How do I find the x and y components of a vector?

If you've been given the angle the vector makes with an axis, you can find the component of the vector parallel to that axis by multiplying the size of the vector by the cosine of the angle it makes with the axis. To find the component in the other direction you should multiply the size of the vector by the sine of the angle.(In a session I would use a diagram to show what the axes and size of the vector and everything were. I'd then get the student to do an example with me and then to do another, where they explain to me what they are doing, as this is a very important concept for physics so it requires a strong working knowledge.)