Vector Proofs

2015 Exam 1 Question 1

Consider the rhombus 𝑂𝐴𝐵𝐶 shown below, where 𝑂𝐴⃗ = 𝑎ḭ and 𝑂𝐶⃗ = ḭ + j̰ + k̰ , and
𝑎 is a positive real constant.
a. Find 𝑎. 1 mark

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b. Show that the diagonals of the rhombus 𝑂𝐴𝐵𝐶 are perpendicular. 2 marks

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2014 Exam 2 Question 3

Let a̰ = 3ḭ + 2j̰ + k̰ and b̰ = 2ḭ − 2j̰ − k̰
𝑂𝐴𝐵𝐶 is a parallelogram where 𝐷 is the midpoint of
𝐶𝐵. 𝑂𝐵 and 𝐴𝐷 intersect at point 𝑃. Let 𝑂𝐴⃗ = a̰ and
𝑂𝐶⃗ = c̰ .

b. i. Given that 𝐴𝑃⃗ = 𝛼𝐴𝐷⃗, write an expression for

𝐴𝑃⃗ in terms of 𝛼, a̰ and c̰ . 2 marks

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ii. Given that 𝑂𝑃⃗ = 𝛽𝑂𝐵⃗, write another expression for 𝐴𝑃⃗ in terms of 𝛽, a̰ and c̰ . 1 mark

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iii. Hence deduce the values of 𝛼 and 𝛽. 2 marks

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2013 Exam 1 Question 3
The coordinates of three points are 𝐴(−1, 2, 4), 𝐵(1, 0, 5) and 𝐶(3, 5, 2). 𝐴𝐵⃗ = 2ḭ − 2j̰ + k̰
b. The points 𝐴, 𝐵 and 𝐶 are the vertices of a triangle. Prove that the triangle has a right angle at 𝐴.
2 marks

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c. Find the length of the hypotenuse of the triangle. 1 mark

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2011 Exam 2 Question 10

The diagram below shows a rhombus, spanned by the
two vectors a̰ and b̰ . It follows that
A. a̰ ⋅ b̰ = 0 C. (a̰ + b̰ ) ⋅ (a̰ − b̰ ) = 0
B. a̰ = b̰ D. |a̰ + b̰ | = |a̰ − b̰ |
E. 2a̰ + 2b̰ = 0

2008 Exam 2 Question 17

𝑃, 𝑄 and 𝑅 are three collinear points with position vectors p̰, q̰ and r̰ respectively, where 𝑄 lies
1
between 𝑃 and 𝑅. If 𝑄𝑅⃗ = ⎯⎯𝑃𝑄⃗ , then r̰ is equal to
2
3 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 3 3
𝐀. ⎯⎯q̰ − ⎯⎯p̰ 𝐁. ⎯⎯p̰ − ⎯⎯q̰ 𝐂. ⎯⎯q̰ − ⎯⎯p̰ 𝐃. ⎯⎯p̰ − ⎯⎯q̰ 𝐄. ⎯⎯p̰ − ⎯⎯q̰
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

2006 Exam 2 Question 15

In the parallelogram shown, |a̰ | = 2|b̰ |.
Which one of the following statements is true?
A. a̰ = 2b̰ B. a̰ + b̰ = c̰ + d̰ C. b̰ − d̰ = 0
D. a̰ + c̰ = 0 E. a̰ − b̰ = c̰ − d̰

2013 Exam 2 Question 4

2013 Exam 2 Question 4
For the triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶 shown below, the midpoints of the
are the points 𝑀, 𝑁 and 𝑃. Let 𝐴𝐶⃗ = ṵ and 𝐶𝐵⃗ = v̰ .

e. i. Express 𝐴𝑁⃗ in terms of ṵ and v̰ . 1 mark

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ii. Express 𝐶𝑀⃗ and 𝐵𝑃⃗ in terms of ṵ and v̰ . 2 marks

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iii. Hence simplify the expression 𝐴𝑁⃗ + 𝐶𝑀⃗ + 𝐵𝑃⃗. 1 mark

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2006 Practice Exam 1 Question 2

𝑂𝐴𝐶𝐵 is a parallelogram with 𝑂𝐴⃗ = a̰ and 𝑂𝐵⃗ = b̰ . Given that 𝐴𝐵 is
perpendicular to 𝑂𝐶 , prove that 𝑂𝐴𝐶𝐵 is a rhombus. 4 marks

