I read about it and did some googling, but didn’t really understand it. I was hoping someone here could break it down for me. I’d appreciate both examples and definitions on the terms, as well as of course, an explanation.
In: Mathematics
A vector is a measurement that had both a value and a direction. These include things like your motion (10 mph to the right is different than 10 mph to the left) or forces.
Anything that has a convention for both positive and negative numbers is really a vector. Positive means one way, negative means the opposite way. So +$10 in my bank means different things than -$10. One is money moving into it (the direction) the other is money moving out.
Scalar measurements are for things where there is no direction, like weight. You don’t weigh -150 lbs… That doesn’t happen or have meaning that is opposite 150 lbs. Sound volume is another.
Where this is important is how they combine. Moving right +10 mph, while in a train moving left at -10 mph means you aren’t really going anywhere (+10 – 10=0). But for weight, you pick something up you always weigh more.
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