Answer: [tex]R^2 = R_x^2 + R_y^2[/tex]
Explanation:
when we have two perpendicular vectors Rx and Ry, the magnitude of the resultant vector can be found by using Pythagorean's theorem. In fact, the two vectors Rx and Ry correspond to the two sides of a right triangle, of which the hypothenuse corresponds to the resultant vector R. Therefore, by applying the theorem, we get
[tex]R=\sqrt{R_x^2+R_y^2}[/tex]
which is equivalent to
[tex]R^2 = R_x^2+R_y^2[/tex]
