VECTOR ALGEBRA

(1) If 𝐴 = 3𝒊 − 𝒋 − 4𝒌 and 𝐵 = −2𝒊 + 4𝒋 − 3𝒌 , then find

(i) 2𝐴 + 𝐵 (ii) 𝐴 + 𝐵 (iii) 6𝐴 − 4𝐵

Solution:: (i) 2𝐴 + 𝐵 = 2 3𝒊 − 𝒋 − 4𝒌 + (− 2𝒊 + 4𝒋 − 3𝒌)

= 6𝒊 − 2𝒋 − 8𝒌 − 2𝒊 + 4𝒋 − 3𝒌 = = 4𝒊 + 2𝒋 − 11𝒌

2𝐴 + 𝐵 = 42 + 22 + (−11)2 = 16 + 4 + 121 = 141

(2) For what value of m, two vectors 𝐴 = 2𝒊 + 3𝒋 − 6𝒌 and 𝐵 = 𝑚𝒊 + 2𝒋 + 4𝒌 will be perpendicular?

Solution:: If the vectors A and B are perpendicular then 𝐴. 𝐵 = 0

𝐴. 𝐵 = 2𝒊 + 3𝒋 − 6𝒌 . 𝑚𝒊 + 2𝒋 + 4𝒌 = 0

⇒ 2𝑚 + 6 − 24 = 0

⇒ 2𝑚 = 18

∴𝑚=9

(3) Find the component of the vector 𝐵 = 5𝒊 − 3𝒋 + 2𝒌 along the vector 𝐴 = 2𝒊 + 𝒋 − 2𝒌.

𝐴.𝐵
Solution:: The component of the vector B along A= 𝐴
𝐴

𝐴. 𝐵 = 10 − 3 − 4 = 3

𝐴 = 4+1+4=3

𝐴 2𝒊+𝒋−2𝒌
and, 𝐴 = 𝐴
= 3

3 2𝒊+𝒋−2𝒌 1
The component of the vector B along A=3 3
= 3 2𝒊 + 𝒋 − 2𝒌

(4) Find the angle between the vectors 𝐴 = 2𝒊 + 2𝒋 − 𝒌 and 𝐵 = 𝒊 − 3𝒋 + 5𝒌

Solution:: Let 𝜃 be the angle between the two vectors.

Then, 𝐴. 𝐵 = 𝐴 𝐵 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃

𝐴 = 3 and 𝐵 = 35

𝐴. 𝐵 = 2 − 6 − 5 = −9

∴ −9 = 3 . 35 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃

3
∴ 𝜃 = cos−1 − 35

H.W::

1) Find the angle between the vectors 𝐴 = 2𝒊 − 3𝒋 + 𝒌 and 𝐵 = 𝒊 − 𝒋 + 𝒌

2) Find the angle between the vectors 𝐴 = 𝒊 − 2𝒋 − 3𝒌 and 𝐵 = 2𝒊 + 𝒋 − 𝒌
3) Find the angle between the vectors 𝐴 = 3𝒊 + 2𝒋 − 6𝒌 and 𝐵 = 4𝒊 + 3𝒋 + 6𝒌

(5) If 𝐴 = 2𝒊 − 3𝒋 − 𝒌 and 𝐵 = 𝒊 + 4𝒋 − 2𝒌, then find

(i) 𝐴 × 𝐵 (ii) 𝐴 + 𝐵 × 𝐴 − 𝐵

𝒊 𝒋 𝒌
Solution:: (i) 𝐴 × 𝐵 = 2 −3 −1 = 𝒊 6 + 4 − 𝒋 −4 + 1 + 𝒌 8 + 3 = 10𝒊 + 3𝒋 + 11𝒌
1 4 −2

