This document contains solutions to 11 problems involving vector calculations and geometry. Some key points:
1) It finds the sum and magnitude of several vectors, and expresses one vector as a unit vector in the opposite direction of another.
2) It proves three vectors can form the sides of a triangle by showing their sum is zero.
3) It expresses three vectors in terms of each other to show they are linearly dependent.
4) It uses properties of vector combinations to show points on a line divide it internally in certain ratios.
5) It proves properties about the intersection of medians in a triangle.
6) It expresses a point that divides a line segment internally in terms of the
This document contains solutions to 11 problems involving vector calculations and geometry. Some key points:
1) It finds the sum and magnitude of several vectors, and expresses one vector as a unit vector in the opposite direction of another.
2) It proves three vectors can form the sides of a triangle by showing their sum is zero.
3) It expresses three vectors in terms of each other to show they are linearly dependent.
4) It uses properties of vector combinations to show points on a line divide it internally in certain ratios.
5) It proves properties about the intersection of medians in a triangle.
6) It expresses a point that divides a line segment internally in terms of the
This document contains solutions to 11 problems involving vector calculations and geometry. Some key points:
1) It finds the sum and magnitude of several vectors, and expresses one vector as a unit vector in the opposite direction of another.
2) It proves three vectors can form the sides of a triangle by showing their sum is zero.
3) It expresses three vectors in terms of each other to show they are linearly dependent.
4) It uses properties of vector combinations to show points on a line divide it internally in certain ratios.
5) It proves properties about the intersection of medians in a triangle.
6) It expresses a point that divides a line segment internally in terms of the
1. If a = 4i + j ! k, b = 3i ! 2j + 2k and c = !i ! 2j + k, calculate: (i) a + b + c; Ans. 6i ! 3j + 2k (ii) | a + b + c |; Ans. 3"5 (iii) a unit vector parallel to 2a ! b ! c but in the opposite direction. Ans. ! 97 1 (6i + 6j ! 5k) Solution:
Solving (2) and (3) simultaneously gives # = = !1. Substituting in (1) we get a consistent result. Hence the three vectors are linearly dependent.
Sheet 1 Vectors / Solutions 2 of 8 4. Let a = $ % OA ,
b = $ % OB + and c = $ % OC . Then if c = #a + b with # + = 1: (a) show that the terminal points A, B and C lie on the same straight line. (b) find the values of # and if: (i) C is the midpoint of AB; Ans. # = = ! (ii) A is the midpoint of CB; Ans. # = 2, = !1 (iii) C is one-third the distance from A to B. ans. # = 2 3 , = 1 3
Solution: (a) We have c ! !! ! b = #a + b ! b = #a + (1 !#)b ! b = #(a ! !! ! b) Hence c ! !! ! b is parallel to a ! !! ! b and since b is common then a, b and c lie along the same line. This means that A, B and C lie on the same straight line.
(b) C is the midpoint of AB if c ! !! ! a = b ! !! ! c. Hence c = ! (a + b) = ! a + ! b. Hence # = = ! (c) CB = 2AC. Hence b ! !! ! c = 2(c ! !! ! a) ! 3c = 2a + b ! c = 2 3 a + 1 3 b. Hence # = 2 3 , = 1 3
5. Points D, E and F are the mid-points of the sides BC, CA and AB, respectively , of a triangle. If a, b and c are the position vectors of the points A, B and C, respectively, show that: (a) the sum of the vectors $ % AD ,
$ % BE and $ % CF is zero; and (b) The medians have a common point P of trisection. Deduce the position of point P.
Solution: (a) The diagram represents the situation. We know that $ % AB + $ % BC + $ % CA = 0 (closed triangle) We also have $ % AD = $ % AB + $ % BD , $ % BE = $ % BC + $ % CE and $ % CF = $ % CA + $ % AF . Hence $ % AD + $ % BE + $ % CF = $ % AB + $ % BD + $ % BC + $ % CE + $ % CA + $ % AF = $ % BD + $ % CE + $ % AF = ! ( $ % AB + $ % BC + $ % CA ) = 0
(b) Let P be the point of intersection of AD and BE. Hence
$ % OP = $ % OB + # $ % BE = $ % OA + $ % AD where O is the origin outside plane.
Let a = $ % OA , b = $ % OB , c = $ % OC , d = $ % OD , e = $ % OE , f = $ % OF and p = $ % OP .
