VECTOR ALGEBRA

VECTOR ALGEBRA
  
1. Let aˆ, bˆ be unit vectors. If c be a vector such that the 6. Let a  iˆ  ˆj  kˆ and c  2iˆ  3iˆ  2k . Then the
   
    number of vectors b such that b  c  a and
angle between â and c is , and bˆ  c  2  c  aˆ  , 
12
b  1, 2,........,10 is :
2
then 6c is equal to
(a) 0 (b) 1
(a) 6 3  3  (b) 3  3 (c) 2
 
(d) 3
7. Let a and b be the vectors along the diagonal of a
(c) 6 3  3  (d) 6  3 1  parallelogram having area 2 2. let the angle between
2. Let â and b̂ be two unit vectors such that       
a and b be acute. a  1 and a  b  a  b . If
  
aˆ  bˆ  2 aˆ  bˆ  2.  If    0,   is the angle    

 
c  2 2 a  b  2b , then the angle between b and c

between â and bˆ, then among the statements :
is :
 S1 : 2 aˆ  bˆ  aˆ  bˆ  
(a) (b) 
4 4
 S 2  : The projection of 
â on â  bˆ is 1
2 (c)
5
(d)
3
(a) Only (S1) is true 6 4
 
(b) Only (S2) is true 8. Let a   iˆ  2 ˆj  kˆ and b  2iˆ   ˆj  kˆ, where
(c) Both (S1) and (S2) are true   R. If the area of the parallelogram whose adjacent
(d) Both (S1) and (S2) are false  
 sides are represented by the vectors a and b is
3. Let a  a1iˆ  a2 ˆj  a3 kˆ ai  0, i  1, 2,3 be a vector 2   2
which makes equal angles with the coordinates axes
15  2  4  , then the value of 2 a  a  b b is  

OX , OY and OZ . Also, let the projection of a on the equal to
 (a) 10 (b) 7
vector 3iˆ  4 ˆj be 7. Let b be a vector obtained by
   (c) 9 (d) 14
rotating a with 90 . If a , b and x-axis are coplanar, 9.

Let a be a vector which is perpendicular to the vector

then projection of a vector b on 3iˆ  4 ˆj is equal to
3iˆ 
1ˆ
2

 
j  2kˆ. If a  2iˆ  kˆ  2iˆ  13 ˆj  4kˆ, then the
(a) 7 (b) 2

(c) 2 (d) 7 projection of the vector a on the vector 2iˆ  2 ˆj  kˆ is
      
4. If a  b  1, b  1, b  c  2 and c  a  3, then the value 1
(a) (b) 1
         3
  
of  a  b  c , b   c  a  , c  b  a  is :
   5 7
   (c) (d)
(a) 0 (b) 6a  b  c   3
 
3
      10. Let a   iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ, b  3iˆ   ˆj  4k and
(c) 12c  a  b   (d) 12b  c  a 
 ˆ
   c  i  2 ˆj  2k ,  , R , be three vectors. If the
5. Let a  iˆ  ˆj  2kˆ, b  2iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ are c  iˆ  ˆj  k be
    10
three given vectors. Let v be a vector in the plane of a projection of a on c is and
3
  2   
and b whose projection on c is . If v  ˆj  7, then b  c  6iˆ  10 ˆj  7 kˆ, then the value of    equal
3
to :
 ˆ ˆ
 
v  i  k is equal to (a) 3 (b) 4
(a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 5 (d) 6
(c) 8 (d) 9 11. Let A, B, C be three points whose position vectors
respectively are :
 VECTOR ALGEBRA


a  iˆ  4 ˆj  3kˆ 4 5
 (c) (d)
5 6
b  2iˆ   ˆj  4kˆ,   R 

 16. Let a   iˆ  ˆj   kˆand b  3i  5 ˆj  4kˆ be two
ˆ
c  3iˆ  2 ˆj  5kˆ
 
   vectors, such that a  b  iˆ  9iˆ  12kˆ. Then the
If  is the smallest positive integer for which a, b , c    
projection of b  2a on b  a is equal to
ar e non-collinear, then the length of the median, in
ABC , through A is : 39
(a) 2 (b)
5
82 62
(a) (b) 46
2 2 (c) 9 (d)
5
69 66  
(c) (d) 17. Let a  2iˆ  ˆj  5kˆ and b   iˆ   ˆj  2kˆ. If
2 2
  23 
12. Let ABC be
      
a triangle

such that
 
a  b  iˆ  kˆ  , then b  2 ˆj is equal to
2
BC  a , CA  b , AB  c , a  6 2, b  6 3, and
(a) 4 (b) 5
 
b  c  12 consider the statements : (c) 21 (d) 17
    
   
 
