MEI AS Mathematics Vectors

Topic assessment

1 3
1. Given that p =   and q =  
 4  −1
(a) Find 2p + q . [2]
 1
(b) The vector p + kq is parallel to the vector   . Find k. [3]
 1
1
(c) Find a and b such that ap + bq =   . [3]
 0

2. The points A, B and C have coordinates (-4, 0), (2, -1) and (3, 2) respectively.
(a) Write down the vectors AB , AC and BC . [3]
(b) Write down an equation linking vectors AB , AC and BC . [1]
(c) Find a unit vector in the direction of BC . [2]
(d) A fourth point D is positioned so that ABCD is a trapezium with AD parallel to BC and
AD = 1 . Find the coordinates of D. [3]

3. OABC is a quadrilateral. Relative to point O, points A, B and C have position vectors a, b, c

respectively.
1
(a) Show that the midpoint of AB has position vector ( a + b ) [2]
2
(b) Prove that the midpoints of sides OA, AB, BC and CO form the corners of a
parallelogram. [6]

 a   −3  7
4. Relative to the point O, points A, B and C have position vectors   ,   and  4
1  6   
respectively. M is the midpoint of BC. Given that OA + AM = OM find a. [7]

5. The corners of triangle PQR lie on a circle. PQ = 3i + 4 j and PR = −8i + 6 j . By showing that
the triangle is right-angled, or otherwise, find the area of the circle. [8]

Total 40 marks

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Solutions to topic assessment

 1  3  2  3   5 
1. (a) 2   +   =   +   =   [2]
 4   −1   8   −1   7 
 1   3k   1 + 3k  3
(b)   +  =   1 + 3k = 4 − k  k= [3]
 4   −1k   4 − k  4

 1   3  1 a + 3b = 1 1 4
(c) a   + b   =     a + 12a = 1  a = ,b = [3]
 4   −1   0  4a − b = 0 13 13

 2   −4   6 
2. (a) AB = OB − OA =   −   =  
 −1   0   −1 
 3   −4   7 
AC = OC − OA =   −   =  
2  0   2 
3  2   1
BC = OC − OB =   −   =   [3]
 2   −1   3 

(b) AB + BC = AC [1]
(c) BC = 1 2 + 32 = 10
1 1
Unit vector is   [2]
10  3 
1 1  −4  1 1
(d) AD =  3  and so OD = OA + OD =  0  +  
10     10  3 
 1 3 
Coordinates of D:  −4 + ,  [3]
 10 10 

1 1 1
3. (a) Midpoint, Q: OQ = OA + AB = a + (b − a ) = (a + b ) [2]
2 2 2
(b) Let midpoints be P, Q (as above), R, S. Then position vectors are
1 1 1 1
a , (a + b ) , (b + c ) , c respectively.
2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1
PQ = (a + b ) − a = b and RS = c − (b + c ) = b
2 2 2 2 2 2
Therefore PQ = RS and so PQRS is a parallelogram [6]

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1  −3  1  10   2 
4. OM = OB + BC =   +   =   .
2  6  2  −2   5 
OA + AM = OM means A must lie on the line OM (otherwise OAM would be a triangle
and two sides of a triangle cannot have the same total length as the other side.)
a  2 1 2
It follows that   = k   and so k = and a = . [7]
1
  5
  5 5

4  6
5. Show that QP and PR are perpendicular; e.g. by using gradients   −  = −1 .
3  8
2 2 2
Or using Pythagoras show that QR = QP + PR
Since the angle at P is 90, then QR must be a diameter
 −3   −8   −11 
QR = QP + PR =   +   =  .
 −4   6   2 
The diameter has length QR = ( −11 ) + 2 2 = 125
2

125 
The area is [8]
4

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