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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