 S1 : a  b  c  b  c  6 2 2  1  
18. Let vector a has a magnitude 9. Let a vector b be
such that for every  x, y   R  R   0, 0  , the vector
 2
 S 2  : ABC  cos   . Then
1
 
 3  
  
xa  yb is perpendicular to the vector 6 ya  18 xb . 
(a) Both (S1) and (S2) are true  
Then the value of a  b is equal to :
(b) Only (S1) is true
(c) Only (S2) is true (a) 9 3 (b) 27 3
(d) Both (S1) and (S2) are false (c) 9 (d) 81
 
13. Let a  iˆ  ˆj  2kˆ and b be a vector such that 19. Let S be the set of all a  R for which the angle
     
between the vectors u  a  log e b  iˆ  6 j  3kˆ and
a  b  2iˆ  kˆ and a  b  3. Then the projection of b
  
on the vector a  b is :- v   log e b  iˆ  2 j  2a  log e b  kˆ,  b  1 is acute.
2 3 Then S is equal to:
(a) (b) 2
21 7  4
(a)  – ,   (b) 
2 7 2  3
(c) (d)
3 3 3  4   12 
 (c)   , 0  (d)  ,  

14. Let a   iˆ  ˆj  k and b  2iˆ  ˆj   kˆ, and   0. If
ˆ  3   7 
  
 
the projection of a  b on the vector i  2 ˆj  2kˆ is 20. Let a  3iˆ  ˆj and b  iˆ  2 ˆj  kˆ. Let c be a vector
     
30, then  is equal to  
satisfying a  b  c  b   c. If b c are non-parallel,
15 then the value of  is:
(a) (b) 8
2 (a) 5 (b) 5
13 (c) 1 (d) –1
(c) (d) 7
2 21. Let â and b̂ be two unit vectors such that the angle

15. A vector a is parallel to the line of intersection of the 
between them is . If  is the angle between the
plane determined by the vectors iˆ, iˆ  ˆj and the plane 4
determined by the vectors iˆ  ˆj , iˆ  kˆ. The obtuse
 
vectors  â  bˆ    
and aˆ  2bˆ  22 aˆ  bˆ , then the
angle between a and the vector b  iˆ  2 ˆj  2kˆ is value of 164 cos 2  is equal to :
3 2 (a) 90  27 2 (b) 45  18 2
(a) (b)
4 3
(c) 90  3 2 (d) 54  90 2
VECTOR ALGEBRA

  
22. Let a, b , c three coplanar concurrent vectors such that
angles between any two of them is same. If the product
of their magnitudes is 14 and
           
      
a  b  b  c  b  c   c  a    c  a   a  b  168
  
then a  b  c is equal to :
(a) 10 (b) 14
(c) 16 (d) 18
 
ˆ
23. Let b  iˆ  ˆj   k ,   R. If a is a vector such that
   
a  b  13iˆ  ˆj  4kˆ and a  b  21  0, then
      
     
b  a  k  j  b  a  i  kˆ is equal to
 
24. If a  2iˆ  ˆj  3kˆ, b  3iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ and

c  c1iˆ  c2 ˆj  c3 kˆ are coplanar vectors and
   
a  c  5, b  c , then 122  c1  c2  c3  is equal to
25. Given a  b  1 and a  b  3. If c be a vector

 
such that c  a  2b  3 a  b , then 2c  b is equal to
  
26. Let a, b , c be three non-coplanar vectors such that
        
a  b  4c , b  c  9a and c  a   b ,   0. If
   1
a  b  c  , then  is equal to …….
36
 
27. Let a and b be two vectors such that
  2 2  2    
a  b  a  2 b , a  b  3 and a  b  75. Then
2
a is equal to ………..
 VECTOR ALGEBRA

Answer Key

1. (c) 2. (c) 3. (b) 4. (a) 5. (d) 6. (a) 7. (d) 8. (d) 9. (c) 10. (a)
11. (a) 12. (c) 13. (a) 14. (d) 15. (a) 16. (d) 17. (b) 18. (b) 19. (b) 20. (a)
21. (a) 22. (c) 23. 14 24. 150.00 25. 5.00 26. 36.00 27. 14.00

