To go to a grocery, a student has to

walk 8.25m S, 4.0m E and then 2.5 SE

VII. References
https://socratic.org/questions/what-are-the-parallelogram-and-the-polygon-methods
https://www.coursehero.com/file/11917916/hw-1/

https://www.coursehero.com/file/11917236/hw-2/

https://www.coursehero.com/file/p5btt3d/Table-3-Component-Method-Displacemen-t-x-
component-y-component-A-1-B-25-C-26-15/

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/vectors/Lesson-1/Component-Addition

http://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/semester1/c3_vadd_comp.html

https://www.aplustopper.com/difference-between-distance-and-displacement/

https://www.topperlearning.com/doubts-solutions/explain-the-polygon-law-of-vector-addition-
flpug6ii