page_title: Vector
section_title: Adding vectors on paper using the head to tail method
hierarchical_section_title: Vector / How to add vectors / Adding vectors on paper using the head to tail method
caption_attribution_description: English: Illustration of geometric head-to-tail addition of vectors
context_page_description: A vector is a mathematical object that has a size, called the magnitude, and a direction. It is often represented by boldface letters, or as a line segment from one point to another.
  For example, a vector would be used to show the distance and direction something moved in. When asking for directions, if one says "Walk one kilometer towards the North", that would be a vector, but if they say "Walk one kilometer", without showing a direction, then that would be a scalar.
  We usually draw vectors as arrows. The length of the arrow is proportional to the vector's magnitude. The direction in which the arrow points to is the vector's direction.
context_section_description: The Head to Tail method of adding vectors is useful for doing an estimate on paper of the result of adding two vectors. To do it:
  Each vector is drawn as an arrow with an amount of length behind it, where each unit of length on the paper represents a certain magnitude of the vector.
  Draw the next vector, with the tail(end) of the second vector at the head(front) of the first vector.
  Repeat for all further vectors: Draw the tail of the next vector at head of the previous one.
  Draw a line from the tail of the first vector to the head of the last vector - that's the resultant(sum) of all the vectors.
  It's called the "Head to Tail" method, because each head from the previous vector leads in to the tail of the next one.
caption: Head-to-tail Addition
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