INFOMATHS

V EC TOR S
SYLLABUS: Definition of a Vector, Different Types of vectors, Linear Combinations, Angle between two vectors,
Scalar or Dot product of two vectors and their properties, Vector product or cross product of two vectors and their
properties, Scalar Triple Vector and their properties, Vector Triple Product, Scalar product of four vectors, Vector
product of four vectors, Reciprocal system of vectors & other results.

 BASICS
(Theory distil specially prepared by INFOMATHS' R & D wing)
Physical quantities are divided into two types
1. Scalars 2. Vectors
Scalars : Those quantities have magnitude but no fix direction.
Example: Length, Area, Volume, Distance, Speed, Mass, etc.

Vectors: Those quantities having both direction and magnitude.

Example: Displacement, Velocity, Angular Velocity, Acceleration, Force, Toque etc.

Representation of vectors : It is represented by a directed line segment such that length of the line segment is
magnitude of the vector and direction of arrow gives direction of a vector.

So we have some vector AB , with initial point A and terminal point B.

Modulus of a vector : It is a non-zero no. which gives the magnitude of a vector. For a vector AB . It’s modulus is

denoted by | AB | or AB.

BASIC TERMINOLOGY

1. Zero or Null vector: It is a vector whose modulus is "0" and direction is indeterminate. It is represented by O
 
or AA or OO .
 
2. Unit vector : A vector whose modulus is unity is called a unit vector. For a vector a . It is denoted by a , which

   a
gives the direction of a such that | a | = 1, defined as a  
|a|
3. Like and Unlike Vector: Vectors having same directions are called like vectors and having opposite directions
are called unlike vectors.

Like Vectors Unlike Vectors

FACT : The sum of two vectors is
i. Maximum if two vectors are like.
ii. Minimum if two vectors are unlike.
iii. Zero if two vectors are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
 
4. Equal Vectors: Two vectors a and b are said to be equal if they (i) have same direction (ii) have same or
parallel support (iii) have same magnitude.

Equal Vectors

5. Collinear or Parallel Vectors: Vectors having same or parallel support.

Collinear Vectors

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6. Co-initial Vectors: Vectors having same initial point.
A

B
O
C
    D
OA, OB, OC, OD are co-initial vectors with initial point O.
7. Coplanar Vectors: A system of vectors is said to be coplanar if their support lie in same plane or parallel to same
plane.
8. Coterminous Vectors: Vectors having the same terminal point.
A

B
M
C

D
   
AM, BM, CM, DM are conterminous vector with terminal point M

9. Reciprocal of a Vector: A vector having same direction as a vector a but magnitude is reciprocal of the
  1
magnitude of a , denoted by a .
 
10. Negative of a Vector: A vector has the same magnitude as a vector a but opposite direction, denoted by  a .

Negative Vectors

11. Localized and Free Vector: A vector which is drawn parallel to a given vector through a specified point in a
space is called a localized vector. There can be one and only one such vector.
But if the origin of a vector is not specified, the vector is called a free vector.

ADDITION OF VECTORS
Parallelogram law of addition of vectors: If two vectors are represented in magnitude and direction by two adjacent
sides of a parallelogram then their sum is given by diagonal of a parallelogram, coinitial with the given vectors.
B C

O A
  
OA  OB  OC
Triangle Law of addition: It two vectors are represented in magnitude and direction by two sides of a triangle taken in
same order than their sum is represented by a third side taken in reverse order
 C
c

b
A  B
a
     
AB  BC  CA i.e. AB  BC  CA  0
Properties of vector addition:
   
1. Commutative if a  b  b  a .
       
2. Associative if a   b  c    a  b   c .
   
      
3. Existence of null vector, for any vector a , we have b such that a  b  a i.e. b  o .

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    
4. Existence of a negative of vector a  b  0  b   a (negative of a vector a )
     
