We can represent the components of the resultant force of any number of coplanar force symbolically by the algebraic sum of the x and y components of all the force, i.e.,
Once these components are determined, they may be sketched along the x and y axes with their proper sense of direction, and the resultant force can be determined from vector addition, as shown in Fig. 2-17. Form this sketch, the magnitude of F is then found from the Pythagorean theorem ; that is.