Question 6

Establish the following vector inequalities geometrically or otherwise:

(a) |a + b| ≤ |a| + |b|

(b) |a + b| ≥ ||a| − |b||

(c) |a − b| ≤ |a| + |b|

(d) |a − b| ≥ ||a| − |b||

When does the equality sign above apply?

Answer

                                 

(a) Let two vectors  and    be represented by the adjacent sides of a parallelogram OMNP, as shown in the given figure.

Here, we can write:

 

(b)  Let two vectors  and  be represented by the adjacent sides of a parallelogram OMNP, as shown in the given figure.



In a triangle, each side is smaller than the sum of the other two sides.

Therefore, in ΔOMN, we have:

 

 

(c) Let two vectors  and  be represented by the adjacent sides of a parallelogram PORS, as shown in the given figure.

In a triangle, each side is smaller than the sum of the other two sides. Therefore, in ΔOPS, we have:

OS < OP + PS

 

 

(d) Let two vectors  and   be represented by the adjacent sides of a parallelogram PORS, as shown in the given figure.

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