| MATHEMATICS

VECTORS
NCERT CORNER
EXERCISE - 10.1
1. Represent graphically a displacement of 40 km 30o east of north.
Sol. Draw a line segment of length 4 cm on the right of ON, making an angle of 30 o with ON, where Scale: 1 cm
= 10 km.

Thus vector ⃗ OP represents displacement of 40 km 30o east of north.

2. Classify the following measures as scalars and vectors.
(i) 10 kg
(ii) 2 meters north-west
(iii) 40o
(iv) 40 watt
(v) 10-19 Coulomb
(vi) 20 m/s2
Sol. (i) Scalar (ii) Vector (iii) Scalar (iv) Scalar (v) Scalar (vi) Vector
3. Classify the following as scalar and vector quantities.
(i) Time period
(ii) Distance
(iii) Force
(iv) Velocity
(v) Work done
Sol. (i) Scalar (ii) Scalar (iii) Vector (iv) Vector (v) Scalar
4. In the given figure (a square), identify the following vectors.
(i) Co-initial
(ii) Equal
(iii) Collinear but not equal

Sol.
(ii)

(iii)
5. Answer the following as true or false.
(i) a and –a are collinear.
(ii) Two collinear vectors are always equal in magnitude.
(iii) Two vectors having same magnitude are collinear.
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(iv) Two collinear vectors having the same magnitude are equal.
Sol. (i) True (ii) False (iii) False (iv) True

EXERCISE - 10.2
1. Compute the magnitude of the following vectors:

Sol. (i) We have,

(ii) We have,

(iii) We have,

2. Write two different vectors having same magnitude.

Sol. Let

3. Write two different vectors having same direction.

Sol.

4. Find the values of x and y so that the vectors and are equal.

Sol. =
Equating coefficients of i^ and ^j , we get 2 = x and 3 = y.
5. Find the scalar and vector components of the vector with initial point (2, 1) and terminal point (-5, 7).
Sol. Let A(2, 1) be the initial point and B(-5, 7) be the terminal point.
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6. Find the sum of the vectors

Sol. Sum of the vectors

7. Find the unit vector in the direction of the

Sol. We have,

8. Find the unit vector in the direction if vector ⃗

PQ , where P and Q are the points (1, 2, 3) and (4, 5, 6)
respectively.
Sol. ⃗
PQ = position vector of Q-position vector of P

9. For given vectors, and find the unit vector in the direction of the vector
a⃗
+ b⃗ .
Sol. We have,

10. Find a vector in the direction of vector which has magnitude 8 units.
Sol. Let given vector is
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11. Show that the vectors and are collinear.

Sol. Let

12. Find the direction cosines of the vector .

Sol. The direction cosines of the vector are

13. Find the direction cosines of the vector joining the points A(1, 2, –3) and B(–1,
–2, 1) directed from A to B.
Sol. Vector joining the points A and B,

14. Show that the vector is equally inclined to the axes OX, OY and OZ.
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Sol.

Hence the given vector is equally inclined to the axes OX, OY and OZ.
15. Find the position vector of a point R which divides the line joining two points
P and Q whose position vectors are and respectively, in the ratio
2: 1
(i) internally
(ii) externally

Sol.
(i) The position vector of R dividing the join of P and Q internally in the ratio 2: 1 is

(ii) The position vector of R dividing the join of P and Q externally in the ratio 2:1 is

16. Find the position vector of the mid point of the vector joining the points
P(2,3,4) and Q(4,1, –2).
Sol. Mid-point of the vector joining the points P(a⃗ ) and

17. Show that the points A, B and C with position vectors,

, respectively, form the vertices of a right
angled triangle.
Sol. Here,
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Hence, the triangle is a right angled triangle.

18. In triangle ABC, which of the following is not true:

Sol. Option (C) is correct.

Explanation: By law of vectors,

19. If a⃗ and b⃗ are two collinear vectors, then which of the following is incorrect:
(a)
(b)
(c) the respective components of a⃗ and b⃗ are proportional
(d) both the vectors a⃗ and b⃗ have same direction, but different magnitudes.
Sol. Option (D) is correct.
Explanation: Since a⃗ and b⃗ are collinear vectors, so it is not necessary that they have same
direction. a⃗ and b⃗ may have opposite direction, their magnitudes may be different.

EXERCISE - 10.3

1. Find the angle between two vectors a⃗ and b⃗ with magnitudes √ 3 and 2
respectively, having a⃗ . b⃗ = √ 6.
Sol.

2. Find the angle between the vectors and .

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Sol.
Then,

3. Find the projection of the vector on the vector .

Sol.

