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jstavitsky1-Visitor
1-Visitor
March 4, 2015
Question

Is there some trick or shortcut to vector operations?

  • March 4, 2015
  • 4 replies
  • 4724 views

This is an issue that I encountered earlier when I was taking an electronics technology course. Obviously, what is meant by a vector in Mathcad is not the same as what is meant by a vector in my physics text. Now, I'm sure that there is some system for manipulating and using polar coordinates, but to the best of my knowledge polar coordinates and vectors are not the same thing. Polar coordinates, by definition, do not have x-components and y-components. To resolve them would take as much work as resolving a vector. Isn't there some "inline" method of vector addition and subtraction so I don't have to keep resolving them?

I have some (very basic) grasp of user defined functions. Is that the way to go here? Also, is there some way to typeset vector notation? (the horizontal arrow above the letter)?

4 replies

A
AlanStevens19-Tanzanite
19-Tanzanite
March 4, 2015

See if the attached is any help.

Alan.

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-MFra-21-Topaz II
21-Topaz II
August 20, 2016

Hi J. S.

Some time ago, I tried to solve the same problem as your own. The results are partly in the attached file.

I would be glad if you report me inconsistences escaped to me.

Thank you

FM

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-MFra-21-Topaz II
21-Topaz II
August 20, 2016

I noticed that by downloading the attached file and opening it,  images as bitmap or jpeg, are moved randomly, making everything incomprehensible. I enclose a picture of the file, placed in order. Thus, those interested can put everything in place as before.

Unit Vectors & Vector calculus.jpg

W
Werner_E25-Diamond I
25-Diamond I
August 20, 2016

Which version of Mathcad are you using? Real Mathcad 15 or below or Prime?

Its not quite clear to me what exactly you are trying to achieve and in which respect you think that a vector in physics differs from a vector in MC. Maybe you can elaborate on this.

According the display of vector variable names I don't know of a way to create that arrow above the name. The best I could achieve using U-20D7 from charmap is an arrow after the name

which doesn't look that good and is awkqard to create. So I guess that the bold typeface suggested by Alan is the better alternative.

Werner

P.S.: As you mention polar coordinates and only x and y components you are probably heading for vectors in just 2 dimensions. Depending on what you would like to achieve it might be worth to consider complex numbers for representation, too.

Maybe this recent thread is of interest Matrice to lenght and angle

A
AlvaroDíaz12-Amethyst
12-Amethyst
August 20, 2016

Hi.

Just looks horrible, that's playing with Ctrl-Shift-K and J. Like Werner, believe that black notation like Alan's or F.M. is better.

Best regards.

vec.gif

W
Werner_E25-Diamond I
25-Diamond I
August 20, 2016

AlvaroDíaz wrote:

Just looks horrible,

I don't like it, too. But its a clever idea and a new use for the vectorization operator.

I guess the only way to get a decent vector notation is to use a modified font. Either modify one of the diacritc symbols to look like an arrow or create a font with an arrow over each letter. The the sheet won't be compatible with anything but for documentation this might be an option.

Sure too much hassle for me - I would stay with normal or bold typeface.

L
LucMeekes23-Emerald IV
23-Emerald IV
August 20, 2016

You've all seen that the original post is from march 2015, that is 1.5 years ago...

Anyway, this might be another item for notation (like units that must be Roman, upright type: Units in roman). It could be easily solved if there is a font that has an arrow above each character.

Haven't found it yet. In absence of that I use underscore.

Luc

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