Vector
Vector has become more frequently used as a general conversational word than in its original sense as a mathematical term. Mathematically speaking&sbquo force is necessary when moving something. There is a pushing force and a pulling force&sbquo but the effects of pushing and pulling are completely different. That is&sbquo a force has a direction and intensity. Similarly&sbquo speed or acceleration also has intensity and direction. In this way&sbquo a quantity that has intensity and direction is called a vector. A vector quantity is expressed by a line with a direction called a directed line segment&sbquo on a 2D plane or in space. The length of the line segment represents the intensity and the angle represents the direction. A vector of force has a start-point and an end-point. The start-point is also called point of application (of force). The vector quantity of each point can be treated as a real number. A vector with a fixed start-point is called a bound vector. On the contrary&sbquo a vector with a start-point that can move parallel on the plane is called free vector. The sum of bound vectors with the same start-point is a resultant vector in a parallelogram&sbquo and this resultant vector is the basic image of the word vector used in everyday conversation. Vector in this case is recognized as a metaphorical word to convey the image of the magnitude and direction of some event or phenomenon rather than the degree of force or speed. It is also used frequently in the field of de sign in a similar manner. It is used&sbquo for example&sbquo as a word to relate the direction of a design intention. It cannot be pronounced&sbquo however&sbquo that such use of the word is a deviation from its original mathematical meaning. As for example&sbquo such computer terms as the vector type super computer and vector graphics are image-oriented terms that reinforce the metaphorical nature as opposed to the mathematical definition&sbquo it is a word bearing an important meaning for design.