C4 VECTORS Worksheet C

1 Sketch each line on a separate diagram given its vector equation.

a r = 2i + sj b r = s(i + j) c r = i + 4j + s(i + 2j)

d r = 3j + s(3i − j) e r = −4i + 2j + s(2i − j) f r = (2s + 1)i + (3s − 2)j

2 Write down a vector equation of the straight line

a parallel to the vector (3i − 2j) which passes through the point with position vector (−i + j),
b parallel to the x-axis which passes through the point with coordinates (0, 4),
c parallel to the line r = 2i + t(i + 5j) which passes through the point with coordinates (3, −1).

3 Find a vector equation of the straight line which passes through the points with position vectors
1  3  −3   −1  2  −2 
a   and   b   and   c   and  
0  1  4 1  −2   3

4 Find the value of the constant c such that line with vector equation r = 3i − j + λ(ci + 2j)
a passes through the point (0, 5),
b is parallel to the line r = −2i + 4j + µ(6i + 3j).

5 Find a vector equation for each line given its cartesian equation.
a x = −1 b y = 2x c y = 3x + 1
d y= 3
4
x−2 e y=5− 1
2
x f x − 4y + 8 = 0

6 A line has the vector equation r = 2i + j + λ(3i + 2j).

a Write down parametric equations for the line.
b Hence find the cartesian equation of the line in the form ax + by + c = 0, where a, b and c
are integers.

7 Find a cartesian equation for each line in the form ax + by + c = 0, where a, b and c are integers.
a r = 3i + λ(i + 2j) b r = i + 4j + λ(3i + j) c r = 2j + λ(4i − j)

d r = −2i + j + λ(5i + 2j) e r = 2i − 3j + λ(−3i + 4j) f r = (λ + 3)i + (−2λ − 1)j

8 For each pair of lines, determine with reasons whether they are identical, parallel but not identical
or not parallel.
1 3  −1 1  2  2
a r =   + s  b r =   + s  c r =   + s 
 2  −1 2  4  −5   4
 −2   −6   −2   4  −1  3
r =   + t  r =   + t  r =   + t 
 3  2  4 1 1 6

9 Find the position vector of the point of intersection of each pair of lines.
a r = i + 2j + λi b r = 4i + j + λ(−i + j) c r = j + λ(2i − j)
r = 2i + j + µ(3i + j) r = 5i − 2j + µ(2i − 3j) r = 2i + 10j + µ(−i + 3j)

d r = −i + 5j + λ(−4i + 6j) e r = −2i + 11j + λ(−3i + 4j) f r = i + 2j + λ(3i + 2j)

r = 2i − 2j + µ(−i + 2j) r = −3i − 7j + µ(5i + 3j) r = 3i + 5j + µ(i + 4j)

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C4 VECTORS Worksheet C continued

10 Write down a vector equation of the straight line

a parallel to the vector (i + 3j − 2k) which passes through the point with position vector (4i + k),
b perpendicular to the xy-plane which passes through the point with coordinates (2, 1, 0),
c parallel to the line r = 3i − j + t(2i − 3j + 5k) which passes through the point with
coordinates (−1, 4, 2).

11 The points A and B have position vectors (5i + j − 2k) and (6i − 3j + k) respectively.
a Find AB in terms of i, j and k.
b Write down a vector equation of the straight line l which passes through A and B.
c Show that l passes through the point with coordinates (3, 9, −8).

12 Find a vector equation of the straight line which passes through the points with position vectors
a (i + 3j + 4k) and (5i + 4j + 6k) b (3i − 2k) and (i + 5j + 2k)
c 0 and (6i − j + 2k) d (−i − 2j + 3k) and (4i − 7j + k)

13 Find the value of the constants a and b such that line r = 3i − 5j + k + λ(2i + aj + bk)
a passes through the point (9, −2, −8),
b is parallel to the line r = 4j − 2k + µ(8i − 4j + 2k).

14 Find cartesian equations for each of the following lines.

 2  3 4 1  −1   4
a r =  3  + λ  5  b r =  −1 + λ  6  c r =  5  + λ  −2 
 0  2 3  3  −2   −1 
           

15 Find a vector equation for each line given its cartesian equations.
x −1 y+4 x y −1 z+7 x+5
a = =z−5 b = = c =y+3=z
3 2 4 −2 3 −4

16 Show that the lines with vector equations r = 4i + 3k + s(i − 2j + 2k) and
r = 7i + 2j − 5k + t(−3i + 2j + k) intersect, and find the coordinates of their point
of intersection.

17 Show that the lines with vector equations r = 2i − j + 4k + λ(i + j + 3k) and
r = i + 4j + 3k + µ(i − 2j + k) are skew.

18 For each pair of lines, find the position vector of their point of intersection or, if they do not
intersect, state whether they are parallel or skew.
 3 4  3 1 0  2  6  −4 
a r =  1  + λ  1  and r =  2  + µ  0  b r =  3  + λ  −1 and r =  −2  + µ  2 
5  −1  −4   2 1  −3   −1   6
               

8 1  −2   4 1 1 7  2

c r =  2  + λ  3  and r =  2  + µ  −3  d r =  5  + λ  4  and r =  −6  + µ  1 
 −4   −2  8  −4   2  −2   −5   −3 
               

4  2  3  5  0  6  −12  5

e r =  −1 + λ  5  and r =  −2  + µ  −3  f r =  7  + λ  −4  and r =  −1  + µ  2 
3  −3  1  −4   −2  8  11   −3 
               

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