Lesson 1415 of 1524
Vectors
A vector quantity is any quantity that has magnitude and direction, such as displacement or velocity.
Practice this chapterA vector quantity is any quantity that has magnitude and direction, such as displacement or velocity. The length of the vector is its magnitude, which is a positive scalar.
The direction angle of a vector is a scalar Parallel vectors have the same direction angles but may have different magnitudes.
vector — mathematical object with magnitude and direction. vector quantity — physical quantity described by a mathematical vector—that is, by specifying both its magnitude and its direction; synonymous with a vector in physics. length of the vector — its magnitude, which is a positive scalar. direction angle — in a plane, an angle between the positive direction of the x -axis and the vector, measured counterclockwise from the axis to the vector.
Worked example
What does “vector” mean in Vectors?
- 1Use the wording this chapter gives for vector.
- 2The book says: mathematical object with magnitude and direction.
- 3Do not use the meaning of vector quantity. That term means physical quantity described by a mathematical vector—that is, by specifying both its magnitude and its direction; synonymous with a vector in physics.
Result: mathematical object with magnitude and direction
Why. That is the meaning this chapter gives for vector.
Do not swap vector and vector quantity. vector means mathematical object with magnitude and direction. vector quantity means physical quantity described by a mathematical vector—that is, by specifying both its magnitude and its direction; synonymous with a vector in physics.
Practice margin
This chapter
A fresh set from this chapter only. Choose 10 or 20. Multiple choice and fill-in, with no repeat inside the set.