Sum of any no. of vectors: Let OA  a , OB  b , OC  c ,       form a broken line, whose segments in length
and magnitude represent these vectors, then the vector joining initial pt. of the first vector and terminal pt. of a last
vector, will represent vector sum of these vectors e.g.
G H
E
C
F
D
I
B A
        
AB BC CD DE  EF FG GH HI  AI
 
Multiplication by a scalar: Let k be a scalar and a be given vector then k a is a vector whose direction is same or
 
opposite to a (k is +ve or k is –ve) and magnitude is |k| times the vector | a | .
Properties of scalar multiplication:
 
It a and b are given vectors and k1 and k2 are constants (Scalars), we have
  
1. (k1 + k2) a = k1 a  k 2 a
  
2. k1 (k2 a ) = (k1k2) a = k2 (k1 a )
    
3. k1  a  b   k 1 a  k 1 b
 
       
4. (k1 + k2)  a  b   k 1  a  b   k 2  a  b 
     

Position Vector: It O is a fixed point & P is any point then the vector OP is called a position vector of point P w.r.t. O.
 
Ratio Formula: If A and B are points. with Position Vectors a and b w.r.t. origin O, then the point P, divides AB in
 

m b n a
the ratio m : n, which is given by r 
mn
 
a b 
FACT: Mid pt. Formula r 
2
  
a  b c
Centriod of a triangle ABC: r 
3
  
Eg 1. If G is the centroid of the triangle ABC and G is centroid of the triangle A B C then AA   BB  CC 
 
(a) GG (b) 3 GG  (c) 2 GG  (d) none
        
Sol. Ans. (b) AA' BB' CC' = OA’ – OA  OB’ – OB  OC’ – OC
        
= OA’  OB'  OC’ – OA – OB – OC = 3OG ' 3 OG  3 GG '
    
Eg 2. If ABCDEF is regular hexagon inscribed in a circle with center O, then AB  AC  AD  AE  AF
   
(a) 4 AO (b) 5 AO (c) 6 AO (d) 8 AO
Sol. Ans. (c) 
a
 
 ba
2b
 
2b  a  
ab

  
ba b

a
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     
          
 AB AC  AD AE  AF  a   a  b    2 b    2 b  a    b  a   6 b  6 AO
       
 
Eg 3 .If the initial point of the vector  2 i  3 j is (–1, 5, 8) then the terminal point is
        
(a) 3 i  2 j 8 k (b)  3 i  2 j 8 k (c)  3 i  2 j 8 k (d) none of these
       
Sol. Ans. (b) AB  2 i  3 j where A   i  5 j  8 k , B  ?
        
So, AB  PV of B  PV of A = 2 i  3 j  PV of B  ( i  5 j  8 k )
       
PV of B  2 i  3 j  ( i  5 j  8 k )  3 i  2 j  8 k

   
LINEAR COMBINATION: A vector r , is said to be a linear combination of vectors x, y, z ,       etc. if there
   
exist some scalars , , , _ _ _ _ such that r   x   y  z     
      
Ex. r  3 x  2 y  3 z , is linear combination of vectors x , y, z .

    
Results: 1. If x , y are non-zero, non-collinear vectors then  x   y  o     0
  
Similarly if x , y, z ,     are non-zero non-coplanar vectors, then
  
 x   y  z        0   =  =  _ _ _ _ = 0.


    
2. If x , y are two non-zero, non-collinear vectors. Then any vector r coplanar with x , y can be
  
uniquely written as r  x   y
   
Similarly if x , y, z ,     are non-zero, non collinear vectors, then any vector r , uniquely written as
  
 x   y  z    

Linearly independent and dependent system of vectors

  
LINEARLY DEPENDENT ; A system of vectors x1 , x2 ,    xn is said be L.D. if there exist scalars 1, 2,  
  
 n not all zero such that 1 x1   2 x2       n xn = 0
  
LINEARLY INDEPENDENT ; A system of vectors x1 , x2 ,    xn is said be L.I, iff
  
1 x1   2 x2       n xn = 0 then scalars 1, 2,    n. are such that
1 = 2     = n = 0
   
Angle between two vectors: Let a and b be two vectors, then angle between a and b is the angle between their
  
directions OA and OB . a A

O  B

b
Vectors are perpendicular if  = /2 and parallel if  = 0.

