Problem:
Given vectors in the plane. The sum of every vectors is a multiple of the other vector. Not all the vectors are multiples of each other. Show that the sum of all the vectors is zero.
Problem:
Given vectors in the plane. The sum of every vectors is a multiple of the other vector. Not all the vectors are multiples of each other. Show that the sum of all the vectors is zero.
Solution:
Let the vectors be and their sum . Then we have for some scalar . Hence . If is nonzero, then it follows that every vector is a multiple of and hence all the vectors are multiples of each other. But we are told that is not true. Hence is zero.