NCEA Level 2 Physics Practice Exam

To subtract a vector, you essentially need to add its negative. This is because when you subtract a vector, you are finding the difference between two vectors, which can be conceptually understood as adding one vector in the opposite direction of the other.

When you take a vector, say vector A, and you want to subtract vector B from it (A - B), you can do this by adding vector A to the negative of vector B (A + (-B)). This is a fundamental property of vector arithmetic and allows for proper directionality to be maintained in the operation.

The method of adding the vector as negative is key because it reverses the direction of the vector being subtracted, ensuring that the resultant vector accurately represents the intended subtraction in both magnitude and direction.