Basics of Vectors
Example 1:
Question: Define a vector and list three different types of vectors. Provide an
example for each type.
Solution: A vector is a mathematical quantity that has both magnitude
and direction.
Types of vectors: 1. Position Vector: Represents the position of a point
in space relative to an origin. Example: ~r = 2î − 3ĵ + 5k̂
2. Displacement Vector: Represents the change in position from an initial
point to a final point. Example: If an object moves from point A to point B,
the displacement vector d~ is AB.
~
3. Free Vector: Has a fixed magnitude and direction in space. Example:
~v = 4î + 2ĵ
Example 2:
Question: What are the properties of vectors? Explain three fundamental
properties.
Solution: Vectors have several properties. Here are three fundamental
properties:
1. Closure under Addition and Scalar Multiplication: Vectors are
closed under addition and scalar multiplication, meaning that the sum of two
vectors and the product of a vector by a scalar is also a vector.
2. Associativity of Vector Addition: Vector addition is associative,
which means that the grouping of vectors in an addition operation does not
affect the result.
3. Commutativity of Vector Addition: Vector addition is commutative,
meaning that the order in which vectors are added does not affect the result.
Example 3:
Question: Explain the concept of a unit vector. Provide an example.
Solution: A unit vector is a vector with a magnitude of 1. It is often used
to represent direction without considering scale.
Example: The unit vector in the direction of the positive x-axis is î = 1î.
Example 4:
Question: What is the significance of the direction in vectors? Provide an
example.
Solution: Direction in vectors indicates the orientation or path along which
the vector points. It provides crucial information about how the vector is
oriented in space.
Example: Consider a velocity vector ~v = 20î + 10ĵ representing a car’s
velocity. The direction, given by the unit vector, indicates the car’s heading.
1
Example 5:
Question: Define a scalar and give an example in the context of vectors.
Solution: A scalar is a quantity that only has magnitude and no direction.
Example: In the vector F~ = 50î − 30ĵ, the scalar values are 50 and -30,
representing the magnitudes of the vector components in the x and y directions,
respectively.
Addition of Vectors
Example 1:
Question: Given vectors P~ = 2i + 3j − k and Q
~ = −i + 4j + 2k, find the vector
~ ~ ~ ~
R such that 2P + R = 3Q.
Solution:
2P~ + R~ = 3Q,
~
2(2i + 3j − k) + R~ = 3(−i + 4j + 2k),
~ = −3i + 12j + 6k,
4i + 6j − 2k + R
~ = −7i + 6j + 8k.
R
Example 2:
Question: Three forces F~1 , F~2 , and F~3 act on a point. If F~1 = 3i − 4j + 2k,
F~2 = −2i + 5j − 3k, and F~3 = i − 2j + 4k, find the resultant force vector.
Solution:
~ = F~1 + F~2 + F~3 ,
R
~ = (3i − 4j + 2k) + (−2i + 5j − 3k) + (i − 2j + 4k),
R
~ = i + i − j + 3k,
R
~ = 2i − j + 3k.
R
Example 3:
Question: Define a displacement vector and give an example.
Solution: A displacement vector represents the change in position from an
initial point to a final point. For example, if an object moves from point A to
point B, the displacement vector d~ is AB.
~
Example 4:
Question: What is a unit vector? Provide an example.
Solution: A unit vector is a vector with a magnitude of 1. For example,
the unit vector in the direction of the positive x-axis is î = 1i.
2
Product of Vectors
Example 1:
Question: Given vectors X ~ = i + 2j − 3k and Y
~ = 2i − j + 4k, find the angle
between the vectors using the vector product.
