TOPIC 6: VECTORS

STPM 2013
6 Show that the point A(2, 0, 0) lies on both planes 2x - y + 4z = 4 and x - 3y - 2z = 2. Hence, find the
vector equation of the line of intersection of both planes. [5 marks]

8 A tetrahedron OABC has a base OAB and a vertex C, with ⃗ OA = 2i + j + k, ⃗

OB = 4i - j + 3k and
OC = 2i - j - 3k.
⃗
(a) Show that ⃗OC is perpendicular to both ⃗ OA and ⃗
OB. [3 marks]
(b) Calculate, to the nearest 0.1°, the angle between the edge AC and base OAB of the tetrahedron.
[5 marks]
(c) Calculate the area of the base OAB and the volume of the tetrahedron. [7 marks]

STPM 2014

6 Three vectors a = pi + qj, b = - 5i + j and c = 4i + 7j are such that a and b are perpendicular and the scalar
product of a and c is 78.
(a) Determine the values of p and q. [4 marks]
(b) Find the angle between a and c. [3 marks]

8 A parallelepiped for which OABC, DEFG, ABFE and OCGD are rectangles is shown in the diagram below.

OA and ⃗
The unit vectors i and j are parallel to ⃗ OC respectively, and the unit vector k is perpendicular to the
plane OABC, where O is the origin. The vectors OA , OB and ⃗
⃗ ⃗ OD are 4i, 4i + 3j and i + 5k respectively.
13 √ 35
(a) Show that cos ∠ BEG = , [6 marks]
175
(b) Calculate the area of the triangle AEG. [6 marks]
(c) Find the equation of the plane AEG. [3 marks]

STPM 2015
1 3 5 1 0
6. The line r = 2
3() ()
+ λ p
1
is perpendicular to the plane r = 0
1
+ s
() ( ) ()
−1
q
+t 1 ,
2
where p and q are constants and , s, t  ℝ
(a) Determine the values of p and q. [5]
(b) Find the position vector of the point of intersection of the line and the plane. [5]
STPM 2016
1 1 1 2

6. The lines l1 and l2 have equations r =

() ( )
2
0 +
s 1
−1 and r =
() ( )
3
1 +
t 3
−1 respectively, where s and t are parameters.
(a) Show that the lines l1 and l2 intersect. [4]

(b) Find the Cartesian equation of the plane which contains the lines l1 and l2. [6]

STPM 2017

6. The points A, B and C are the vertices of the triangle ABC. The position vectors
of the points A, B and C relative to the origin are
4i – 8j + k, 2i + j – 2k and 3i – 4j + 2k respectively.
(a) Find a vector which is perpendicular to the vectors AB and AC. [4]
(b) Calculate the area of the triangle ABC. [3]

8. A plane passes through the points A(–1, –1, –4), B(0, 4, 0) and C(1, 3, –2).
4 2
1
() () −1
The line r = 11 +  3 ,  , meets the plane at point P.
(a) Find the Cartesian equation of the plane. [7]
(b) Determine the coordinates of point P. [4]
(c) Calculate the acute angle between the line and the plane. [4]

STPM 2018

y −2
6. Determine whether line x – 1 = 3 = z – 3 lies in the plane
2x – y + z = 3 or not. [4]
8. The position vectors of points A, B, C and D relative to the origin are
i + j – 2k, 2i – j + k, 3i + j and 2i + 3j – 3k respectively. Point P divides
the line AC in the ratio 2 : 1.
(a) Show that ABCD is a parallelogram. [4]
(b) Calculate the exact area of the parallelogram ABCD. [4]
(c) Find the position vector of P and the angle APB. [7]

2019
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