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2010 Exam 2 Question 1
The diagram below shows a triangle with vertices 𝑂, 𝐴 and 𝐵. Let 𝑂 be the
origin, with vectors 𝑂𝐴⃗ = a̰ and 𝑂𝐵⃗ = b̰ .
a. Find the following vectors in terms of a̰ and b̰ .
i. 𝑀𝐴⃗, where 𝑀 is the midpoint of the line segment 𝑂𝐴. 1 mark

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ii. 𝐵𝐴⃗. 1 mark

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iii. 𝐴𝑄⃗ , where 𝑄 is the midpoint of the line segment 𝐴𝐵. 1 mark

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b. Let 𝑁 be the midpoint of the line segment 𝑂𝐵.

Use a vector method to prove that the quadrilateral 𝑀𝑁𝑄𝐴 is a parallelogram. 3 marks

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⎯⎯
Now consider the particular triangle 𝑂𝐴𝐵 with 𝑂𝐴⃗ = 3ḭ + 2j̰ + √3k̰ and 𝑂𝐵⃗ = 𝛼ḭ where 𝛼, which is
greater than zero, is chosen so that triangle 𝑂𝐴𝐵 is isosceles, with 𝑂𝐵⃗ = 𝑂𝐴⃗ .
c. Show that 𝛼 = 4. 1 mark

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d. i. Find 𝑂𝑄⃗ , where 𝑄 is the midpoint of the line segment 𝐴𝐵. 1 mark

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ii. Use a vector method to show that 𝑂𝑄⃗ is perpendicular to 𝐴𝐵⃗ . 3 marks

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2008 Exam 1 Question 8
The coordinates of three points are 𝐴(1, 0, 5), 𝐵(−1, 2, 4) and 𝐶(3, 5, 2).
The vector 𝐴𝐵⃗ is −2ḭ + 2j̰ − k̰ .
b. Find the coordinates of the point 𝐷 such that 𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷 is a parallelogram. 2 marks

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c. Prove that 𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷 is a rectangle. 1 mark

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2006 Practice Exam 2 Question 3 /

2000 Exam 2 Question 3
Let 𝑣 = 6 + 8𝑖 and 𝑤 = 7 + 𝑖.

e. Use a vector method to prove that ∠𝑂𝑊𝑉 is a right angle.

3 marks

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2006 Exam 2 Question 2
Point 𝐴 has position vector a̰ = −ḭ − 4j̰, point 𝐵 has position vector b̰ = 2ḭ − 5j̰ , point 𝐶 has position
vector c̰ = 5ḭ − 4j,̰ and point 𝐷 has position vector d̰ = 2ḭ + 5j̰ relative to the origin 𝑂. 2 marks
a. Show that 𝐴𝐶⃗ and 𝐵𝐷⃗ are perpendicular. 2 marks

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b. Use a vector method to find the cosine of ∠𝐴𝐷𝐶, the angle between 𝐷𝐴⃗ and 𝐷𝐶⃗ . 3 marks

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c. Find the cosine of ∠𝐴𝐵𝐶, and hence show that ∠𝐴𝐷𝐶 and ∠𝐴𝐵𝐶 are supplementary. 2 marks

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Point 𝑃 has position vector p̰ = 2ḭ.

d. Use the cosine of ∠𝐴𝑃𝐶 and an appropriate trigonometric formula to prove that ∠𝐴𝑃𝐶 = 2∠𝐴𝐷𝐶.
3 marks
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2006 Practice Exam 2 Question 13 / 2004 Exam 1 Question 19
The right-angled triangle shown above has sides represented by the
vectors a̰ , b̰ and c̰ .

Which one of the following statements is false?

