Is it correct to say that a vector has coordinates?

Answer 1

No a vector does not have co-ordinates.
A vector is a moving thing with both a magnitude and a direction.
It's conceptual twin in physics is the scalar, which has just a magnitude.
I.E. Vector: West at 50mph
Scalar: 50 mph

Answer 2

In general, this is not correct.

A vector has a magnitude and a direction. You can think of it as an arrow of a certain length (magnitude) pointing in some direction.

Regardless of where the arrow is located, as long as it the same length, and pointing in the same direction, it is the SAME vector. The location of the vector has nothing to do with the properties of that vector.

In other words, a vector is ONLY a magnitude and a direction. It has no "position" component. You can, of course, place a vector at whatever coordinates you like. This does nothing to alter the nature of the vector, though.

Answer 3

In physics, there are some vectors that must be treated as lying along a particular line in space, and cannot be moved off that line when developing calculations. If you are trying to calculate a torque, and you displace a force vector perpendicular to the line of its direction, you will screw up the calculation. You can displace the force vector along the line of its direction without affecting the torque result.

There are other vectors that can be moved anywhere in space, like angular momentum, without affecting other calculations.

So while a vector does not necessarily have to have a particular set of coordinates showing where it is, not all vectors can be displaced in any direction without affecting your calculations.

Answer 4

By definition, a vector is an ordered n-tuple. For example, the ordered triple (2,-1,5) is a vector, as is the ordered septuple (0,4,1,-3,5,7,1). I say ordered because order matters: (2,1) and (1,2) are not the same. You are justified in saying that a vector has coordinates.

Answer 5

Nope.