The unit vectors (i, j, k) and position vector of P:

Z
C
P(x,y,z)

k 
O i X

j A
Y B
Let OX, OY, OZ be three mutually perpendicular straight lines, and consider them as x-axis, y-axis and z-axis in space
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  
Let i , j, k be unit vectors along OX, OY and OZ; Let OA = x, OB = y and OC = z
     
Then co-ordinates of P are (x, y, z) and so OA  x i , OB  y j and OC  z k .
      
And r  OA  OB  OC = x i  y j z k .It’s a position vector of a pt. P and x, y, z are called components and
      
x i , y j, z k are called resolve parts of a vector r in the direction of i , j, k and modulus or magnitude of a vector
    
r  x i  y j z k is given by | r |  x 2  y 2  z 2

Direction cosines (DC) and Direction Rations (DR) of a vector r
Z

P



X


 Y
If a vector OP makes angles , ,  with the +ve directions of X, Y and Z axes respectively. Then cos , cos and cos 

are called d.c’s of a vector OP , denoted by l, m and n respectively i.e. l = cos , m = cos  and n = cos 
 x y z
Let | OP | = r, then l = cos  = , m = cos  = and n = cos  =
r r r
 lr = x, mr = y, nr = z

       
 OP  r  x i  y j z k  lr i  mr j nr k

and also x2 + y2 + z2 = r2

 l2r2 + m2r2 + n2r2 = r2  l 2  m 2  n 2  1

The D.C’s of X-axis are given as <1, 0, 0>

Y-axis are given as <0, 1, 0>
Z-axis are given as <0, 0, 1>
FACT: D.C’s of a given vector are always unique.

Direction Ratios: If < l, m, n> are d.c. and <a, b, c> are real nos. such that 1  m  n .
a b c

Then <a, b, c> are called D.R’s . of OP
FACT : Direction ratio of a given vector are not unique.

   
Scalar or Dot product of two vectors: Let a and b be two vectors, then scalar or dot product is denoted by a . b =
  B
| a | | b | cos  where  is the angle between their directions. N

b
M

| a | cos 

O  
A
L
| b | cos  a

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  
Geometrical Interpretation : OL is a projection of vector b in the direction of a vector a and OL = | b | cos = b cos 
       
So. a . b = a(b cos ) = a (projection of b on a ). IIly a . b = b (projection of a on b ).
 
  a.b
projection of a on b  
b
 
 a.b 
projection of b on a  
a

Some Properties:
           
1. Commutative, a . b  b . a = ab cos  2. Distributive, a . b  c   a . b  a . c
 
           
3. If a  b then a . b  0 . But not conversely i.e. If a . b  0 then either a  0, b  0 or a  b
     
If a || b then a . b  a b


4.
        
5. If a . a | a | 2  a 2 , hence i . i  j . j  k . k  1
          
6. m a .n b  mn  a . b  7. i . j  0  j.k  k. i
 
         
8. If a  a 1 i  b1 j c1 k and b  a 2 i  b 2 j c 2 k . Then a . b  a 1a 2  b 2 b 2  c1c 2

 
  a.b a 1a 2  b1 b 2  c1c 2
9 If  is the angle between a and b then cos  =  

|a|b| a 12  b12  c12 a 22  b 22  c 22
       2  2
10.  a  b  . a  b   | a |  | b |
  


2 2 2
            
11. | a  b | 2   a  b   a  b  2 a . b | a | 2  | b | 2 2 a . b
 
     
12. | a  b | 2  | a | 2  | b | 2 2 a . b
       
13.  a  b  c      .  x  y  z      
  
                      
=  a . x  a . y  a . z         b . x  b . y  b . z         c . x  c . y  c . z          
     
   
Eg 1. ( a  b ) . ( a  b) =0 implies that
       
(a) a  b (b) | a |  | b | (c) a  b (d) a   b
         
Sol. Ans. (b) ( a  b ).( a  b )  0  | a |2  | b |2  0  | a |2 | b |2  | a || b |

     
Eg 2.. If | a |  | b |  | a  b |  1 then | a  b | =
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) none
         
