PHAS1245: Mathematical Methods I - Problem Sheet 5
(Solutions to be handed in at the lecture on Tuesday 13th November 2006)
Staple your answer sheets together and put your name and your tutor’s name on
your script (or Dr. Konstantinidis, if you have no tutor in the P&A department).
~ = 3î + 5ĵ − 7k̂ and B
1. If A ~ = 2î + 7ĵ + k̂ , find [6]
~+B
A ~ , A
~−B
~ , |A|
~ , |B|
~ , A
~·B
~
and the cosine of the angle between the two vectors.
2. Find the unit vector perpendicular to (î + ĵ − k̂) and (2î − ĵ + 3k̂) . [2]
3. If ~a = î + 2ĵ + k̂ , ~b = −î + k̂ and ~c = 3î + ĵ − k̂ , obtain [4]
~a · ~b , ~a × ~b , ~a · (~b × ~c) and ~a × (~b × ~c).
4. Let A~ be an arbitrary vector and n̂ a unit vector pointing in an arbitrary
~ may be expressed as
direction. Show that A [3]
~ = (A
A ~ · n̂)n̂ + (n̂ × A)
~ × n̂ .
5. Find the angle between the position vectors to the points (3, −4, 0) and (−2, 1, 0)
and find the direction cosines (i.e. the cosines of the angles with respect to the
î, ĵ and k̂ unit vectors) of a vector perpendicular to both position vectors. [6]
6. Use the vector product to determine the direction of the line of intersection of
the two planes x + 2y + 3z = 0 and 3x + 2y + z = 0 . Find the direction cosines
of the line of intersection. Repeat the above by determining two points common
to both planes. [5]