CJC MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

2012 JC1 H2 MATHEMATICS

TOPIC: VECTORS (BASIC)

Unit Vectors, Parallel Vectors, Collinear Points,

Properties of a Parallelogram
1.

1
3
0



OA = 1, OB = 5 , OC = p
2
2
4

1 3 2

(i) BA = 1 5 = 6
2 2 4

Unit vector in the direction of BA
2
1
1
14
=
6 =
3
56 14
4
2
2

(ii) BA = 6
4

1 0 1

CA = OA OC = 1 p = 1 p
2 4 2

For A, B, C to be collinear, BA = k CA
2
1

6 = k 1 p
4
2

By observation, k = 2
6 = 2(1 p )
p = 4

0

(iii) If p = 1, OC = 1
4

=
D

2
A

BA = 6
4

For ABCD to be a parallelogram,

^|
(b) Length of projection of a on b = |a b
3

1
= 7
2 52 + 2 2 + 4 2

BA = CD
2
0


6 = OD 1
4
4


2

OD = 7
8

(iv) Suppose | AC |= 3 1 + p = 3
2

1 + (1 + p ) 2 + 2 2 = 3
5 +1+ 2p + p2 = 9
p2 + 2 p 3 = 0
( p + 3)( p 1) = 0
p = 3 or p = 1

Scalar Product (Dot Product)

^|
2(a) Length of projection of a on b = |a b
2
1


1
= 4
3
5 12 + 3 2 + 8 2 8

1
30
| 2 12 + 40| =
74
74

5

2
4

1
7
|15 14 8| =
45
45
R

C P

11

Given OP = 8 , OQ = 5 , OR = 1
By Ratio Theorem,
1

OA = 4
3

2 2

3 5 + 1
7 11 2
3OQ + OR
OB =
= = 4
4
4
8

(i) Shortest distance from B to line OP
2
2

1
OP
= 4
= OB
8
104
| OP |
8

6

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 40

2960
370
=
=
(shown)
28 =
104
13
104

24

5.

1 2 3

BA = 4 4 = 0
3 8 5

6. [10/NJC/I/3]
uuuv uuuv
(i) AB OP = ( b a ) p

ab=ac
(a b) (a c) = 0
a (b c) = 0
a is parallel to (b c)
Hence b c = ka, where k is a scalar (shown)

(ii)

2 2 0

BR = 1 4 = 3
11 8 3

cos =

BR BA
| BR || BA |

= 127.3

0 3

3 0
3 5

9 + 9 9 + 25

(iii)

a b represents the
area of rhombus OADB or OBDA
OR
magnitude of a vector which is perpendicular to
a and b

=bpap
= a p a p (since b p = a p)
=0
Hence, AB is perpendicular to OP.
OR
bp=ap
bpap=0
(b a) p = 0

uuuv uuuv
AB OP = 0

Hence, AB is perpendicular to OP.

Vector Product (Cross Product)

(ii) Since a = b , then P must be the midpoint of AB.
4.
3 0 3
AB = OB OA = 2 1 = 1
1 2 1
1 0 1
AC = OC OA = 1 1 = 2
0 2 2
3
1
4
n = 1 2 = 5
1 2 7
4
4
1
1
5
Unit vector = 2 2 2 =
5
4 +5 +7 7
90 7

O
A

P
B
D

uuur

1
(a + b )
2
uuuv
uuuv
1

Thus, OD = 2OP = 2 ( a + b ) = a + b
2

Using ratio theorem, OP =

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