MatteSkolen linear-algebra What are vectors?
VG3 linear-algebra Quiz

What are vectors?

A vector is a quantity with both magnitude and direction. Vectors are used everywhere — from physics and navigation to 3D graphics and machine learning.

📅 30. April 2026 👁️ 5 views 📂 linear-algebra 🇳🇴 Les på norsk

What is a vector?

⃗v = (x, y)

Example: ⃗v = (3, 4) means 3 units in x-direction and 4 units in y-direction.

Magnitude

|⃗v| = √(x² + y²)
|(3, 4)| = √(9+16) = 5

Addition

⃗a + ⃗b = (a₁+b₁, a₂+b₂)

Dot product

⃗a · ⃗b = a₁·b₁ + a₂·b₂

If the dot product is 0, the vectors are perpendicular.

cos(θ) = (⃗a · ⃗b) / (|⃗a| · |⃗b|)

To those who do not know mathematics it is difficult to get across a real feeling as to the beauty of nature — the deep beauty of nature.

— Richard Feynman (1918–1988)

🧠 Test yourself

Question 1 of 3

What is the magnitude of the vector (3, 4)?

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