Cracking the SAT Physics Subject Test

(Ax)^2 + (Ay)^2 = A^2

In the figure above, vector A, which is in the Cartesian plane is made up of the
components Ax along the x-axis and Ay along the y-axis. Ax and Ay are called the

scalar components of A.

A vector can be expressed in terms of its components using the unit vectors i and j.

i is a vector of magnitude one that points in the positive x direction, and j is a
vector of magnitude one that points in the positive y direction.