Additional Vectors Problems Solutions

1(i) (a) Shortest distance from origin to plane

1

3
4
2
1
2
4
=
|
|
|

\
|
= units
Hence, foot of perpendicular is given by
|
|
|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|
|

\
|
=
2
1
2
9
4
2
1
2
3
1
3
4
3
4
1
n (shown)
(b) Equation of line l :
|
|
|

\
|

+ =
|
|
|

\
|

+
|
|
|

\
|
=

2 1
2 2
2
2
1
1
2
0
r
4 4 2 2 2 2
2
1
2
2 1
2 2 = + + + =
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|

Therefore, l lies in the plane. (shown)
(ii)
|
|
|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
=
3
6
6
2
2
1
2
1
2
2
n
|
|
|

\
|
1
2
2

Equation of
2
is 5
1
2
0
1
2
2
1
2
2
=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|
r (shown)
(iii)
|
|
|

\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
=
6
6
3
1
2
2
2
1
2
3
n
|
|
|

\
|
2
2
1

Let the foot of perpendicular from
|
|
|

\
|
1
2
0
to
3
be A
Then
|
|
|

\
|

= =
|
|
|

\
|

2
2
1
3
1
2
0
3
n OA or
|
|
|

\
|

= =
|
|
|

\
|
2
2
1
3
1
2
0
3
n OA
ie
|
|
|

\
|

=
1
4
1
OA or
|
|
|

\
|
3
0
1

Possible equations of
3

is 11
1
4
1
2
2
1
1
2
2
=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|
r or 7
3
0
1
2
2
1
1
2
2
=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|
r
The possible augmented matrices formed from the intersection of the 3 planes
are
|
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|

\
|

11 2 2 1
5 1 2 2
4 2 1 2
or
|
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\
|

7 2 2 1
5 1 2 2
4 2 1 2

Solving both of them give the possible points of intersection as
|
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|

\
|
1
4
1
or
|
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|

\
|
3
0
1
(shown)

2(a) Equation of line can be rewritten as
|
|
|

\
|
+

42 7
22 3
3 1
r
Since, 1 84 14 66 9 18 6
2
3
6
42 7
22 3
3 1
= + + =
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
+

and
, 5 126 21 132 18 6 2
3
6
2
42 7
22 3
3 1
= + + =
|
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|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
+

|
|
|

\
|

+
|
|
|

\
|

=
42
22
3
7
3
1
r is the line of intersection of the planes
1
P and .
2
P (shown)

(b) The normal to the required plane is given by
|
|
|

\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
42
22
3
3
6
2
2
3
6

(conversely, you can also arrive at the above by noting that the direction vector of the line
of intersection of
1
P and
2
P is essentially denotes the vector normal to the required plane)
Equation of required plane is 363
7
3
1
42
22
3
42
22
3
=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|

r (shown)
(c) Since , 0 12 6 18 12
3
6
2
2
3
6
2 1
< = =
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
= n n the angle between the planes
1
P and

2
P is obtuse.
Hence, the direction vector of the acute angle bisector between the two planes
1
P and

2
P is given by

|
|
|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
=
5
9
4
3
6
2
2
3
6
2 1
n n
and the equation of this line is
|
|
|

\
|
+
|
|
|

\
|

=
5
9
4
7
3
1
r (shown)
(d) Let the plane bisecting the acute angle between planes
1
P and
2
P be
3
P .
Then the normal to
3
P is given by
|
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|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
=
61
183
488
42
22
3
5
9
4
3
n
|
|
|

\
|
1
3
8

Equation of
3
P is 6 7 9 8
7
3
1
1
3
8
1
3
8
= + =
|
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|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|
r (shown)

3(i) Area of triangle ) ( ) (
2
1
2
1
a c a b AC AB ABC = =
a c b a c b a a c a a b c b + + = + =
2
1
2
1
(shown)
[Q
~
0 = a a ]
(ii) Vector perpendicular to triangle AC AB ABC = a c b a c b + + = (shown)
(iii) Denoting the normal to plane ABC as , n
Shortest distance from the vertex Dto the plane ABC
( ) a c b a c b a d
a c b a c b
n a d + +
+ +
= = ) (
1
) (
( ) ( ) a c b a c b a a c b a c b d
a c b a c b
+ + + +
+ +
=
1

( ) ( ) c b a a c b a c b d
a c b a c b
+ +
+ +
=
1

Volume of tetrahedron ABCDis
( ) ( )
(
(

+ +
+ +
(

+ + c b a a c b a c b d
a c b a c b
a c b a c b
1
2
1
3
1

( ) ( ) c b a a c b a c b d + + =
6
1
(shown)

4. A vector normal to plane
1
is
|
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\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
=
8
10
12
5
4
0
3
0
2
1
n
|
|
|

\
|

4
5
6

A vector normal to plane
2
is
|
|
|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
=
3
1
5
2
1
1
1
3
0
2
n
Direction vector of line of intersection of
1
and
2
is
|
|
|

\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|

19
38
19
4
5
6
3
1
5

|
|
|

\
|
1
2
1

Hence, equation of line of intersection l is
|
|
|

\
|

+
|
|
|

\
|
=
1
2
1
6
4
2
r (shown)
A vector normal to plane
3
is
|
|
|

\
|

(
(
(

|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
=
1
2
1
6
4
2
2
3
4
3
n

|
|
|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|

=
5
2
9
1
2
1
4
1
2

Equation of
3
is 40 30 8 18
6
4
2
5
2
9
1
1
2
= + =
|
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|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
=
|
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|

