diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 112fb0e..6d54696 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ with all sufficient information, see the ChangeLog file.
 
 * Vector
   * New methods:
+    * Vector.basis Creates a standard basis +n+-vector.
     * Vector#@+ and Vector#@- .
 
 * Method
diff --git a/lib/matrix.rb b/lib/matrix.rb
index e5dd833..0bc7b7c 100644
--- a/lib/matrix.rb
+++ b/lib/matrix.rb
@@ -1562,6 +1562,7 @@ end
 # To create a Vector:
 # * Vector.[](*array)
 # * Vector.elements(array, copy = true)
+# * Vector.basis(n, k)
 #
 # To access elements:
 # * #[](i)
@@ -1627,6 +1628,16 @@ class Vector
   end
 
   #
+  # Creates a standard basis +n+-vector.
+  #
+  def Vector.basis(n, k)
+    raise ArgumentError, "invalid n (#{n} for 1..)" if n < 1
+    raise ArgumentError, "invalid k (#{k} for 0..#{n - 1})" unless 0 <= k && k < n
+    array = Array.new(n) {|i| i == k ? 1 : 0 }
+    new convert_to_array(array, false)
+  end
+
+  #
   # Vector.new is private; use Vector[] or Vector.elements to create.
   #
   def initialize(array)
diff --git a/test/matrix/test_vector.rb b/test/matrix/test_vector.rb
index 337aaa8..820bce5 100644
--- a/test/matrix/test_vector.rb
+++ b/test/matrix/test_vector.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@ class TestVector < Test::Unit::TestCase
     @w1 = Vector[2,3,4]
   end
 
+  def test_basis
+    assert_equal(Vector[1, 0, 0], Vector.basis(3, 0))
+    assert_raise(ArgumentError) { Vector.basis(-1, 2) }
+    assert_raise(ArgumentError) { Vector.basis(4, -1) }
+    assert_raise(ArgumentError) { Vector.basis(3, 3) }
+  end
+
   def test_identity
     assert_same @v1, @v1
     assert_not_same @v1, @v2