Sol. Ans. (c) | a  b |2 | a |2  | b |2 2 a . b . Also, | a  b |2 | a |2  | b |2 2 a . b
   
 

so | a  b |2  | a  b |2  2 | a |2  | b |2 
 
       
As | a | 1,| b | 1,| a  b |  1,  | a  b |2  2  1 = 3  | a  b | 3

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 
Eg 3. If | a |  | b | then
            
(a) ( a  b ) | | ( a  b ) (b) ( a  b )  ( a  b ) (c) ( a  b ) ( a  b )  2 | a | 2 (d) none
 
Sol. Ans. (b) Since | a || b |
         
So, we check the option (2) ( a  b )  ( a  b )  ( a  b ).( a  b )  0 | a |2  | b |2  0
 
which is true if | a || b |
     
Eg 4. If a  b  a  b  1, then the angle between a and b , is
 3 
(a) (b) (c) (d) 0
3 4 2
 
Sol. Ans. (a) Let  be the angle between a and b .
   2
We have, a  b  1  a  b  1
2 2  2 2   
  1
 a  b  2 a.b  1  a  b  2 a b cos   1  1 + 1 – 2 cos  = 1  2cos   1  cos      .
2 3

 
Vector product or cross product of two vectors: Let a and b be two non-zero vectors, then cross product is given
        
by a  b  | a | | b | sin  n = ab sin n where  is the angle between a and b and n is the unit vector perpendicular to
 
a and b .
 
n b



a
Properties of vector product:
    
1. If a and b are perpendicular vectors i.e.  = 90°, then we have a  b  ab n .
    
2. If a and b are parallel i.e.  = 0  a  b = 0 .
    
3. If a and b are unit vectors a  b = sin  n .
   
4. The vector product is skew symmetrical or anti-commutative i.e. a  b   b  a .
       
5. Distributive law: a   b  c   a  b  a  c in general.
 


  
6. Orthogonal vector triads i , j, k
     
i  i  j j  k k  0
               
i  j  k   j i  , j k  i   k j  , k i  j   i  k  .
     
           
7.  m a   b  m a  b   a   m b , m  R
     
         
8.  m a    n b   mn  a  b  , m, n  R
     
         
9. a  b in terms of unit vectors, a  a 1 i  a 2 j a 3 k , b  b1 i  b 2 j b 3 k
  
i j k
      
Then a  b = (a2b3  a3b2) i +(a3b1  a1b3) j + (a1b2  a2b1) k or a  b  a 1 a2 a3
b1 b2 b3

74 INFOMATHS/MCA/MATHS/VECTORS
 INFOMATHS
   
10. | a  b |  | a || b | sin .
 
 a  b 
 
 
11. A vector of magnitude k, perpendicular to plane of a and b is =  k  
|ab|

12. Sine of the angle between a and b is given by

sin 2

 (a 2 b 3  a 3 b 2 ) 2

 a 12 . b12
     
13. If one of a and b is zero then  is not defined and so n is not defined. In this case we take a  b  0 .
 
  ab
14. Unit vectors normal to the plane containing two non-zero non-parallel vectors a and b are given by   
ab  
 
 
15. A vector of magnitude '' normal to the plane of a and b is given by   
 ab  
ab
 
Eg 1. A unit vector perpendicular to the plane of a  2i  6 j  3k and b  4i  3j  k , is