Solution:
î ĵ k̂
~ ×Y
X ~ = 1 2 −3 ,
2 −1 4
~ ×Y
X ~ = î(2 · 4 − (−3) · (−1)) − ĵ(1 · 4 − (−3) · 2) + k̂(1 · (−1) − 2 · 2),
X~ ×Y ~ = 5î − 10ĵ − 5k̂,
~ ×Y ~ | = 52 + (−10)2 + (−5)2 ,
p
|X
√
~ ×Y
|X ~ | = 25 + 100 + 25,
√
~ ×Y
|X ~ | = 150,
~ = 12 + 22 + (−3)2 ,
p
|X|
√
~ = 1 + 4 + 9,
|X|
√
~ = 14,
|X|
~ | = 22 + (−1)2 + 42 ,
p
|Y
√
~ | = 4 + 1 + 16,
|Y
√
~ | = 21,
|Y
√
|X~ ×Y~| 150
sin(θ) = = √ √ ,
~ ~
|X||Y | 14 · 21
√ !
150
θ = sin−1 √ √ .
14 · 21
Example 2:
~ = 3i+2j −k
Question: Find the area of the parallelogram formed by vectors U
~ = −i + 4j + 2k.
and V
3
Solution:
î ĵ k̂
~ ×V
U ~ = 3 2 −1 ,
−1 4 2
U~ ×V~ = î((2)(2) − (−1)(4)) − ĵ((3)(2) − (−1)(−1)) + k̂((3)(4) − (2)(−1)),
U~ ×V~ = 8î − 5ĵ + 14k̂,
~ ×V~ | = 82 + (−5)2 + 142 ,
p
|U
√
~ ×V
|U ~ | = 64 + 25 + 196,
√
~ ×V
|U ~ | = 285.
√
~ ×V
So, the area of the parallelogram is |U ~|= 285.
Example 3:
Question: Given vectors M ~ = i − 3j + 2k and N ~ = 2i + j − 4k, determine
whether the vectors are parallel, perpendicular, or neither.
Solution:
~ ·N
M ~ = (1)(2) + (−3)(1) + (2)(−4) = 2 − 3 − 8 = −9,
√ √
~ | = 12 + (−3)2 + 22 = 1 + 9 + 4 = 14,
p
|M
√ √
~ | = 22 + 12 + (−4)2 = 4 + 1 + 16 = 21.
p
|N
~ ·N
Since M ~ 6= 0 and |M
~ | 6= 0 and |N
~ | 6= 0, the vectors are neither parallel
nor perpendicular.
Resolution of Vectors
Example 1:
Question: A force F~ is applied at an angle of 30◦ to the horizontal. Resolve
the force into horizontal and vertical components.
Solution:
Horizontal component: F~x = F~ ·cos(30◦ ), Vertical component: F~y = F~ ·sin(30◦ ).
Example 2:
Question: For vectors P~ = 3i + 2j and Q
~ = −i + 4j, find the projection of P~
~
onto Q.
Solution:
~ P~ · Q
~
~ P~ · Q
~
~
~ (P ) =
Scalar projection: projQ , Vector projection: projQ
~ (P ) = ·Q.
~
|Q| ~ 2
|Q|
4
~ (3 · −1) + (2 · 4)
Scalar projection: projQ
~ (P ) = p ,
(−1)2 + 42
~ −3 + 8
~ (P ) = √
Scalar projection: projQ ,
17
~ 5
~ (P ) = √
Scalar projection: projQ ,
17
~ 5
Vector projection: projQ
~ (P ) = (−i + 4j).
17
Example 3:
~ = 4i − 3j, find two unit vectors in the direction
Question: Given a vector V
~
of V .
Solution:
~
V
Unit vector: û = .
~|
|V
~ are û1 and û2 , where:
So, two unit vectors in the direction of V
4i − 3j 4i − 3j
û1 = p = ,
2
4 + (−3) 2 5
4i − 3j
û2 = − .
