A Level Computer Science: Vectors
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All Computer Science topics are covered, and each module comes complete with:
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Revision Notes
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Vector?
A vector is a mathematical object that has both a direction and a magnitude. Unlike a scalar, which only has magnitude, a vector helps in describing quantities like force or velocity that have a direction associated with them.
How are Vectors Represented?
Vectors can be represented in several ways, including geometrically as arrows, or algebraically as a column matrix. In computer programming, vectors might also be represented as arrays or lists of numbers.
What is Vector Addition and Multiplication?
Vector addition involves adding the corresponding components of two vectors to create a new vector. Scalar multiplication refers to multiplying each component of a vector by a scalar (a single numerical value). Both operations follow specific mathematical rules and are fundamental in vector manipulation.
What is the Dot Product?
The dot product is a way to multiply two vectors that results in a single scalar value. It's calculated by multiplying corresponding components of the vectors and then summing those products. The dot product is widely used in physics to find the angle between two vectors, and in machine learning for operations like finding similarity between data points.
What is a Convex Combination?
A convex combination is a specific kind of linear combination of vectors where all the coefficients are non-negative and sum to one. This is particularly useful in optimization problems and machine learning, as it helps in understanding how a point in a space can be represented as a combination of other points in the same space.