Additional Vectors Problems Solutions

4 4
1(i) (a) Shortest distance from origin to plane ∏1 = = units
 2 3
 
1
 2
 

 2  2
4 4  1   4  
Hence, foot of perpendicular is given by n1 =   1  =  1  (shown)
3 3  3   9  
 2  2

0  1   λ 
     
(b) Equation of line l : r =  2  + λ  2  =  2 + 2λ 
1  − 2   1 − 2λ 
     

 λ   2
   
 2 + 2λ  •  1  = 2λ + 2 + 2λ + 2 − 4λ = 4
 1 − 2λ   2 
   

Therefore, l lies in the plane. (shown)

 2  1   − 6  − 2
       
(ii) n 2 =  1  ×  2  =  6   2 
 2  − 2  3   1 
       

 − 2  − 2  0
     
∴ Equation of ∏ 2 is r •  2  =  2  •  2  = 5 (shown)
 1   1  1
     

 2  − 2  − 3  1 
       
(iii) n3 =  1  ×  2  =  − 6   2 
 2  1   6   − 2
       

0
 
Let the foot of perpendicular from  2  to ∏ 3 be A
1
 

 0  1  0  1 
       
Then OA −  2  = 3n3 =  2  or  2  − OA = 3n3 =  2 
1  − 2 1  − 2
       
 1  − 1
   
ie OA =  4  or  0 
 − 1 3
   

Possible equations of ∏ 3

 − 2  1   1   − 2   1   − 1
           
is r •  2  =  2  •  4  = 11 or r •  2  =  2  •  0  = −7
 1   − 2   − 1  1   − 2  3 
           

The possible augmented matrices formed from the intersection of the 3 planes

 2 1 2 4  2 1 2 4 
   
are  − 2 2 1 5  or − 2 2 1 5 
 1 2 − 2 11  1 2 − 2 − 7
   

1  − 1
   
Solving both of them give the possible points of intersection as  4  or  0  (shown)
 −1 3
   

 1 − 3λ 
 
2(a) Equation of line can be rewritten as r =  3 − 22λ 
 − 7 + 42λ 
 

 1 − 3λ   6 
   
Since,  3 − 22λ  •  3  = 6 − 18λ + 9 − 66λ − 14 + 84λ = 1 and
 − 7 + 42λ   2 
   

 1 − 3λ   2 
   
 3 − 22λ  •  − 6  = 2 − 6λ − 18 + 132λ + 21 − 126λ = 5,
 − 7 + 42λ   − 3 
   

 1   −3 
   
r =  3  + λ  − 22  is the line of intersection of the planes P1 and P2 . (shown)
 − 7  42 
   
 6  2   3 
     
(b) The normal to the required plane is given by  3  ×  − 6  =  22 
 2   − 3   − 42 
     

(conversely, you can also arrive at the above by noting that the direction vector of the line

of intersection of P1 and P2 is essentially denotes the vector normal to the required plane)

 3   3   1 
     
Equation of required plane is r •  22  =  22  •  3  = 363 (shown)
 − 42   − 42   − 7 
     

6  2 
   
(c) Since n1 • n2 =  3  •  − 6  = 12 − 18 − 6 = −12 < 0, the angle between the planes P1 and
 2  − 3
   

P2 is obtuse.

Hence, the direction vector of the acute angle bisector between the two planes P1 and

P2 is given by

 6  2   4
     
n1 − n2 =  3  −  − 6  =  9 
 2  − 3  5
     

 1   4
   
and the equation of this line is r =  3  + λ  9  (shown)
 − 7 5
   

(d) Let the plane bisecting the acute angle between planes P1 and P2 be P3 .

