# Thread: how to write an acceleration vector (for AP exam)

1. ## how to write an acceleration vector (for AP exam)

Is is permissible to write an acceleration vector like they do in physics? So instead of the AP style <3t, t-4>, the vector could be written as (3t)i+(t-4)j?

Thanks

Bret

2. ## Re: how to write an acceleration vector (for AP exam)

yes, you can... vectors can be written (at least, I know this forms) as:

$\overlinearrow{a}=(a,b)$

$\overlinearrow{a}=a\hat{i}+b\hat{j}$

$\overlinearrow{a}=\begin{pmatrix}
a\\
b
\end{pmatrix}$

sorry, I don't know why TeX isn't working in the last form :c

3. ## Re: how to write an acceleration vector (for AP exam)

Thanks!

All my math students are in physics now so I was thinking it would be smart to keep the notation from physics consistent in math.

Bret

4. ## Re: how to write an acceleration vector (for AP exam)

Originally Posted by Esteban
yes, you can... vectors can be written (at least, I know this forms) as:

$\overlinearrow{a}=(a,b)$

$\overlinearrow{a}=a\hat{i}+b\hat{j}$

$\overlinearrow{a}=\begin{pmatrix}
a\\
b
\end{pmatrix}$

sorry, I don't know why TeX isn't working in the last form :c
You can use \vec instead of \overlinearrow:

$\vec{a}$

$\left(\begin{array}{c}a\\ b\end{array}\right)$

The <br\> thing happens when you put pieces of the array on separate lines.

- Hollywood

Actually, it seems that pmatrix works:

$\begin{pmatrix}a\\ b\end{pmatrix}$

In fact, I think I like that better than what I got before with array.