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(a) 𝒂 + 𝒃 + 𝒄 (b) 𝟐 𝒂 + 𝟑 𝒃 − 𝟒 𝒄
P 1.1.2.
P 1.1.3.
Electric point charges of magnitude 𝟑, 𝟓 and 𝟕 are placed at the points 𝑷 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑 , 𝑸 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒 and 𝑹 𝟑, 𝟒, 𝟓
respectively. What is the magnitude and direction of the resultant force on a unit point charge placed at the
point (𝟏, 𝟏, 𝟏)?. ( You may assume a single constant k to include electrical properties)
Suppose 𝑨 and 𝑩 are two points having position vectors 𝒂 and 𝒃 respectively. Prove that if 𝑷 is the
point which divides the line joining 𝑨 and 𝑩 in the ratio 𝝀 ∶ 𝝁 , then the position vector of 𝑷 is given by
𝝁𝒂+𝝀𝒃
𝒑= 𝝁+𝝀
.
Suppose 𝑷, 𝑸 and 𝑹 are three points having position vectors 𝒑, 𝒒 and 𝒓 respectively. Show that the
(𝒑+𝒒+𝒓)
position vector of the centroid of the triangle 𝑷𝑸𝑹 is 𝟑
.
P 1.1.5. Examples:
Prove that the diagonals of a parallelogram bisect each other. Conversely, prove by vector methods, that if
the diagonals of a quadrilateral bisect each other, then that quadrilateral is a parallelogram.
P 1.1.6.
Prove that the lines joining the mid-points of the opposite edges of a tetrahedron bisect each other.
P 1.1.7.
𝑨𝑩𝑪𝑫 is a parallelogram . 𝑬 is the mid-point of 𝑨𝑩. Show that the line segments 𝑫𝑬 and 𝑨𝑪 trisect
each other.
P 1.1. The Dot Product of Vectors
P 1.1.1.
The points 𝑨 −𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑 , 𝑩 𝟏, −𝟐, 𝟑 and 𝑪 𝟏, 𝟐, −𝟑 form the vertices of a triangle. Determine
P 1.1.2.
Three points 𝑨, 𝑩 and 𝑪 are said to be collinear if and only if they lie on a same straight line.
Let 𝑨, 𝑩 and 𝑪 be three distinct points with position vectors 𝒂 = (𝒂𝟏 , 𝒂𝟐, 𝒂𝟑 ), 𝒃 = (𝒃𝟏 , 𝒃𝟐, 𝒃𝟑 ) and 𝒄 =
(𝒄𝟏 , 𝒄𝟐, 𝒄𝟑 ) respectively. Show that a necessary and sufficient condition for 𝑨, 𝑩 and 𝑪 to be collinear is
that there exist constants 𝜶, 𝜷 and 𝜸 , not all zero, such that 𝜶+𝜷+𝜸 = 𝟎 and 𝜶𝒂+𝜷𝒃+𝜸𝒄 = 𝟎.
P 1.1.3.
P 1.1.4.
Find a vector 𝒖 whose length is 𝟓 and which is perpendicular to the vectors 𝟐𝒊 + 𝟑𝒋 + 𝒌 and 𝒊 + 𝟐𝒋 + 𝟑𝒌
P 1.1.5.
𝑶(𝟎, 𝟎, 𝟎), 𝑨(𝟒, 𝟎, 𝟎), 𝑩(𝟏, 𝟑, 𝟎) and 𝑪(𝟏, 𝟏, 𝟐) are vertices of a parallelepiped having 𝑶𝑨, 𝑶𝑩 and 𝑶𝑪 as
concurrent edges. Forces of magnitudes 7, 2 and 4 act on a particle at 𝑶 in the directions pointing
towards 𝑨, 𝑩 and 𝑪 respectively. Determine the resultant force on the particle. What is the component of
the resultant, along the diagonal of the parallelepiped.
P 1.1.6.
P 1.2.1.
(i) 𝒂 × 𝒃 × 𝒄 = 𝒂 ∙ 𝒄 𝒃 − 𝒂 ∙ 𝒃 𝒄
(ii) (𝒂 × 𝒃) × 𝒄 = 𝒂 ∙ 𝒄 𝒃 − 𝒃 ∙ 𝒄 𝒂
P 1.2.2.
Show that each of the following is a necessary and sufficient condition for three points 𝑨, 𝑩 and 𝑪 with position
vectors 𝒂, 𝒃, and 𝒄 to be collinear.
(i) 𝒃 − 𝒂 × 𝒄 − 𝒂 = 𝟎.
(ii) 𝒂 × 𝒃 + 𝒃 × 𝒄 + 𝒄 × 𝒂 = 𝟎.
P 1.2.3.
The vertices 𝑨, 𝑩 and 𝑪 of a triangle have position vectors 𝒂, 𝒃 and 𝒄 respectively. Prove that
𝟏
(a) The area of the triangle is 𝟐
𝒂×𝒃+𝒃×𝒄+𝒄×𝒂
𝒂×𝒃+𝒃×𝒄+𝒄×𝒂
(b) The perpendicular distance of the vertex 𝑨 from the side 𝑩𝑪 is 𝒃−𝒄
(ii) The perpendicular distance of each vertex from the opposite side .
(iii) The foot of the perpendicular from each of the vertex to the opposite side .
P 1.2.4.
Prove that if 𝒂, 𝒃, 𝒄, 𝒅 are vectors and 𝜶, 𝜷 , 𝜸 are constants such that 𝜶𝒂+𝜷𝒃+𝜸𝒄 = 𝒅 and [𝒂, 𝒃, 𝒄] ≠ 𝟎, then
P 1.2.5.
