AQA 7517 4.2.8.1: Vectors
The free BugBot lesson that teach this point, a robot to try it on, and the past-paper questions that test it.
What it covers
Where is the robot, which way is it facing, and is that marker in front of it or behind? Each of those answers is a vector. A vector is a data structure as well as a piece of maths: an ordered list of numbers that a program can add, scale and multiply. In this lesson BugBot's position and heading become vectors, and the dot product tells it what is ahead.
- Three ways to see a vector
- Adding and scaling
- Convex combination
- Dot product
- BugBot's vectors
Or do it in the simulator, with tasks that mark themselves
Lessons that teach it
- A3.7 Vectors Data structures
Vectors as lists, functions and arrows; addition, scaling, dot product and convex combination, on the robot's position.
Try it on a robot
The task from A3.7 Vectors, running here. Change the program and press Run.
The specification is AQA's own document; this page says which of our lessons teach point 4.2.8.1 and is not endorsed by the board.