Vectors Test

1. Find the angle between the vectors v = i + j + 2k and w = 2i + 3j + k. Give your answer in radians.

(Total 6 marks)

 4 
 
 1 
  2
2. A ray of light coming from the point (−1, 3, 2) is travelling in the direction of vector   and meets the
plane π : x + 3y + 2z − 24 = 0.

Find the angle that the ray of light makes with the plane.
(Total 6 marks)

3. The point A is the foot of the perpendicular from the point (1, 1, 9) to the plane
2x + y – z = 6. Find the coordinates of A.

(Total 6 marks)
4. Consider the points A (1, 3, –17) and B (6, – 7, 8) which lie on the line l.

(a) Find an equation of line l, giving the answer in parametric form.

(4)

(b) The point P is on l such that OP is perpendicular to l.

Find the coordinates of P.
(3)
(Total 7 marks)

x 1 y 1 z  5
5. The plane  contains the line 2 = 3 = 6 and the point (1, −2, 3).

(a) Show that the equation of  is 6x + 2y – 3z = –7.

(7)

(b) Calculate the distance of the plane  from the origin.

(4)

(Total 11 marks)
1.
v . w = 2 + 3 +2 = 7 (A1)

v = 6 (A1)

w = 14 (A1)

 vw 
 
vw
 = arccos   (M1)

 7 
 
= arccos  6 14  (A1)

= 0.702 radians. (A1)

[6]

1
 
 3.
 2
2. The normal vector to the plane is   (A1)
EITHER
 is the angle between the line and the normal to the plane.
 4  1
   
 1  3
  2  2 
3 3 
cosθ         
14 21 14 21  7 6  (M1)A1A1
  = 79.9 (= 1.394 ...) A1
The required angle is 10.1 (= 0.176) A1
OR
 is the angle between the line and the plane.
 4  1
   
 1    3
  2  2
3
sin       
14 21 14 21 (M1)A1A1
 = 10.1 (= 0.176) A2
  x  1 2
     
 y   1   1 
 z  9  – 1
3. Equation of line is       (M1)(A1)
Coordinates of foot satisfy
2(1 + 2) + (1 + ) – (9 – ) = 6 (M1)(A1)
6 = 12   = 2 (A1)
Foot of perpendicular is (5, 3, 7) (A1)
(C2)(C2)(C2)
[6]

 5 
 
 – 10 
 25 
4. (a) AB =  . Direction vector of line is 1: –2: 5.
(Accept any multiple of 1: –2: 5) (M1)
Therefore the equation of l in parametric form is
x =  + l, y = –2 + 3, z = 5 – 17 (A1)(A1)(A1)
(or x =  + 6, y = –2 – 7, z = 5 + 8, or any equivalent parametric form) 4

(b) P on l => P can be written as (p + 1, –2p + 3, 5p – 17).

 p 1   1 
   
 – 2 p  3   – 2 
 5 p – 17   5 
OP  l =>     =0 (M1)
p + 1 + 4p – 6 + 25p – 85 = 0 (A1)
30p = 90 => p = 3
Therefore P is (4, –3, –2) (A1) 3
[7]

1  1   0
     
1    2   3
5  3   2
5. (a) A vector in the plane is       (M1)(A1) (N1)

 0   2   12 
     
 3 3   4 
 2  6   6
Normal vector to plane is       (M1)(A1) (N1)

 6   1   6 
     
 2     2  2 
  3  3    3
Equation of plane is r •      

 6 
 
 2 649
  3
r•   (M1)(A1)
  6 
 
 2  7
  3
r•   (A1)
 6x + 2y  3z =  7 (AG) (N0)

(b) METHOD 1
Any point P on normal from origin O to plane is (6k, 2k,  3k) (M1)

k 6 2  2 2   3  7 k
2

Distance OP = (A1)
P lies on plane
6(6k) + 2(2k)  3( 3k) =  7
36k + 4k + 9k =  7
1

k= 7 (A1)
1
7  1
Distance = 7 (A1) (N2)
METHOD 2

ax0  by 0  cz 0  d
a2  b2  c2
Using distance = (M1)
(x0 , y0, z0) is (0, 0, 0)

7
6 2  2 2   3
2
distance = (A1)(A1)
Note: Award (A1) for the numerator, (A1)
for the denominator.
7
1
distance = 49 (A1) (N2)
[11]