5
Jee Main
Question1
→ ^ ^ ^ → ^ ^ ^
Let a = ai i + a2 j + a3 k and b = b1 i + b2 j + b3 k be two vectors such that
= 1; →a ⋅ b = 2 and | b | = 4. If = 2 ( →a × ) − 3→b , then the angle between
→ → →
| →a | →
c b
→ →
b and c is equal to :
[30-Jan-2024 Shift 1]
Options:
A. cos−1 ( ) 2
√3
B. cos−1 − ( 1
√3 )
C. cos−1 − ( √3
2 )
D. cos−1 ( ) 2
3
Answer: C
Solution:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question2
^ ^ ^ ^ π
Let a unit vector u = x˙ i + y j + z k make angles 2
, π3 and 2π
3
with the
1 ^ 1 ^
k, 1 j
^ 1 ^ 1 ^ 1 ^
vectors √2
i + √2 √2
+ √2
k and √2
i + √2
j respectively. If
→
v = 1 ^
√2
i + 1 ^
√2
j + 1 ^
√2
k, then | u − →v | 2 is equal to
^
[29-Jan-2024 Shift 2]
Options:
11
A. 2
5
B.
2
C. 9
D. 7
Answer: B
Solution:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question3
Let A(2, 3, 5) and C(−3, 4, −2) be opposite vertices of a parallelogram
→ ^ ^ ^
ABCD if the diagonal BD = i + 2 j + 3 k then the area of the parallelogram
is equal to
[30-Jan-2024 Shift 1]
Options:
1
A. 2
√410
1
B. 2
√474
1
C. 2
√586
1
D. 2
√306
Answer: B
Solution:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question4
→ ^ ^ ^ →
Let a = i + α j + β k , α, β ∈ R. Let a vector b be such that the angle
between →
a and
→
b is π
4
and |b|
→ 2
= 6, If →
a ⋅
→
b = 3√2 , then the value of
(α + β ) | a × b | is equal to
2 2 → → 2
[30-Jan-2024 Shift 2]
Options:
A. 90
B. 75
C. 95
D. 85
Answer: A
Solution:
Solution:
JEE Advanced
Question 2: A boat crosses a river with a velocity of 8 km/hr. If the resulting velocity of boat is 10 km/hr, then the velocity of river
water is
A. 4 km/hr
B. 6 km/hr
C. 8 km/hr
D. 10 km/hr
Answer: B
Solution: Boat crosses a river with a velocity, VB = 8 km/hr
Resultant velocity, VR= 10 km/h
Velocity of river,
VVV
v2-102-82
= 36
Vr= 6 km/hr
Question 3: A motorboat covers a given distance in 6 hr moving downstream on a river. It covers the same distance in 10 hours moving
upstream. The time it takes to cover the same distance in still water is
A. 9 hr
B. 7.5 hr
C. 6.5 hr
D. 8 hr
Answer: B
Solution: Velocity of water = Vw
Velocity of the motorboat in still water. = vb
The distance covered by motorboat in moving downstream in 6h
x=(vb+Vw)×6...(1)
The same distance covered by motorboat in moving upstream in 10h is
x=(vb-Vw)×10...(2)
From Eqs. (1) and (2),we have
(vb+Vw)x6=(vb-Vw)×10
Vw=Vb/4
x=(vb+vw)x6=7.5vb
Time taken by the motorboat to cover the same distance in still water is
t=x/vb
=7.5vb/vb=7.5h
Question 4: The resultant of two vectors A and B is perpendicular to vector A and its magnitude is equal to half the magnitude of
vector B. The angle between A and B is
A. 120°
B. 150°
C. 135°
D. None of these
Answer: В
Solution: The magnitude of resultant of A and B is given by,
R= √(A²+ B² + 2ABcosФ)
According to question,
Magnitude of resultant = half of Magnitude of B
e.g., √(A² + B²+ [Link]Ф) = B/2
Taking square both sides,
A²+ B²+ [Link]Ф = В²/4
A² + 2ABcosФ + 3B2/4= 0---(1)
tan 90°=
= (BsinФ)/(A + ВcosФ)
⇒ A + BcosФ = 0
cosФ = - A/B, put it in equation (1)
A²+ 2A.B(-A/B) + 3B²/4 = 0
A²- 2A²+3B²/4 = 0
A= √3B/2
Now, cosФ = -A/B = -√3B/2B =-√3/2
cosФ = сos150°
= 150°
Hence angle between A and B = 150°