When multiplying times a negative scalar, the resulting vector will point in the opposite direction.
Examples of scalar multiplication by 2 and -1 can be seen in the diagram to the right.
Image by Benjamin Esham, available through Wikimedia Commons.
The simplest operation that can be performed on a vector is to multiply it by a scalar. This scalar multiplication alters the magnitude of the vector. In other word, it makes the vector longer or shorter.
Vectors - applications in physics
Vectors - mathematical information
Vectors - speed and velocity
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