4. Find the projection of the vector on the vector .

Sol.

5. Show that each of the given three vectors is a unit vector:

Also, show that they are mutually

perpendicular to each other.
Sol. Let
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6.
Sol. We have,
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7. Evaluate the product

Sol.

8. Find the magnitude of two vectors a⃗ and b⃗ having the same magnitude and
1
such that the angle between them is 60° and their scalar product is .
2

Sol.

9.
Sol. We have,

10.

Sol.
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11.
Sol. Let

12.
Sol.
13.

Sol.

14. converse need not be true. Justify your

answer with an example.

Sol.
Here,
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15. If the vertices A, B, C of a triangle ABC are(1,2,3), (–1, 0, 0), (0, 1, 2),
respectively, then find ∠ ABC. ∠ABC is the angle between the vectors BA and
BC ].
Sol. If O be the origin, then

16. Show that the points A(1, 2, 7), B(2, 6, 3) and C(3, 10, –1) are collinear.
Sol. If O be the origin, then
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17. Show that the vectors and form the vertices of

a right angled triangle.
Sol. Let the position vectors of vertices A, B and C be

18.

Sol. Option (D) is correct.

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EXERCISE - 10.4

1.
Sol.

2. Find a unit vector perpendicular to each of the vectors

Sol. We have,

3.

Sol. Here,
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4.
Sol.

5.

Sol.

6.

Sol.

7.

Sol.
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8. true? Justify your answer with an

example.

Sol.
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9. Find the area of the triangle with vertices A(1, 1, 2), B(2, 3, 5) and C(1, 5, 5).

Sol.

10. Find the area of the parallelogram whose adjacent sides are determined by
the vectors

Sol.

11.

Sol. Option (B) is correct.

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12. Area of a rectangle having vertices A,B,C and D with position vectors

respectively is

Sol. Option (C) is correct.

Explanation:

MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISE
1. Write down a unit vector in XY-plane, making an angle of 30° with the positive
direction of x-axis.
Sol. Let OP lie in XY-plane so that ∠XOP = 30°,
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2. Find the scalar components and magnitude of the vector joining the points

Sol. Here, PQ position vector of Q-position vector of

3. A girl walks 4 km towards west, then she walks 3 km in direction 30° east of
north and stops. Determine the girl’s displacement from her initial point of
departure.
Sol. Let B(x, y) be the final position of the girl and O be the initial point of departure.
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4. Justify your answer.

Sol.

5. Find the value of x for which is a unit vector.

Sol.

6. Find a vector of magnitude 5 units, and ’parallel to the resultant of the vectors

Sol. The resultant of given vectors = a⃗ + b⃗

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7.
Sol.

8. Show that the points A(1, –2, –8), B(5, 0, –2) and C(11, 3, 7) are collinear and
find the ratio in which B divides AC.
Sol. Let O be the origin of reference. Then,
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9. Find the position vector of a point R which divides the line joining two points P
and Q whose position vectors are , externally in the ratio 1:2.
Also, show that P is the mid point of the line segment RQ.
Sol. The position vector of R is given by

10. The two adjacent sides of a parallelogram are

Find the unit vector parallel to its diagonal. Also,

find its area.
Sol.
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11. Show that the direction cosines of a vector equally

inclined to the axes OX, OY and OZ are

Sol. Let a vector makes α, β, γ, angles with axes OX, OY and OZ respectively.

12. Let

Sol.
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13. The scalar product of the vector with a unit

vector along the sum of vectors and is equal to one.

Find the value of λ .

Sol.

14. If re mutually perpendicular vectors of equal

magnitudes, show that the vector is equally inclined to

Sol.
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15.

Sol.

CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER IN QUESTIONS 16 TO 19

16.

Sol. Option (B) is correct.

17.

Sol. Option (D) is correct.

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18.

Sol. Option (C) is correct.

19.

Sol. Option (B) is correct.

NCERT EXAMPLER
TOPIC -1
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The vector in the direction of the vector that has magnitude 9 is

Sol. Correct option : (c)

Explanation :
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2. The position vector of the point which divides the join of points in
the ratio 3 :1 is:

Sol. Correct option : (d)

Explanation :

3. The vector having initial and terminal points as (2, 5, 0) and (–3, 7, 4),
respectively is :

Sol. Correct option: (c)

Explanation:

4.

Sol. Correct option : (b)

Explanation :
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5.

Sol. Correct option : (d)

Explanation :

6.

Sol. Correct option : (a)

Explanation :

7. The vectors from origin to the points A and B are

respectively, then the area of triangle OAB is

Sol. Correct option : (d)

Explanation :
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8.