 4   3   − 488   − 8
       
Then the normal to P3 is given by n3 =  9  ×  22  =  183   3 
 5   − 42   61   1 
       

 − 8  − 8  1 
     
∴ Equation of P3 is r •  3  =  3  •  3  = −8 + 9 − 7 = −6 (shown)
 1   1   − 7
     
 1 1
3(i) Area of triangle ABC = AB × AC = (b − a ) × (c − a )
2 2

1 1
= b × c − b × a − a × c + a × a = b × c + a × b + c × a (shown)
2 2

[Q a × a = 0 ]
~

(ii) Vector perpendicular to triangle ABC = AB × AC = b × c + a × b + c × a (shown)

(iii) Denoting the normal to plane ABC as n,

Shortest distance from the vertex D to the plane ABC

1
= (d − a) • n = (d − a) • (b × c + a × b + c × a )
b×c + a×b + c×a

1
= d • (b × c + a × b + c × a ) − a • (b × c + a × b + c × a )
b×c + a×b + c×a

1
= d • (b × c + a × b + c × a ) − a • (b × c )
b×c + a×b + c×a

∴ Volume of tetrahedron ABCD is

1 1  1 
 b × c + a × b + c × a  d • (b × c + a × b + c × a ) − a • (b × c ) 
3 2   b × c + a × b + c × a 

1
= d • (b × c + a × b + c × a ) − a • (b × c ) (shown)
6

 2   0   12   6 
       
4. A vector normal to plane ∏1 is n1 =  0  ×  − 4  =  − 10   − 5
 3  5   − 8   − 4
       

 0   − 1  5 
     
A vector normal to plane ∏ 2 is n2 =  3  ×  1  =  − 1
1  2   3 
     

 5   6   19  1
       
Direction vector of line of intersection of ∏1 and ∏ 2 is  − 1 ×  − 5  =  38  2
 3   − 4   − 19   −1
       
  2 1
   
Hence, equation of line of intersection l is r =  4  + λ  2  (shown)
 6  − 1
   

 4   2   1 
     
A vector normal to plane ∏ 3 is n3 =  3  −  4   ×  2 
 2   6   − 1

 2   1   9
     
=  −1 ×  2  =  − 2
 − 4   − 1  5 
     

 2   9   2
     
Equation of ∏ 3 is r •  − 1 =  − 2  •  4  = 18 − 8 + 30 = 40 ⇒ 9 x − 2 y + 5 z = 40 (shown)
 1   5  6
     

 6   6   2
     
Equation of ∏1 is r •  − 5  =  − 5  •  4  = 12 − 20 − 24 = −32 ⇒ 6 x − 5 y − 4 z = −32
 − 4  − 4  6
     

 5   5   2
     
Equation of ∏ 2 is r •  − 1 =  − 1 •  4  = 10 − 4 + 18 = 24 ⇒ 5 x − y + 3 z = 24
 3   3  6
     

Since the line l lies on all 3 planes, hence the system of equations

6 x − 5 y − 4 z = −32

5 x − y + 3 z = 24

9 x − 2 y + 5 z = 40

 2 1
   
will have an infinite number of solutions given by r =  4  + λ  2  (shown)
 6  − 1
   

5. (a) Let the acute angle between l1 and the x − axis be θ .

 2  1  2  1
       2
Then  2  •  0  =  2   0  cos θ → cos θ =
 − 3  0   − 3  0  17
      
  2 
∴ θ = cos −1   = 61o (shown)
 17 

 4 + aλ   2 
   
(b) Since l 2 passes through point A,  6 + 4λ  =  − 2 
 2 + 9λ   b 
   

By comparison, 6 + 4λ = −2 ⇒ λ = −2

4 + aλ = 2 ⇒ 4 − 2a = 2, a = 1

2 + 9λ = b ⇒ b = 2 + 9( −2) = −16 (shown)

(i) When l1 and l2 intersect,

 1 + 2µ   4 + λ 
   
 2µ  =  6 + 4λ 
 − 4 − 3µ   2 + 9λ 
   

By comparison, 1 + 2 µ = 4 + λ → λ = −3 + 2 µ

Also, 2 µ = 6 + 4λ = 6 + 4( −3 + 2 µ ) = −6 + 8 µ

Solving gives µ = 1, λ = −1 (Verify that these values also satisfy − 4 − 3µ = 2 + 9λ )

 3 
 
∴ The point of intersection is given by  2  (shown)
− 7
 

 2 
 
(ii) A  −2 
 − 16 
 

l2

 3   2 
   
 2 B C l1  2 
− 7  − 3
   

Let C be the foot of the perpendicular from point A to the line l1 .