(6) If 𝐴 = 3𝒊 + 𝒋 − 2𝒌 , 𝐵 = 2𝒊 − 𝒋 + 𝒌 and 𝐶 = 2𝒊 + 3𝒋 − 2𝒌 be three vectors,

(i) Find 𝐴 × 𝐵 × 𝐶

(ii) Prove that, 𝐴. 𝐵 + 𝐶 = 𝐴. 𝐵 + 𝐴. 𝐶

(iii) Find, 2𝐴 − 𝐵 + 𝐶
Ex.1) Find the value of a such that the three vectors 2𝒊 + 𝒋 − 𝒌, 3𝒊 − 2𝒋 + 𝟒𝒌, 𝒊 − 3𝒋 + 𝑎𝒌 will be
coplanar.

Solution: Let, 𝐴 = 2𝒊 + 𝒋 − 𝒌, 𝐵 = 3𝒊 − 2𝒋 + 4𝒌, 𝐶 = 𝒊 − 3𝒋 + 𝑎𝒌

When three vectors are in a plane, then

𝐴 × 𝐵 .𝐶 = 0

𝒊 𝒋 𝒌
𝐴 × 𝐵 = 2 1 −1 = 𝒊 4 − 2 − 𝒋 8 + 3 + 𝒌 −4 − 3 = 2𝒊 − 11𝒋 − 7𝒌
3 −2 4

Now,

𝐴 × 𝐵 .𝐶 = 0

⇒ 2𝒊 − 11𝒋 − 7𝒌 . 𝒊 − 3𝒋 + 𝑎𝒌 = 0

⇒ 2 + 33 − 7𝑎 = 0

∴𝑎=5

Ex.2) Find the value of 𝜆 such that the three vectors 𝒊 − 𝒋 + 𝒌, 2𝒊 + 𝒋 − 𝒌, 𝜆𝒊 − 𝒋 + 𝜆𝒌 will lie on the
same plane.

Ex.3) Find a unit vector which is perpendicular to the plane of the vector

𝐴 = 𝒊 + 2𝒋 + 2𝒌, 𝐵 = 2𝒊 − 2𝒋 + 𝒌

Solution: Given, 𝐴 = 𝒊 + 2𝒋 + 2𝒌, 𝐵 = 2𝒊 − 2𝒋 + 𝒌

𝒊 𝒋 𝒌
𝐴 × 𝐵 = 1 2 2 = 𝒊 2 + 4 − 𝒋 1 − 4 + 𝒌 −2 − 4 = 6𝒊 + 3𝒋 − 6𝒌
2 −2 1

𝐴×𝐵 =9

𝐴×𝐵 6𝒊+3𝒋−6𝒌
The unit vector which is perpendicular to two vectors= 𝐴×𝐵
= 9

Ex.4) Find a unit vector which is perpendicular to two vector

𝐴 = 3𝒊 + 2𝒋 − 6𝒌, 𝐵 = 4𝒊 − 3𝒋 + 𝒌
Ex.5) Find a unit vector which is perpendicular to the plane of the vector

𝐴 = 2𝒊 + 𝒋 + 𝒌, 𝐵 = 𝒊 − 2𝒋 + 2𝒌

Ex.6) Find a unit vector which is perpendicular to two vector

𝐴 = 2𝒊 + 𝒋 + 𝒌, 𝐵 = 𝒊 − 2𝒋 + 𝒌

Ex.7) Find the value of a such that the vectors 𝑃 = 2𝒊 + 𝑎𝒋 − 3𝒌, 𝑸 = 6𝒊 − 3𝒋 − 9𝒌, will be parallel.

Solution: If P and Q are parallel, then

𝑃×𝑄 =0

𝒊 𝒋 𝒌
⇒ 2 𝑎 −3 = 0 ⇒ 𝑎 = −1
6 −3 −9

Ex.8) Find the value of a such that the vectors 𝑃 = 2𝒊 + 𝑚𝒋 − 𝒌, 𝑸 = 6𝒊 + 6𝒋 − 3𝒌, will be parallel.