A. |b̰ | + |c̰ | = |a̰ | B. b̰ ⋅ (a̰ − c̰ ) = |b̰ | C. b̰ ⋅ (a̰ − b̰ ) = |b̰ ||c̰ |
D. a̰ ⋅ b̰ = |a̰ ||b̰ | cos(𝜃) 𝐄. a̰ ⋅ c̰ = |a̰ ||c̰ | sin(𝜃)

2005 Exam 1 Question 22

𝑃𝑄𝑅𝑆 is a parallelogram. The position vectors of 𝑃, 𝑄, 𝑅 and 𝑆 are, respectively,
p̰ = −3k̰ , q̰ = ḭ + 𝑦j̰, r̰ = 5ḭ + 2𝑥j̰ + k̰ , and, s̰ = 𝑦ḭ − 2k̰
The values of 𝑥 and 𝑦 are
A. 𝑥 = 0, 𝑦 = 5 B. 𝑥 = 2, 𝑦 = 4 C. 𝑥 = 3, 𝑦 = 6 D. 𝑥 = 8, 𝑦 = 4 E. 𝑥 = 12, 𝑦 = 6

2003 Exam 1 Question 18

In the quadrilateral 𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷, 𝐴𝐵⃗ = p̰, 𝐵𝐶⃗ = q̰, 𝐶𝐷⃗ = r̰ and 𝐷𝐴⃗ = s̰ as
shown below.

Which one of the following statements is true?

A. p̰ + q̰ = r̰ + s̰ B. p̰ + r̰ = q̰ + s̰ C. p̰ − q̰ = r̰ − s̰
D. p̰ − r̰ = q̰ − s̰ E. p̰ + q̰ = −r̰ − s̰

2003 Exam 1 Question 21

In the diagram above, 𝐿𝑂𝑀 is a diameter of the circle with centre 𝑂.
𝑁 is a point on the circumference of the circle. Let 𝑂𝑆⃗ = r̰ and 𝐿𝑁⃗ = q̰.
Which one of the following must be true?
A. 2r̰ + q̰ = 0̰ B. 2r̰ − q̰ = 0̰ C. r̰ ⋅ q̰ = q̰ ⋅ q̰
D. 2r̰ ⋅ q̰ = q̰ ⋅ q̰ E. r̰ ⋅ q̰ = −q̰ ⋅ q̰

2002 Exam 1 Question 21

Let the three distinct points 𝑃, 𝑄 and 𝑆 have non-zero position
vectors p̰, q̰ and s̰ respectively. To prove that 𝑃, 𝑄 and 𝑆 lie in a
straight line, it is sufficient to show that
A. s̰ = 𝑘 q̰ − p̰ , 𝑘 ∈ 𝑅 B. q̰ − p̰ = 𝑘 s̰ − q̰ , 𝑘 ∈ 𝑅

C. q̰ − p̰ ⋅ −q̰ = 0
D. p̰ + q̰ + s̰ = 0̰ E. p̰ + q̰ + s̰ ≠ 0̰

2000 Exam 1 Question 23

To prove that quadrilateral 𝑃𝑄𝑅𝑆 is a rhombus, it is sufficient to
show that
A. 𝑃𝑄⃗ = 𝑆𝑅⃗ B. 𝑃𝑄⃗ = 𝑆𝑅⃗ and 𝑃𝑆⃗ = 𝑄𝑅⃗ C. 𝑃𝑄⃗ ⋅ 𝑃𝑆⃗ = 0
D. 𝑃𝑅⃗ ⋅ 𝑄𝑆⃗ = 0 E. 𝑃𝑄⃗ = 𝑆𝑅⃗ and 𝑃𝑄⃗ = 𝑃𝑆⃗

2000 Exam 1 Question 20

2000 Exam 1 Question 20
In a trapezium 𝑅𝑆𝑇𝑈, 𝑅𝑆 is parallel to and twice the length of 𝑈𝑇. If 𝑈𝑇⃗ = p̰ and 𝑇𝑆⃗ = q̰, then 𝑈𝑅⃗ =
A. q̰ − p̰ B. p̰ − q̰ C. p̰ + q̰ D. 3p̰ + q̰ 1
𝐄. ⎯⎯p̰ + q̰
2

2003 Exam 2 Question 3

𝑂𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷 is a pyramid. The height of the pyramid is the
length of 𝐷𝐸 where 𝐸 is the point on the base 𝑂𝐴𝐵𝐶
such that 𝐷𝐸 is perpendicular to the base.

a. Show that the base 𝑂𝐴𝐵𝐶 is a rhombus. 3 marks

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2001 Exam 1 Question 4

In triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐷, 𝐴𝐶 = 𝐶𝐷 = 𝐶𝐵. Let 𝐴𝐶⃗ = ṵ and 𝐵𝐶⃗ = v̰ .
Use a vector method to prove that ∠𝐵𝐴𝐷 is a right angle. 3 marks

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