A B C O C B A F D E C B A P D E Sheet 1 Vectors / Solutions 3 of 8 p = a + (d ! a) = a + ( ! (b + c) ! a) = (1 ! )a + ! b + ! c p = b + #(e ! b) = b + #( ! (a + c) ! b) = (1 ! #)b + ! #a + ! #c
Equating for a, b and c we get, 1 ! = ! #, ! = 1 ! # and = #. Hence # = = 2 3 . Hence p = $ % OP = 1 3 a + 1 3 b + 1 3 c = 1 3
$ % OA + 1 3
$ % OB + 1 3
$ % OC .
Note that 1 3
$ % OA + 1 3
$ % OB + 1 3
$ % OC
is symmetric in A, B and C, and there was nothing special in our choice of medians. Hence a similar analysis with the other medians will lead to same result. Hence medians meet at same point.
6. (a) In a parallelogram ABCD, X is the midpoint of AB and the line DX cuts the diagonal AC at P. Writing $ % AB = a, $ % AD = b,
$ % AP = # $ % AC , $ % DP = $ % DX , express $ % AP :
(i) in terms of #, a and b; (ii) in terms of , a and b. Deduce that P is a point of trisection of both AC and DX.
(b) The resultant of two vectors a and b is perpendicular to a. If |b| = "2 |a|, show that the resultant of 2 a and b is perpendicular to b.
Solution: (a) (i) $ % AP = # $ % AC = #(b + a)
(ii) $ % AP = $ % AD + $ % DP = b + $ % DX = b + ( $ % AX ! $ % AD ) = b +( ! a ! b) = ! a + (1 ! )b
Last part: $ % AP = #a + #b = ! a + (1 ! )b (from above). Hence # = ! = 1 ! ! = 2 3 and # = 1 3 . hence $ % AP = ! a + (1 ! )b = 1 3 a + 1 3 b = 1 3 $ % AC .
A X B C D P Sheet 1 Vectors / Solutions 4 of 8 7. Two points A and B have position vectors a and b respectively relative to the origin O. Show that the position vector d of the point D, which divides the line AB internally in the ratio AD: DB as # : , is given by:
# # + + = a b d
Solution: AD : DB = # : ! $ % AD = # # + $ % AB = # # + (b ! a)
$ % DB = #
+ $ % AB = #
+ (b ! a) d = $ % OD = $ % OA + $ % AD = a + # # + (b ! a) = # # + + a b as required.
8. Obtain the acute angle between two diagonals of a cube. (N.B.: It does not matter which two diagonals to take).
Solution: | $ % AH | = | $ % FC | = "3
$ % AH & && & $ % FC = | $ % AH || $ % FC | cos ' 1 + 1 ! 1 = "3 ( "3 cos ' cos ' = 1 3
)' = 70.53
9 Given a i + 2j !3k and b 3i ! j + 2k: (a) show that the vectors a + b and a ! b are mutually orthogonal; (b) calculate the acute angle between the vectors 2a + b and a + 2b; (c) obtain a unit vector orthogonal to both a and b.
A B O D a b d F(0, 0, 1) E A(0, 0, 0) H(1, 1, 1) C(1, 1, 0) D G ' Sheet 1 Vectors / Solutions 5 of 8 10. Given that a 2i ! 3j + k, b !i + k and c 2j ! k: (a) calculate in terms of i, j and k: (i) a* ** *b (ii) b* ** *c (iii) c* ** *a (b) obtain a unit vector orthogonal to both b and c.
(b) b* ** *c = ! (2i + j + 2k) is orthogonal to both b and c. |b* ** *c | = 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 = + + . Hence 3 1 (2i + j + 2k) are two unit vectors orthogonal to both b and c.
11. The vectors a, b and c lie along the sides of the triangle ABC such that a + $ % BC , b + $ % CA , and c + $ % AB , show that a* ** *b = b* ** *c = c* ** *a and hence obtain the sine and the cosine rules for the triangle ABC.
Solution: Since a, b and c form a closed polygon then a + b + c = 0. Hence we have a = !(b + c) ! a* ** *b = !(b + c)* ** *b = !b* ** *b ! c* ** *b = b* ** *c Hence a* ** *b = b* ** *c Also c* ** *a = !c* ** *(b + c) = !c* ** *b ! c* ** *c = b* ** *c. Hence result.