(a)
1
26
 4i  3j  k  (b)
7

1   
2i  6 j  3k  (c)
7

1  
3i  2 j  6k  (d)
7

1  
2i  3 j  6k 
i j k
 
Sol. Ans. (c) We have, a  b  2 6 3  5 3i  2 j  6k  
4 3 1
 
 a  b  5 9  4  36  35

Hence, required unit vector n is given by n 

4  
35
1

3i  2 j  6k  3i  2 j  6k
7
  
      
Eg 2.. The value of  | a  b | 2  ( a . b ) 2   a 2 b 2  is
  
(a) unity (b) zero (c) 2 (d) none
    
( a  b )2  ( a . b )2 | a |2 | b |2 (cos 2   sin 2  )
Sol. Ans. (a)   =1
   
2 2 2 2
|a| |b| |a| |b|
        
Using:- a  b | a || b | sin n and a . b | a || b | cos 


THE AREA OF A PARALLELOGRAM whose adjacent sides are given by a and .

C B

 D
n

O A
     
Area of a parallelogram OABC  |OA  OC|  | a  b | where, a and b are the adjacent vectors.

1   1    
Area of a parallelogram OABC  |OB  AC|  | d1  d 2 | where, d1 and d 2 are the diagonal vectors.
2 2

1   1    
Area of a Triangle OAC  |OA  OC|  | a  b | where, a and b are the adjacent vectors.
2 2

75 INFOMATHS/MCA/MATHS/VECTORS
 INFOMATHS
MOMENT OF A FORCE
 
Let r be the position vector of P relative to O. Then the moment or torque of F about the point O is defined as the
  
vector M  r  F
Eg 1. If the force represented by 3 j  2k is acting through the point 5i  4 j  3k , then its moment about the point (1, 3,
1) is
(a) 14i  8 j  12k (b) 14i  8 j  12k (c) 6i  j  9k (d) 6i  j  9k


Sol. Ans. (a) We have, F  3j  2k .
   
Let P(5, 4, - 3) and O(1, 3, 1) be the given points. Then, r  OP  4i  j  4k.
i j k
  
 Moment of F about O is given by r  F  4 1 4  14i  8 j  12k .
0 3 2

Eg 2. The moment of the couple formed by the forces 5i  k and 5i  k acting at the points (9, - 1, 2) and (3, - 2, 1)
respectively, is
(a) i  j  5k (b) i  11j  5k (c) i  11j  5k (d) i  j  5k
  
Sol. Ans. (d) We have, Moment of the couple  r1  r 2  F ,  
   
where r 1 and r 2 are the position vectors of the points of application of the forces F  5i  k and  F  5i  k
respectively.
  
   
Here, r1  r 2  9i  j  2k  3i  2 j  k  6i  j  k and, F  5i  k
  
 Moment of the couple  r1  r 2  F      
 Moment of the couple  6i  j  k  5i  k  i  j  5k

 
Eg 3. The moment of the couple consisting of the force F  3i  2 j  k acting through the point i  j  k and  F
acting through the points 2i  3j  k , is
(a) 5 (b) 5 5 (c) 5 (d) 25
  
Sol. Ans. (b) Let A and B be the points having position vectors i  j  k and 2i  3j  k respectively. Then,
 
   
r  BA  i  j  k  2i  3j  k  i  2 j  2k

Let M be the vector moment of the couple. Then,
i j k
  
M  r  F 1 2 2  6i  5 j  8k
3 2 1

 Moment of the couple  M  36  25  64  5 5
      
Scaler Triple Vector : Let a , b and c be three vectors. Then the scalar  a  b  . c is the scalar triple product of
 
       
a , b and c and is written as  a b c 
 

Properties:
a1 a2 a3 b1 b2 b3
1. [a b c] = [b c a] = [c a b] because [a b c] = b1 b2 b 3  [b c a]= c1 c2 c 3  [c a b]=
c1 c2 c3 a1 a2 a3


c1 c2 c3
a1 a2 a3
b1 b2 b3
2. [a b c] = [b a c]

76 INFOMATHS/MCA/MATHS/VECTORS
 INFOMATHS

       
3.  k a b c   k a b c 
   
      
4. If a , b and c are coplanar. Then  a b c  = 0
 
        
Eg If the vectors a   b  3 c ,  2 a  3 b  4 c and a  3 b  5 c are coplanar then  =
(a) 2 (b) –1 (c) 1 (d) None
     
