Department of Mathematics

Math 123: Vectors and Geometry

Exercise 2

TK/PA/PKO/JB/LFK/ALM
14/09/18

Solutions to the starred questions are to be handed in by Friday, 5th October 2018

1. * Show that if a and b are

(a) in the same direction then |a + b| = |a| + |b|,

(b) in the opposite direction then |a − b| = |a| + |b|.

2. * Use vector methods to prove that the sum of the squares of the diagonals of a
parallelogram is equal to the sum of the squares of its sides.

3. Show that the median to the base of an isosceles triangle is perpendicular to the base.

4. In triangle ABC, the internal bisector of the angle BAC meets BC at D. Show that
|AC||BD| = |AB||DC|. [Hint: Let D divide BC in the ratio λ : µ].

5. If BE and CF are altitudes of the acute-angled triangle ABC,

prove that AF · AB = AE · AC.

6. * The base BC of triangle ABC is trisected at X and Y .

Show that |AX|2 + |AY|2 + 4|XY|2 = |AB|2 + |AC|2 .

7. In the parallelogram OABC, the position vectors of A and C with respect to O

are 3i + 4j and 9i + 7j, respectively. If P and Q are the midpoints of AB and BC
respectively, find the unit vector in the direction of the vector PQ and also the length
of the vector OP.

8. * Let e1 and e2 be unit vectors in the OXY-plane which make angles α and β with
the x-axis. Show that e1 = i cos α + j sin α, e2 = i cos β + j sin β and prove that
cos(α − β) = cos α cos β + sin α sin β.

9. The vector a = i − 2j + 2k is resolved into components, one in the direction of the

vector b = 3i + 4j + 12k and the other perpendicular to b. Find the component which
is in the direction of b and the one which is perpendicular to it.

10. Find the two unit vectors which make an angle of π/4 with the vector −i + k and
an angle of π/3 with the vector −2i + 2j + k. Show that these two unit vectors are
perpendicular.

11. The vertices of a triangle are the points (2, 4, −1), (4, 5, 1) and (3, 6, −3). Show that
it is a right-angled triangle. Find the other interior angles.

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12. The position vectors of the points A, B and C are a = 8i + 4j − 3k, b = 6i + 3j − 4k
and c = 7i + 5k respectively. Find the projection of BA on BC, the length of the
altitude with the side BC as base and hence find the area of the triangle ABC.

13. Given the points A(1, 2, 3) and B(5, 3, −2), find the direction cosines and the direction
angles of the vector AB.

14. Determine whether the vectors a = 2i − 3j + 5k, b = 3i + j − 2k and c = i − 7j + 12k

are linearly dependent or linearly independent.

15. * Show that the vectors a = 3i − j + 4k, b = i − 3j − 2k and c = 4i − 3j + 2k are

linearly independent. Find numbers α, β and γ such that d = 2i + 3j − k can be
expressed in the form d = αa + βb + γc.