\
|
r 40 5 2 9 = + z y x (shown)
Equation of
1
is 32 24 20 12
6
4
2
4
5
6
4
5
6
= =
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|

r 32 4 5 6 = z y x
Equation of
2
is 24 18 4 10
6
4
2
3
1
5
3
1
5
= + =
|
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|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|
r 24 3 5 = + z y x
Since the line l lies on all 3 planes, hence the system of equations
32 4 5 6 = z y x
24 3 5 = + z y x
40 5 2 9 = + z y x
will have an infinite number of solutions given by
|
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|

\
|

+
|
|
|

\
|
=
1
2
1
6
4
2
r

(shown)

5. (a) Let the acute angle between
1
l and the x axis be .
Then
17
2
cos cos
0
0
1
3
2
2
0
0
1
3
2
2
=
|
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|

\
|
|
|
|

\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|

o
61
17
2
cos
1
=
|
|

\
|
=

(shown)
(b) Since
2
l passes through point , A
|
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|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|
+
+
+
b
a
2
2
9 2
4 6
4

By comparison, 2 2 4 6 = = +
, 2 2 4 2 4 = = + a a 1 = a
16 ) 2 ( 9 2 9 2 = + = = + b b (shown)
(i) When
1
l and
2
l intersect,

|
|
|

\
|
+
+
+
=
|
|
|

\
|

+

9 2
4 6
4
3 4
2
2 1

By comparison, + = + 4 2 1 2 3 + =
Also, 8 6 ) 2 3 ( 4 6 4 6 2 + = + + = + =
Solving gives , 1 = 1 = (Verify that these values also satisfy 9 2 3 4 + = )
The point of intersection is given by
|
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|

\
|
7
2
3
(shown)
(ii) A
|
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\
|

16
2
2


2
l

|
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|

\
|
7
2
3
B C
1
l
|
|
|

\
|
3
2
2

Let C be the foot of the perpendicular from point A to the line
1
l .

|
|
|

\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|

= =
9
4
1
7
2
3
16
2
2
OB OA BA

|
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|

\
|

(
(
(

|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|

(
(
(

|
|
|

\
|

=
3
2
2
3
2
2
9
4
1
17
1
3
2
2
3
2
2
BA BC
) 27 8 2 (
17
1
+ =
|
|
|

\
|
3
2
2

|
|
|

\
|

=
3
2
2

Hence,
|
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|

\
|

=
|
|
|

\
|

+
|
|
|

\
|

= + =
10
4
5

3
2
2
7
2
3
BC OB OC (shown)
(iii) Let the reflection of the point A(on )
2
l in the line
1
l be D(which shall lie on )
3
l
Then
|
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|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|
=
(
(
(

|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|

= =
12
12
6
6
6
3
2
16
2
2
10
4
5
2 2AC AD
The direction vector of the required line of reflection
3
l is given by

|
|
|

\
|
=
|
|
|

\
|
+
|
|
|

\
|

= + =
3
8
5
12
12
6
9
4
1
AD BA BD
Equation of
3
l is
|
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|

\
|
+
|
|
|

\
|

=
3
8
5
7
2
3
r (shown)

6(i) The equation of line mis
|
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|

\
|
+

=
|
|
|

\
|
+
|
|
|

\
|
=
1
2 4
3
0
2
1
1
4
3

r ,
Since OP is perpendicular to m, 0
0
2
1
1
2 4
3
=
|
|
|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
+

, ie
1 0 4 8 3 = = + + + ; hence, point P is given by
|
|
|

\
|
1
2
4
. (shown)
(ii) Assuming that l and mintersect, then
|
|
|

\
|
+

=
|
|
|

\
|
+
+
1
2 4
3
3
6

at
t a
t

) 1 ( 3 3 6 = = + t t
) 2 ( 2 4 3 + = + t a
) 3 (
1
1 = =
t
a at
Substituting both (1) and (3) into (2):
t t t
t
2 2 ) 3 ( 2 4 3
1
= + = +
Multiplying both sides by , t

2 2
2 2 3 1 t t t = +
0 1 2 5
2
= + + t t
Since discriminant of the immediate above quadratic equation is
, 0 16 ) 1 )( 5 ( 4 ) 2 ( 4
2 2
< = = ac b
there will be no real solutions and hence l and mwill not intersect, ie they have no common
point. (shown)

(iii)
2 2
10
2
1
60 cos 10
1
0
0
3
1
a a
a
+ = + =
|
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|

\
|

|
|
|

\
|
o


2
10
2
1
| | a a + =
Squaring both sides, ( )
2 2 2 2
10 4 10
4
1
a a a a + = + =
10 3
2
= a

3
10
= a (shown)

7. ( ) ) ( | |
2
2
c b c b c b +
| | c c c b b b c b + + = 2 | |
2
2

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


c B

A | | c b
b

C
Let the angle between vectors b and c be .
Since ( ) , | | ) (
2
c b c b c b =
( ) c b c b c b c b = + 2 ) ( | |
2
2
can be rewritten as
c b c b c b = + 2 | | | |
2
2
2

| | 2 | | | | 2 | | | | | |
2 2 2 2 2
b c b c b c b c b + = + = cos | | c (shown)