For the sine rule, |a* ** *b| = |a| |b| sin (, ! -) = |a| |b| sin - = BC . CA sin - |b* ** *c| = AC . AB sin . and |c* ** *a| = AB . BC sin / Hence from result of first part, a* ** *b = b* ** *c = c* ** *a we obtain AC . AB sin . = AB . BC sin / = BC . CA sin -. Dividing by AB . BC . CA we obtain the sine rule: AC sin AB sin BC sin - / . = =
For the cosine rule, a = ! (b + c) ! a& && &a = (b + c) & && & (b + c) = b& && &b + c& && &b + b& && &c + c& && &c = b& && &b + c& && &c + 2b& && &c
BC 2 = CA 2 + AB 2 + CA.AB cos (, ! .) = CA 2 + AB 2 ! CA.AB cos .
A B C . / - b a c Sheet 1 Vectors / Solutions 6 of 8 12. Prove that for any vectors a, b and c: (i) (a* ** *b)& && &(a* ** *b) = (a& && &a)(b& && &b) ! (a& && &b) 2
15. The velocity v of a particle is related to its angular velocity 0 00 0 and its space position vector r by v 0 00 0* ** *r. If the particle has mass m, show that its kinetic energy T, given by T ! mv 2 may be expressed in the form: T = ! m(0 00 0 2 r 2 ! (0 00 0& && &r) 2 )
Solution: v 2 = | 0 00 0* ** *r | 2 = 0 00 0 2 r 2 sin 2 ' = 0 00 0 2 r 2 (1 ! cos 2 ') = 0 00 0 2 r 2 ! 0 00 0 2 r 2 cos 2 ' = 0 00 0 2 r 2 ! (0 00 0& && &r) 2
Sheet 1 Vectors / Solutions 7 of 8 16. Prove that for any vectors a, b, c, d, e and f we have: (a) (a& && &(b*c))(d& && &(e*f)) = f c e a d c f b e b d b f a e a d a & & & & & & & & &
Solution: (a) (a& && &(b*c))(d& && &(e*f)) = [a, b, c] [d, e, f] = det((a, b, c)) det ((d, e, f)) = det((a, b, c) T ) det ((d, e, f)) = det((a, b, c) T (d, e, f)) = 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1
f e d f e d f e d c c c b b b a a a = f c e a d c f b e b d b f a e a d a & & & & & & & & &
17. The vectors a, b, c and d lie along the sides of the quadrilateral ABCD such that a = $ % DA , b = $ % AB , c = $ % BC and d = $ % CD . Show that
a 2 = b 2 + c 2 +
d 2 + 2b& && &c + 2c& && &d + 2d& && &b and, hence, show that, if the figure is coplanar (i.e. A, B, C, D lie in the same plane), then:
AD 2 = AB 2 + BC 2 + CD 2 ! 2AB.BC cos B ! 2BC.CD cosC + 2 AB.CDcos (A + D)
If the figure is skew, i.e. the sides AB and CD are not in the same plane, show that the angle ' between AB and CD is given by:
cos ' = CD AB C CD BC B BC AB CD BC AB DA . 2 cos . 2 cos . 2 2 2 2 2 + + ! ! !
Solution: First part: a + b + c + d = 0 ! a = !(b + c + d)
Hence a 2 = b 2 + c 2 + d 2 + 2b& && &c + 2c& && &d + 2d& && &b
d& && &b = CD. AD cos (A + D) (from exterior angle of a triangle theorem) b& && &c = AB. BC cos (, ! B) = ! AB. BC cos B c& && &d = BC. CD cos (, ! C) = ! BC. CD cos C
Hence
AD 2 = AB 2 + BC 2 + CD 2 ! 2AB.BC cos B ! 2BC.CD cosC + 2 AB.CDcos (A + D)
A +D A C B D d b c a , ! C , ! B , ! D Sheet 1 Vectors / Solutions 8 of 8 Second part:
b& && &d = AB. CD cos ' b& && &c = AB. BC cos (, ! B) = ! AB. BC cos B c& && &d = BC. CD cos (, ! C) = ! BC. CD cos C
From first part, we found that
2d& && &b = a 2 ! b 2 ! c 2 +
d 2 ! 2b& && &c ! 2c& && &d 2AB.CD cos ' = DA 2 ! AB 2 ! BC 2 ! CD 2 + 2AB.BC cos B + 2BC.CD cosC
Hence cos ' = CD AB C CD BC B BC AB CD BC AB DA . 2 cos . 2 cos . 2 2 2 2 2 + + ! ! !