Answer Key for Sunday Test Question Paper - Vectors

Part A: Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each)

1. c) 90∘
2. a) 106 ​

3. d) 4 5 ​

4. a) 5 ​

5. c) 7
6. b) 90∘
7. d) 1
8. d) Insufficient information (The magnitude cannot be determined from direction cosines alone, as they
are unitless ratios.)
9. c) λ = ± 1a ​

10. b) 45∘
11. c) 2

12. c) 226
​

13. a) ∣a∣2 − ∣ b∣ 2
(a ⋅ b )b
14. a)
∣ b∣ 2
​

15. b) −4
16. a) xi + y j ​ + zk
17. a) a ⋅ (b × c)

18. c) 90∘
19. b) (x2 ​
− x1 )i + (y2 − y1 )j + (z2 − z1 )k
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

20. c) −2(a × b)

Part B: Very Short Answer Type Questions (1 mark each)

21. ∣ a∣ = (1)2 + (−1)2 + (1)2 ​ = 3. ​

i+2j +2k i+2j +2k

22. Unit vector = ∣aa∣ = = .
​ ​

12 +22 +22 3
​ ​ ​

c 4i+3j −2k 4i+3j −2k

23. First, find the sum vector c = a + b = 4i + 3j − 2k . The unit vector is ​

∣ c∣
​ = ​

16+9+4
​

​
= ​

29 ​
. ​

24. Magnitude ∣a∣ = 22 + (−1)2 + 22 ​ = 9 = 3. Direction cosines are 23 ,

​ ​
−1 2
3 , 3.
​ ​

25. The scalar triple product [aab] is 0 because the vectors are coplanar (two are identical).
(7)(2)+(1)(6)+(−4)(3)
26. Projection of a on b is a⋅b = = 14+6−12
= 8
= 87 .
∣ b∣ 22 +62 +32 4+36+9 49
​ ​ ​ ​ ​

​
​ ​

27. The dot product is a ⋅ b = (1)(2) + (−2)(3) + (3)(4) = 2 − 6 + 12 = 8. ∣a∣ = 14, ∣b∣ =
​ 29. ​

8 8
cos θ = 14 29
​
​

​
= 406
. ​

​
28. For orthogonal vectors, their dot product is 0. (3)(2) + (λ)(−1) + (1)(8) =0⇒6−λ+8=0⇒λ=
14.
29. Area = 12 ∣a × b∣
​ = 12 ∣(i + 2j ) × (2i + j )∣ = 12 ∣(1 ⋅ 1 − 2 ⋅ 2)k ∣ = 12 ∣ − 3k ∣ = 32 .
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

30. The scalar component is the coefficient of the j vector, which is -2. ​

Part C: Short Answer Type Questions (2 marks each)

31. Area = ∣a × b∣ = ∣(3i + j + 4k ) × (i − j + k )∣ = ∣5i + j − 4k ∣ =

​ ​ ​ 52 + 12 + (−4)2 ​ =
25 + 1 + 16 = 42 sq units.
​ ​

2 −3 4
32. Volume = ∣[abc]∣ = ∣ 1 2 −1 ∣ = ∣2(4 − 1) + 3(2 + 3) + 4(−1 − 6)∣ = ∣2(3) + 3(5) +
​ ​ ​ ​

3 −1 2
4(−7)∣ = ∣6 + 15 − 28∣ = ∣ − 7∣ = 7 cubic units.
33. AB = (2 − 1)i + (6 − 2)j + (3 − 7)k = i + 4j − 4k . AC = (3 − 1)i + (10 − 2)j + (−1 − 7)k = 2i +
​ ​ ​

8j − 8k . Since AC = 2(i + 4j − 4k ) = 2AB , AB and AC are parallel. Since they share point A, the
​ ​

points are collinear.

34. The vectors connecting the points are a1 = 2i, a2 = 3i − λj + 2k , a3 = 2i − 2j + 4k . For coplanar ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

vectors, their scalar triple product is 0. [a1 a2 a3 ] = 0 ⇒ 2(4λ − 4) − 0 − 0 = 0 ⇒ 8(λ − 1) = 0 ⇒ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

λ = 1.
35. ∣a ⋅ b∣ = ∣a∣∣b∣∣ cos θ∣ and ∣a × b∣ = ∣a∣∣b∣∣ sin θ∣. Given they are equal, ∣ cos θ∣ = ∣ sin θ∣. This
implies tan θ = ±1. The angle is θ = 45∘ or π4 . ​

36. Let the required vector be c. It must be parallel to a × b.

a × b = (2i + j − k ) × (i − j + 2k ) = (2 − 1)i − (4 + 1)j + (−2 − 1)k = i − 5j − 3k .
​ ​ ​ ​

i−5j −3k
Unit vector in this direction is
1+25+9
= i−5j35
−3k
.
​

​
​

​
​

i−5j −3k
Vector with magnitude 6 is 6 ( ).
​

35
​

37. Vector PQ = (−5 − 2)i + (7 − 1)j

​ ​ = −7i + 6j . Scalar components are −7 and 6. Vector components ​

are −7i and 6j . ​

38. Given a + b + c = 0, so a + b = −c.

( a + b ) × b = −c × b . a × b + b × b = −c × b .
a × b + 0 = b × c. So, a × b = b × c.
Similarly, (a + b) × a = −c × a ⇒ b × a = −c × a ⇒ −(a × b) = −(c × a) ⇒ a × b = c × a.
Therefore, a × b = b × c = c × a.

39. We have ∣a + b∣2 = ∣ a∣ 2 + ∣ b∣ 2 + 2a ⋅ b.

52 = 32 + 42 + 2(3)(4) cos θ.
25 = 9 + 16 + 24 cos θ ⇒ 25 = 25 + 24 cos θ ⇒ 24 cos θ = 0 ⇒ cos θ = 0.
Thus, θ = 90∘ .
40. a + b = (5i − j − 3k ) + (i + 3j − 5k ) = 6i + 2j − 8k .
​ ​

a − b = (5i − j − 3k ) − (i + 3j − 5k ) = 4i − 4j + 2k .
​ ​

To show they are orthogonal, their dot product must be zero.

(a + b) ⋅ (a − b) = (6i + 2j − 8k ) ⋅ (4i − 4j + 2k ) = 6(4) + 2(−4) + (−8)(2) = 24 − 8 − 16 = 0.
​ ​

Since the dot product is 0, the vectors are orthogonal.