Why is it necessary to use vectors to describe motion in two or three dimensions, unlike in one dimension where + and - signs suffice?
The NCERT text explains: 'We found that the directional aspect of these quantities can be taken care of by + and – signs, as in one dimension only two directions are possible. But in order to describe motion of an object in two dimensions (a plane) or three dimensions (space), we need to use vectors to describe the above-mentioned physical quantities.' This highlights that in more than one dimension, there are more than two possible directions, requiring a more sophisticated tool like vectors.