 2   3   −1
     
BA = OA − OB =  − 2  −  2  =  − 4 
 − 16   − 7   − 9 
     
   2   2   − 1   2  2 
    1     
BC =  BA •  2  2  =  − 4  •  2  2 
  − 3  − 3  17  − 9   − 3  − 3 
        

 2   2 
1    
= (−2 − 8 + 27)  2  =  2 
17  − 3  − 3
   

 3   2   5 
     
Hence, OC = OB + BC =  2  +  2  =  4  (shown)
 − 7   − 3   − 10 
     

(iii) Let the reflection of the point A (on l 2 ) in the line l1 be D (which shall lie on l3 )

 5   2   3  6 
       
Then AD = 2 AC = 2  4  −  − 2   = 2 6  = 12 
 − 10   − 16   6  12 
   

The direction vector of the required line of reflection l3 is given by

 − 1   6   5
     
BD = BA + AD =  − 4  + 12  =  8 
 − 9  12   3 
     

 3   5
   
∴ Equation of l3 is r =  2  + γ  8  (shown)
 − 7   3
   

 3  − 1  3 − λ 
     
6(i) The equation of line m is r =  4  + λ  2  =  4 + 2λ  , λ ∈ ℜ
1 0  1 
     

 3 − λ   − 1
   
Since OP is perpendicular to m ,  4 + 2λ  •  2  = 0 , ie
 1  0
   

 4
 
− 3 + λ + 8 + 4λ = 0 ⇒ λ = −1 ; hence, point P is given by  2  . (shown)
1
 
  6+t   3−λ 
   
(ii) Assuming that l and m intersect, then  a + 3t  =  4 + 2λ 
 at   1 
   

6 + t = 3 − λ ⇒ λ = −3 − t − − − − − − − − − −(1)

a + 3t = 4 + 2λ − − − − − − − −( 2)

1
at = 1 ⇒ a = − − − − − − − (3)
t

Substituting both (1) and (3) into (2):

1
+ 3t = 4 + 2(−3 − t ) = −2 − 2t
t

Multiplying both sides by t ,

1 + 3t 2 = −2t − 2t 2

5t 2 + 2t + 1 = 0

Since discriminant of the immediate above quadratic equation is

b 2 − 4ac = (2) 2 − 4(5)(1) = −16 < 0,

there will be no real solutions and hence l and m will not intersect, ie they have no common

point. (shown)

 1  0
    1
(iii)  3  •  0  = 10 + a 2 cos 60 o = 10 + a 2
 a 1 2
   

1
| a |= 10 + a 2
2

Squaring both sides, a 2 =

1
4
(
10 + a 2 ) ⇒ 4a 2 = 10 + a 2

3a 2 = 10

10
∴ a=± (shown)
3
7. | b | 2 + c − (b − c ) • (b − c)
2

=| b | 2 + c − [b • b − 2b • c + c • c ]
2

2 2
=| b | 2 + c − [| b | 2 −2b • c + c ] = 2b • c

c B

A θ |b−c|

Let the angle between vectors b and c be θ .

Since (b − c ) • (b − c) =| b − c | 2 ,

| b | 2 + c − (b − c ) • (b − c ) = 2b • c can be rewritten as
2

2
| b | 2 + c − | b − c | 2 = 2b • c

| b − c | 2 =| b | 2 + | c | 2 −2b • c =| b | 2 + | c | 2 −2 | b | | c | cos θ (shown)