Sol. Correct option : (d)

Explanation :

9.

Sol. Correct option : (d)

Explanation :
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10.

Sol. Correct option : (a)

Explanation :

11.

Sol. Correct option : (c)

Explanation :
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12.

Sol. Correct option : (a)

Explanation :

13.

Sol. Correct option : (c)

Explanation :

14.

Sol. Correct option : (c)

Explanation :
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15. The number of vectors of unit length perpendicular to the vectors

Sol. Correct option : (b)

Explanation :

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1.
Sol.

2.
Sol.
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3. adjacent sides of a parallelogram. The

acute angle between its diagonals is ________.
Sol.

a⃗
4. The values of k, for which parallel to holds true are _______.
Sol.

5. _____________.
Sol.
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6. is equal to _____________.
Sol.

7. If a⃗ is any non-zero vector, then is equal to ____________.

Sol. Let

8. If , then necessarily it implies .State whether it is True or False.

Sol. True,

9. Position vector of a point ⃗ P is a vector whose initial point is origin. State

whether it is True or False.
Sol. True,
Since, ⃗ OP displacement of vector ⃗
P= ⃗ P from origin.
10.
Sol. True,
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11.
Sol. False

12.
Sol. False

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Find the unit vector in the direction of sum of vectors

Sol.

2. If , find the unit vector in the direction of

Sol. Given that,

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3. Find a unit vector in the direction of ⃗ PQ , where P and Q have coordinates (5,
0, 8) and (3, 3, 2), respectively.
Sol. Since, the coordinates of P and Q are (5, 0, 8) and (3, 3, 2), respectively.

4. If a⃗ and b⃗ are the position vectors of A and B, respectively, find the position
vector of a point C in BA produced such that BC = 1.5 BA.
Sol.
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Graphically, explanation of the above solution is given below :

5. Using vectors, find the value of k such that the points (k, –10, 3), (1, –1, 3) and
(3, 5, 3) are collinear.
Sol.
Let the points are A (k, –10, 3), B (1, –1, 3) and C (3, 5, 3).

If A, B and C are collinear, then sum of modulus of any two vectors will be equal to the modulus of
third vectors.
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6.
Sol.

7. A vector r⃗ has magnitude 14 and direction ratios 2, 3, –6. Find the direction
cosines and components of r⃗ , given that r⃗ makes an acute angle with x-axis.

Sol.
∴ Direction cosines l, m and n are :
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Also, we know that,

So, the direction cosines (l, m and n) are :

8. Find a vector of magnitude 6, which is perpendicular to both the vectors

Sol.
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9. Find the angle between the vectors and

Sol.
We know that, angle between two vectors a⃗ and b⃗ is given by

10. Interpret the result

geometrically.
Sol.

From equations (i) and (ii), we have

Since, parallelogram on the same base and between the same parallels is equal in area.
We can say that
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So, areas of the parallelograms formed by taking any two sides represented by a⃗ , b⃗ and c⃗ as
adjacent are equal.
11. Find the sine of the angle between the vectors

Sol. Here, a1 = 3, a2 = 1, a3 = 2 and b1, = 2, b2 = –2, b3 = 4

We know that,

12. If A, B, C, and D are the points with position vectors

respectively, then find the projection of ⃗
AB along
⃗
CD .
Sol. Here,
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13. Using vectors, find the area of the triangle ABC with vertices A (1, 2, 3),
B (2, –1, 4) and C (4, 5, –1).
Sol.

14. Using vectors, prove that the parallelogram on the same base and
between the same parallels are equal in area.
Sol. Let ABCD and ABFE are parallelograms on the same base AB and between the same parallel lines
AB and DF.
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LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Prove that in any triangle ABC, ,where a, b, c are the magnitudes

of the sides opposite to the vertices A, B, C, respectively.
Sol. Here, components of C are c cos A and c sin A is drawn.

⃗
2. If a⃗ ,b and c⃗ determine the vertices of a triangle, show that gives
the vector area of the triangle. Hence deduce the condition that the three
points a⃗ ,b⃗ and c⃗ are collinear. Also find the unit vector normal to the plane of
the triangle.
Sol. Since, a⃗ , b⃗ and c⃗ are the vertices of a ∆ABC as shown below.
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For three points to be collinear, area of the ∆ ABC should be equal to zero.
This is the required condition for collinearity of three points a⃗ , b⃗ and c⃗ .
Let nˆ be the unit vector normal to the plane of the ∆ ABC.

3. Show that area of the parallelogram whose diagonals are given by .

Also find the area of the parallelogram whose diagonals are
Sol. Let ABCD be a parallelogram such that,
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4.
Sol.
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