Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The position vector is a vector that describes the location of a point in space. It specifies both the magnitude (distance) and direction from a reference point or origin.
The magnitude of a vector refers to its length or size. In this case, it represents the distance between the point described by the position vector and the origin.
Direction: The direction of a vector indicates where it is pointing towards. For the position vector, it shows which way we need to go from the origin to reach the specified point.
Reference Point: A reference point is an established location used for comparison or measurement. It serves as a starting point to determine distances and directions using vectors.