Exercise 7 - Geometrical Proofs Using Vectors

   

1. The vectors PA , PB , PC , and PD are 2i  j , 2i  2 j ,  i  6 j and 5i  3 j respectively,
       
where P is an arbitrarily chosen point in the number plane. Prove that ABCD is a square.

2. Prove that the diagonals of a parallelogram are perpendicular precisely when it is a rhombus.

 
Hint: Write OC and AB as sums or products of other vectors, find their ot product, and use
distributivity of the dot product.

3. Prove that the midpoints of the sides of any arbitrary quadrilateral, when joined, form a
parallelogram.

  1 

Hint: Show that PQ and SR are both equal to OC .
2
4. Prove that, in any parallelogram, the sum of the squares of the two diagonal length is equal to the
sum of the lengths of the four side lengths.

5. Prove that the medians of a triangle are concurrent.

6. Show using vector methods that the points A  1,3 , B  2,5  and C  8,9  are collinear.

7. The quadrilateral ABCD has vertices A  1,1 , B  5,3 , C  3, 3 , D  3, 5  . Use vector
methods to show that:

(a) ABCD is a rhombus

(b) the diagonals bisect each other at right angles

8. The sides of an arbitrary quadrilateral are formed from the vectors u1 , u2 , u3 and u4 as shown.
   

The vectors v1 , v2 , v3 and v4 are such that vi  ui for i  1, 2, 3, 4 .

      

These four vectors form another quadrilateral with one pair of opposite right-angles, as shown.

Not to scale:
Vector lengths should
match vector lengths
in original diagram

(a) What is the value of u1  u2  u3  u4 ?

   
(b) The green diagonal in the second diagram has length l .
Show that l 2    u1  u2  u1  u3  u1  u4  u2  u3  u2  u4  u4  u4  .
           

9. Prove that the median of an isosceles triangle which jojns to the base is perpendicular to the base.
10. (a) Aim: To find the coordinates of the point P which divides the interval AB in the ratio
2 : 5 , where A is  4, 6  and B is 10, 4  .


(i) Write the vector AB is component form.
 
(ii) What fraction is AP of AB ?

(iii) Write the vector AP in component form.

(iv) Hence find the vector OP in component form.
(v) Hence write down the coordinates of P .

(b) Find the coordinates of the point P which divides the interval AB in the ratio
4 : 7 , where A is  3, 2  and B is  8,  5  .

(c) Find the coordinates of the point P which divides the interval AB in the ratio
5 : 2 , where A is  2, 9  and B is  4, 5  .

(d) The point P  3, 5  divides the interval AB in the ratio 3: 5 where A is  4,  1 .
Find the coordinates of B .

(e) Find the coordinates of the point P which divides the interval AB in the ratio
k : l , where A is  x1 , y1  and B is  x2 , y2  . Write each coordinate as a single fraction.

(f) Find the coordinates of the point P which divides AB in the ratio  :1 , where A is
 2,  3 and B is  7, 2  . Hence write down a pair of parametric equations for the line
AB .

  

11. Prove that in any triangle PQR , PQ  PR cos P  QR cos Q .
12. In 3D space, the vector u makes angles of  ,  , and  respectively with the x , y and z axes.

Show that cos 2   cos 2   cos 2   1 .

13. LP and MP are the perpendicular bisectors of the sides AB and BC of the triangle ABC .
N is the midpoint of the side AC .

  

Let AB  u , BC  v and PL  w .
  
 
(i) Show that PN  AC .
(ii) What theorem about triangles have you just proved?

14. The points A and B have position vectors a and b respectively relative to an origin O . A point
   
C is taken so that BC  2  OA . If X and Y are the midpoints of OB and AC respectively,

prove that XY is parallel to OA .

15. (a) M is the midpoint of the line segment AB . If a , b and m are the position vectors of A ,
  
B and M respectively with respect to some arbitrary origin O , derive an expression for
m in terms of a and b .
 
(b) ABCD is a parallelogram. E is the midpoint of DC and F is the midpoint of BC . Use
    
  
vector methods to prove that 3 AB  AC  AD  4 AE  AF . 

16. ABC is a triangle and P , Q and R are the midpoints of BC , AC and AB respectively.
   
Show that CQ  2 AR  RC  3PB .

17. ABCD is a parallelogram and E and F are the midpoints of BC and DC .

Use vector methods to prove that AE and AF trisect DB .
Answers

8. (a) 0

10. (a) (i) 6i  2 j

 
(ii)
2
7
(iii)
2

7  

6i  2 j 
12 4
i j
7  7
40 38  40 38 
(iv) i j (v) P , 
7  7   7 7 

 6  16 7   44 
(b) 1,   (c)  ,  (d)   , 15 
 11   3 3  3 
 lx  kx2 ly1  ky2 
(e) P 1 , 
 k l k l 
2  7
x
 2  7 3  2   1
(f) P , 
  1  1  3  2
y
 1

1
15: (a) m   a  b
 2  