This site contains an online graphing tool that allows the user to visualize vectors in plane, perform vector addition and subtraction and calculate dot products. This tool is a part of MathIsFun collection. It is interactive and designed to help students to learn about Vectors and Dot Products. It displays graphs of the vectors, calculates dot products, magnitudes and angle between vectors. It also shows finds vector products and sums up the vectors.
Type of Material:
Simulation
Recommended Uses:
This tool can be used during lecture, presentation, or as a part of self-guided learning.
Technical Requirements:
This tool should work on any browser.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
To provide students with graphical and analytical representation of vector algebra.
Target Student Population:
College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Calculus, Linear Algebra or other course covering the basics vector algebra.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This tool is designed to help a student in achieving the following learning outcomes:
The student learns about the vector and its magnitude and direction.
The student also learns about vector dot products a*b, b*c, c*d, etc.
The student also can visualize how these vectors are represented in the cartesian coordinate.
Result of all the vectors products are also displayed along with magnitude and direction.
Sums up the vectors.
Using this interactive tool allows users to represent vectors with magnitude and direction. It provides students with the graphical display of vectors and calculates dot products. The site that hosts the tool gives an explanation about the vectors and dot product.
Concerns:
Vectors in matrix form need to be elaborated by the math teacher while introducing this subject. Application of vectors and their importance (for example in physics) not explained.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
This tool can be used as an introduction to vector and dot products by Math teachers. In particular, it can be used by math teachers to graphically show to students the vector with its magnitude and direction as well as products of several vectors. This can be done as part of the lecture or problems in math or physics.
Physics/Math teachers can utilize this tool to explain kinematic problems in physics.
Assignment/Homework can be given for utilizing this tool.
Concerns:
It depends on the teacher to make the subject more interesting by giving examples of Vector / Scalar quantities. This could improve this site and tool effectiveness.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The use of the tool is very straightforward, any user can start working with it right away. Design of the hosting page is minimalistic.
Concerns:
Though it is simple to use, the concept behind it needs to be explained by the teacher.
Creative Commons:
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