Write down the equations, in vector and scalar form for the six edges of the tetrahedron. Find an outward, normal,
unit vector to each of the four faces.
P 1.3. Vector equations of straight lines
P 1.3.1.
Suppose 𝑨 and 𝑩 are two points having position vectors 𝒂 and 𝒃 respectively. Show that the equation of the
straight line through 𝑨 and 𝑩 can be written as 𝒓 = 𝒕 𝒂 + 𝟏 − 𝒕 𝒃, where 𝒕 is a parameter. If 𝑷 is a point on
this line, with parameter 𝒕, what can you say about the position of 𝑷 with respect to 𝑨 and 𝑩 in each of the
following cases:
(a) 𝒕 < 𝟎 (b) 𝒕 = 𝟎 (c) 𝟎<𝒕<𝟏 (d) 𝒕 = 𝟏 (e) 𝟏<𝒕
P 1.3.2.
Let 𝒓 = 𝒖𝟏 + 𝒔𝒗𝟏 and 𝒓 = 𝒖𝟐 + 𝒕𝒗𝟐 are vector equations of two straight lines 𝒍𝟏 and 𝒍𝟐 . ( Here, 𝒔 and 𝒕 are
independent parameters. Show that
𝒗𝟏 ∙𝒗𝟐
(a) The angle between 𝒍𝟏 and 𝒍𝟐 is 𝒄𝒐𝒔−𝟏
𝒗𝟏 𝒗𝟐
P 1.3.3.
P 1.3.4.
𝑷, 𝑸, 𝑹 and 𝑺 are the centroids of the faces opposite to 𝑨, 𝑩, 𝑪 and 𝑫 respectively. Show that 𝑨𝑷, 𝑩𝑸, 𝑪𝑹 and
𝑫𝑆 meet at one point 𝑰.
P 1.3.5.
𝑱, 𝑲, 𝑳 and 𝑴 are the feet of the perpendiculars from 𝑨, 𝑩, 𝑪 and 𝑫 respectively, to the opposite faces. Show that
𝑨𝑱, 𝑩𝑲, 𝑪𝑳 and 𝑫𝑴 meet at one point 𝑯.
P 1.4. Vector equations of planes
P 1.4.1.
𝑨 = 𝟐, 𝟏, −𝟑 , 𝑩 = 𝟑, −𝟐, 𝟏 , 𝑪 = −𝟏, 𝟑, 𝟐 and 𝑫 = −𝟑, −𝟑, −𝟑 are vertices of a given tetrahedron. Find
(a) the equations of the four faces, 𝑨𝑩𝑪, 𝑨𝑪𝑫, 𝑨𝑫𝑩 and , 𝑩𝑪𝑫 in vector form.
(b) the equations of the four faces, 𝑨𝑩𝑪, 𝑨𝑪𝑫, 𝑨𝑫𝑩 and , 𝑩𝑪𝑫 in scalar form.
(c) the angle between the six pairs of faces [𝑨𝑩𝑪, 𝑨𝑪𝑫], [𝑨𝑪𝑫, 𝑨𝑫𝑩] , [𝑨𝑫𝑩, 𝑨𝑩𝑪], [𝑩𝑪𝑫, 𝑪𝑫𝑩},
[𝑪𝑫𝑩, 𝑫𝑩𝑪] and [𝑫𝑩𝑪, 𝑩𝑪𝑫].
P 1.4.2.
Find the equation for the line along which the two planes 𝑷𝟏 : 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑𝒚 + 𝟒𝒛 = 𝟓 and 𝑷𝟐 : 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒𝒚 + 𝟑𝒛 = 𝟐
intersect.
P 1.4.3.
P 1.4.4.
P 1.4.5.
Four points 𝑨, 𝑩, 𝑪 and 𝑫 are said to be coplanar if and only if they lie on a same plane. Let 𝑨, 𝑩, 𝑪 and 𝑫 be four
distinct points with position vectors 𝒂 = (𝒂𝟏 , 𝒂𝟐, 𝒂𝟑 ), 𝒃 = (𝒃𝟏 , 𝒃𝟐, 𝒃𝟑 ), 𝒄 = (𝒄𝟏 , 𝒄𝟐, 𝒄𝟑 ) and 𝒅 = (𝒅𝟏 , 𝒅𝟐, 𝒅𝟑 )
respectively. Show that a necessary and sufficient condition for 𝑨, 𝑩, 𝑪 and 𝑫 to be coplanar is that there exist
constants 𝜶, 𝜷, 𝜸 and 𝜹 , not all zero, such that 𝜶 + 𝜷 + 𝜸 + 𝜹 = 𝟎 and 𝜶𝒂 + 𝜷𝒃 + 𝜸𝒄 + 𝜹𝒅 = 𝟎.
P 1.4.6.
Show that each of the following is a necessary and sufficient condition for four points 𝑨, 𝑩, 𝑪 and 𝑫 with position
vectors 𝒂, 𝒃, 𝒄 and 𝒅 to be coplanar.
(i) 𝒃 − 𝒂 × 𝒄 − 𝒂 ∙ (𝒅 − 𝒂) = 𝟎.
(ii) 𝒃, 𝒄, 𝒅 = 𝒂, 𝒄, 𝒅 + 𝒃, 𝒂, 𝒅 + [𝒃, 𝒄, 𝒂]
P 1.4.7.
Find a constant 𝒒 such that 𝑨 = 𝟐, 𝟏, −𝟑 , 𝑩 = 𝟑, −𝟐, 𝟏 , 𝑪 = −𝟏, 𝟑, 𝟐 and 𝑫 = −𝟑, −𝟑, 𝒒 , are coplanar.