What is it
A vector represents a movement with both magnitude (size) and direction, usually written as a column vector like (3, 2) meaning '3 across, 2 up' — used to describe translations and combine movements.
Why it matters
Vectors are a genuinely different way of thinking about geometry — using arithmetic to describe movement and position — and they're a core building block for both GCSE geometry proofs and A-Level mechanics.
Exam tip
When adding vectors, add the top numbers together and the bottom numbers together separately — treating each row independently avoids the most common vector arithmetic mistake.
Related topics
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