Solutions
2  
bˆ  c  2 c  aˆ 
2
1.
2   
bˆ  c  4 c  aˆ  4c   c  aˆ 
2 2

2 2 
1  c  4 c sin 2 0
12
2
2 2  3 –1 
1  c  4 c  
 2 2 
2 1 3 3
c  
3– 3 6
2
So 62 c  6 3  3  
2.  aˆ  bˆ   2  aˆ  bˆ   2,   0,  
 aˆ  bˆ  2  aˆ  bˆ   aˆ  bˆ  2  aˆ  bˆ  4
aˆ  bˆ  4  aˆ  bˆ   0  4
2 2

Let the angle be  between â and b̂

2  2 cos   4 sin 2   4
2  2 cos  – 4 cos 2   0
Let cos   t then
2t 2 – t – 1  0
2t 2 – 2t  t – 1  0
1
t– or t  1
2
1
cos   –
2
not possible as    0,  
2

3
Now,
   2 
S1 2 a  b  2sin  
 3 
   2 
a – b  1  1 – 2 cos  
 3 
 1
 2 – 2  – 
 2
 VECTOR ALGEBRA

 3
S1 is correct.

S 2 projection of â on aˆ  bˆ .  
 2 

aˆ  aˆ  bˆ   1  cos  3 


aˆ  bˆ 2
2  2 cos
3
1
1–
 2
1
1

2
(c) option is true.


3. a  a1iˆ  a2 ˆj  a3 kˆ
 1 ˆ 1 ˆ 1 ˆ  ˆ ˆ ˆ

a  
 3
i
3
j k 
3  3
i  jk  
 
Now projection of a on b  7
 
a b
  7
b


 i  j  k   3i  4 j 
ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ 
7
3 5
 5 3


a  5 iˆ  ˆj  kˆ 


Now b  5 iˆ  ˆj  kˆ    i  
 
a b  0
 25  3  5  0
 15    0    –15


b  5 –2iˆ  ˆj  kˆ 

b 5 3
1
  
2
 5
b 
2

–2iˆ  ˆj  kˆ 

Projection of b on 3iˆ  4 ˆj is


b  3iˆ  4 ˆj 
5  –6  4 
   2
5 2 5 

          
4.  
a  b  c   a  c  b – a  b c  3b – c 
VECTOR ALGEBRA

         
    
b   c  a   b  a c – b  c a  c – 2a
         
   
c  b  a   c  a  b – c  b a  3b – 2a

     
3b – c , c – 2a,3b – 2a 
 
  
   

3b – c   c – 2a   3b – 2a 



    
   
  
 
3b – c  3 c  b – 2 c  a  – 6 a  b 
 
  
–6 bca   6 cab 

  
5. v   a  b

v   1,1, 2     2, –3,1

v    2  ,  – 3 , 2   

 ˆ  c 2
v  j  7v   
c 3
 
 – 3  7 v  c  2
  2  –   3  2    2
2  6   2
  3  1
 – 3  7
2  8
4
  –1

We get v   2, 7, 7 


6. a  iˆ  ˆj – kˆ

c  2iˆ – 3 ˆj  2k
  
b c  a

b  1, 2..................10
  
b c  a
   
 a is perpendicular to b as well as a is perpendicular to c .
 
Now a  c  2 – 3 – 2  –3  0
  
This b  c  a is not possible.

No. of vectors b  0

7.
 VECTOR ALGEBRA

1    
Area  ab  2 2  ab  4 2
2
    
a  1 and a  b  a  b
 cos   sin 

 
4
    
 a  b  4 2  a b sin  4 2
4

 b 8
  

Now, c  2 2 a  b – 2b  
 2
 

2 2 
 2 2
c  a b  2 b  16 2
  2
Now, b  c  –2 b

 8  16 2  cos   –2.64
1 3
 cos   –  
2 4

 
8. a   iˆ  2 ˆj – kˆ, b  –2iˆ   ˆj  kˆ,

Area of parallelogram  â  bˆ

aˆ  bˆ    – 2    2  4 
2
  2 
2 2

Given aˆ  bˆ  15  2  4 

2  2  4    2  4   15  2  4 
2

  4   13  2  4 
2 2

  2  4  13   2  9
  2
2
2 a  a b b 
2
a   2  4 1   2 5
2
b  4   2 1   2  5

a  b  –2  2 –1  –1
  2
2
2 a  ab b  
2  2  5  – 1 2  5    2  5  14
VECTOR ALGEBRA