Sol. Ans. (d) a   b  3 c ,  2 a  3 b  4 c ,
  
a  3 b  5 c are coplanar if scalar triple product of the vectors is zero.
1  3
 2 3  4  0 will give  =-9/7
1 3 5

5. The scalar product of three vectors, two of them are equal is zero.
                    
6. Four pts. with position vectors a , b , c , d are coplanar if  d b c    d c a    d a b    a b c 
       
      
7. If a , b , c are edges of a parallelopiped, then it’s volume is V=  a b c 
 

    
NOTE: a .  b c  represents the volume of a paralellopiped with a , b and c as the adjacent edges.
 
   
  
a b c 
 
8. If a , b , c are edges of a tetrahedron, then it’s volume is V=
6
  
Vector Triple Product: The vector triple product of a , b and c is the vector
                          
a   b  c  where a   b  c    a . c  b   a . b  c .Illy  a  b   c   a . c  b   b . c  a .
             
                
Clearly a   b  c    a  b   c [In general] RK.: a   b  c    a  b   c iff a , b. and c are collinear
       
   
          a . c a .d
Scaler product of four vectors a , b , c and d : It’s given by  a  b  .  c  d  =    
    b.c b.d
   
Vector product of four vectors a , b , c and d
                                   
1.  a  b    c  d    a b d  c   a b c  d 2.  a  b    c  d    a c d  b   b c d  a
               
          
If a , b , c and d are coplanar; then  a  b    c  d   0
   
  
Reciprocal system: Let a , b and c be three non-coplanar vectors and the system
                    
a ' , b ' , c ' satisfies a . a '  b . b '  c . c '  1 and a . b '  a . c '  b . a ' = b . c '  c . a '  c . b '  0 and also
    1   
 a b c      , is called a reciprocal system of a , b and c .
   
 a ' , b ' , c '
 
     
   b c c a a b
and a ' , b', and c' are given by , and respectively
         
a b c  a b c  a b c 
     
Results:
  
1. i , j, k form a self reciprocal system.

77 INFOMATHS/MCA/MATHS/VECTORS
 INFOMATHS
         
2. If a , b and c are non-coplanar i.e.  a b c   0. Then a ', b' and c' are also non-coplanar.
 

RESULTS
         2 2 2 
1. ab  a  b 2. a b  a  b  
3. a  b  a  b  2 a.b
  2 2 2 2        2 2
4. 
a  b  c  a  b  c  2 a.b  b.c  c.a    
5. a  b . a  b  a  b
 
6. a.b  0 iff  is acute 7. a.b  0 iff  is obtuse
       
     
8. If a, b, c are non-coplanar vectors in space and r is any vector in space, then r  r.a a  r.b b  r.c c where
  
a , b , c are unit vectors in the directions of a, b, c respectively.
   
  r.a    r.b    r.c      
     
Also, r    2  a    2  b    2  c . In particular, r  r.i i  r.j j  r.k k .
a  b  c 
     
   
9. a  b  Vector area of the parallelogram having two adjacent sides as a and b .
 2  2 2 2  2 2 2
 
10. (a) a  b  a.b  a b  (b) a.b  a b
1   1   1  
11. (i) Area of  ABC  AB  AC  BC  BA  CB  CA
2 2 2
1  
(ii) Area of a plane convex quadrilateral ABCD  AC  BD , when AC and BD and are diagonal.
2
  
12. If a, b, c are the position vectors of the vertices A, B, C of  ABC, then
1      
Area of  ABC  a  b  b  c  c  a
2
     
ab  bc  c a
Length of the perpendicular from C on AB   
a b
     
ab  bc  c a
Length of the perpendicular from A on BC   
bc
     
ab  bc  c a
Length of the perpendicular from B on AC   
ca

78 INFOMATHS/MCA/MATHS/VECTORS