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Exam Strategy

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Readiness Check

You are ready when you can:

  • Find `<a,b>` from two points and compute magnitude.
  • Add vectors and scalar multiply by components.
  • Compute dot product and test perpendicularity.
  • Write unit vector and ai + bj form.

Course vs AP Exam

Course scope only (Unit 4 additional topic; not on the AP Exam). These skills still matter for Unit 4 coursework and readiness for 4.9.

Tactics (course assessments)

1. Label tail and head before components. 2. Magnitude: `sqrt(a^2+b^2)`. 3. Sum: add like components; graph tip-to-tail. 4. Dot: `a1*a2 + b1*b2`. 5. Perpendicular nonzero vectors: dot product 0.

Common Traps

  • `P2 - P1` vs `P1 - P2` reversed.
  • Forgetting to divide by magnitude for unit vector.
  • Using dot product formula with wrong angle reference.
  • Scalar multiply affects both components.

Quick Checklist

  • [ ] Components from correct tail-to-head
  • [ ] Magnitude computed correctly
  • [ ] Operations on components, not just lengths
  • [ ] Dot product interpreted correctly
  • [ ] Unit vector direction preserved

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