9.  a   2iˆ  kˆ    3iˆ  12 ˆj  2kˆ 

1
 
 
 2iˆ – 13 ˆj – 4kˆ   3iˆ  ˆj  2kˆ 
 2 

iˆ ˆj kˆ

–  6  2  a  2 –13 4
1
3 2
2

a  3iˆ  2 ˆj – 5kˆ

Projection of a on vector 2iˆ  2 ˆj  kˆ is
ˆ  ˆ ˆ
 2i  2 j  k
a 
5 
3 3

 
a  c 10
10.  
c 3
  6  2 10
    2
1 4  4 3
iˆ ˆj kˆ
And 3 –  4  –6iˆ  ˆj  kˆ
1 2 –2
 2  – 8  –6    1
  3

  1  –4 1
11. AB AC if    1
2 –6 2
  
a, b , c are non-collinear   2 (smallest positive integer)
5 9
Mid-point of BC  M  , 0, 
2 2
9 9 82
AM   16  
4 4 2

  
12. a b c  0
  
b c  a
2 2   2
b  c  2b  c  a
2
c  36

c 6
    
S1: a  b  c  b – c
   
a  c  b – c
 VECTOR ALGEBRA

  
–b  b – c
0 – 6  –6
  
S2 : a  b  c  0
  
b  c  –a
2 2   2
a  b – 2 a b cos  ACB   c

2
cos  ACB  
3


13. a  iˆ – ˆj  2kˆ
 
a  b  2iˆ – kˆ
 
a b  3
 2  2 2 2
a b  a b  a  b
2
 5 9  6 b

2 7
b 
3
  7
2 2  
a –b  a  b – 2a  b 
3
  
   b  a b
Projection of b on a – b   
 
a b
  2 7
b a  b 3–
    3
a –b 7
3
2

21

 
14. a  b  1 –   iˆ   2 – 2  ˆj   – 2  kˆ
 
Projection of a  b on iˆ  2 ˆj  2kˆ
 

 
a  b  iˆ  2 ˆj  2kˆ
 30

3
 2 2    91  0
13
   7, 
2

15.

 
n1  iˆ  iˆ  ˆj  kˆ

  iˆ  kˆ    iˆ  ˆj 

n2

 iˆ  ˆj  kˆ
 
Line of intersection along n1  n2
VECTOR ALGEBRA


 kˆ  iˆ  ˆj  kˆ  iˆ  ˆj

D.R of a  iˆ  kˆ

D.R of b  iˆ  2 ˆj  2kˆ
   
a  b  3 and a  b    
3
cos  
2 3
3

4

 
16. Let a   iˆ  ˆj   kˆ, b  3iˆ  5 ˆj  4kˆ
 
a  b  iˆ  9 ˆj  12kˆ
iˆ ˆj kˆ
 1 
3 –5 4

  4  5  iˆ   3 – 4  ˆj   5  3 kˆ
 iˆ  9 ˆj  12kˆ
 4  5  1,3  4  9, 5  3  12
  1,   3
 
 a  3iˆ  ˆj  kˆ, b  3iˆ  5 ˆj  4kˆ
 
 a  b   4 jˆ  3kˆ
2 2
a  11, b  50
 
a  b  9   5  4  18
  

 Projection of b  2a on a  b  
   
 
b  2a  a  b 
 
a b
2  

2
b  2 a  a b

 
50  22   18  46

  5 5
a b

 46 
Ans.  
 5 

 
17. a  2iˆ  ˆj  5kˆ, b   iˆ   ˆj  2kˆ

 
  23 
a  b  iˆ  kˆ  , then b  2 ˆj is
2

    
 ˆ   ˆ
a  i b  b  i aˆ  kˆ 
23
2
 ˆ  ˆ  23
     
a  i b  i  b  iˆ a  kˆ 
2

23 23 3
2 2  5   5  4   
2 2 2
 VECTOR ALGEBRA

iˆ ˆj kˆ
 
b 2 j    2  4iˆ  2 kˆ
0 2 0

 9
 b  2 ˆj  16  4 2  16  4   5
4

 
18.
 


