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How do you perform vector addition using column coordinates?

To perform vector addition using column coordinates, add the corresponding components of the vectors separately. The first component of the sum is the sum of the first components, and the second component of the sum is the sum of the second components.

Conditions

  • Vectors have established coordinate representations.
  • The vectors must have the same dimension and basis.

Reasoning, step by step

  1. Write down the column vectors for each vector.
  2. Add the top entries together to get the top entry of the result.
  3. Add the bottom entries together to get the bottom entry of the result.
  4. Combine these sums into a new column vector.

Example

[23]+[20]=[2+23+0]=[43]\begin{bmatrix} 2 \\ 3 \end{bmatrix} + \begin{bmatrix} 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} 2+2 \\ 3+0 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} 4 \\ 3 \end{bmatrix}.

Common misconceptions

  • Adding all components together into a single scalar.
  • Multiplying the components instead of adding them.
  • Assuming this works for vectors of different dimensions.

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