a  9 and xa  yb  6 ya  18 xb  0  
   
2 2
 6 xy a  18 x 2 a  b  6 y 2 a  b  18 xy b  0
2

 6 xy a  3 b
2
   a  b   y  3x   0
2 2

This should hold x, y  R  R

 a 3b
2 2
and a  b  0 
 
2 2 2 2
Now a  b  a b  a  b
2
2 a
a 
3
2
a 81
 a b    27 3
3 3

19. For angle to be acute

 
u v  0
 a  log e b   12  6a  log e b   0
2

b  1
Let log e b  t  t  0 as b  1
y  at 2  6at  12 and y  0, t  0
 a 


20. a  3iˆ  ˆj , bˆ  iˆ  2 ˆj  kˆ
   
 
As a  b  c  b   c


      
  
 a  c b  a  b c  b  c


   
 a  c  1, a  b  
 
 3iˆ  ˆj  iˆ  2 ˆj  kˆ   
   5


21. aˆ  bˆ  
4
aˆ  bˆ  aˆ bˆ cos 
1
aˆ  bˆ  cos  
2
VECTOR ALGEBRA

 aˆ  bˆ    aˆ  2bˆ  2 aˆ  bˆ  
cos  
aˆ  bˆ aˆ  2bˆ  2  aˆ  bˆ 

aˆ  bˆ   aˆ  bˆ   aˆ  bˆ 
2

aˆ  bˆ  2  aˆ  bˆ
2

 2 2

a  bˆ  aˆ bˆ sin nˆ
nˆ
aˆ  bˆ  when n̂ is vector  â and b̂
2
  
Let c  a  b
We know
 
c a  0
 
c b  0
2
aˆ  2bˆ  2c

 4
 1 4   4aˆ  bˆ  8bˆ  cˆ  4cˆ  aˆ
2
4
7  72 2
2
Now
 aˆ  bˆ   aˆ  2bˆ  2cˆ 
2
 aˆ  2aˆ  bˆ  0  bˆ  aˆ  2 bˆ  0
2

2 1
 1  2
2 2
3
 3
2
3
3
cos   2
2 2 72 2

 
2
9 2 1
cos   2

  
2 2 2 72 2

 9   2  1
cos   
2

 2 2  7  2 2 

 82  9   2  1  7  2 2 
164 cos   2

2 7  2 2  7  2 2 

 82   9  7 2  4  7  2 2 

2  41

 9 2 5 2  3 
 VECTOR ALGEBRA

 90  27 2

  
22. a b c  14

      2
a b  b c  c a  
3
  1   1   1
So, a  b   ab , b  c   bc , a  c   ac
2 2 2
(let)
           
     
a  b  b  c  a b b  c  a  c  b b  
1 2 1 3
 ab c  ab 2 c  ab 2 c
4 2 4
Similarly
    3
 
b  c   c  a   abc 2
4
 3
  
 
 c  a   a  b  a 2bc
4
3
168  abc  a  b  c 
4
So,  a  b  c   16

 
23.  a  b   b  0
 13  1  4  0    3
  
 b  iˆ  ˆj  3kˆ  a  b  13iˆ  ˆj  4kˆ
  
    
 a  b  b  13iˆ  ˆj  4kˆ  iˆ  ˆj  3kˆ 
  
 21b  11a  i  43 jˆ  14kˆ

 a  2iˆ  2 ˆj  7 kˆ
   
   
Now b  a  kˆ  ˆj  b  a  iˆ  kˆ  14 
24. a  c  5  2c1  c2  3c3  5 ... 1
b  c  0  3c1  3c2  c3  0 ...  2 
c1 c2 c3
And  a b c   0  2 1 3 0
3 3 1
 8c1  7c2  3c3  0 ...  3
By solving 1 ,  2  ,  3  we get
10 85 225
c1  , c2  , c3 
122 122 122
122  c1  c2  c3   150

2  1
25. a  b  3, a  b  3  a b 
2
VECTOR ALGEBRA

Now c  a  2b  3 a  b  
 
 c  a  2b  b  3 a  b  b   

 c b  a b  2 b b  0 
1
 c b   2 1  0
2
 5
 c b 
2

      
26. a  b  4c  a  c  0  b  c
      
b  c  9a  a  b  0  a  c
  
 a , b , c are mutually  set of vectors.
        
 a b  4 c , b c  9 a and c a   b
 
a 4 c
   
c 9 a

c 3
  
a 2
3
 If a   , c  and b  6
2
1
Now a  b  c 
36
5 1 43
   6  ,   a
2 36 18
Which gives negative value of  or a which is NOT possible and hence data seems to be wrong.
  
But if a  b  c  36

5
  6  36
2
  12
 
c a 3  12 12
   
b 2 6
  36

 2 2 2  
27. a  b  a  2 b ;a  b  3
2 2   2 2
As a  b  2a  b  a  2 b
2  
b  2a  b  6
 2
a  b  75
2 2  
 
2
a b  a b  75
2 2
6 a  9  75  a  14