GEG113: PRACTICE QUESTIONS ON VECTOR

Given that 𝑎 = 𝑖 + 𝑗 − 2𝑘, 𝑏 = 𝑖 + 𝑘, 𝑐 = 2𝑖 − 𝑗 + 3𝑘. Use this to answer the next two
questions
1. Find a + b – 3c
(a) −4𝑖 − 4𝑗 + 10𝑘 (b) −4𝑖 + 4𝑗 − 10𝑘 (c) −4𝑖 + 4𝑗 − 10𝑘 (d) −4𝑖 + 4𝑗 − 16𝑘
2. Evaluate |2a + b + 2c|
(a) √85 (b) ±√58 (c) –√85 (d) √58
3. If a = 2i + k, b = 𝑖 + 3𝑗 − 𝑘 and c = -5i – j + k, find the unit vector in the direction of 2a
+b+ c
1 1 1 1
(a) (j + k) (b) - (j + k) (c) (j - k) (d) (k - j)
√2 √2 √2 √2

4. Which of the following physical quantities are all vectors?

(a) Momentum, Displacement, Speed, Force
(b) Force, Temperature, Mass, Momentum
(c) Work, Energy, Power, Volume
(d) Momentum, Gravitational force, Acceleration, Power
5. Find the unit vector in the direction of the vector – 12i + 5j
12 5 1 5 12 5 5 12
(a) - 13 i − j (b) - i+ j (c) - i+ j (d) - i+ j
13 13 13 13 13 13 13

6. The position vectors of points P, Q and R relatives to an origin 0 are

(84), (−2
3
), (−2
−5
) and (−2
−5
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ − 3OQ
) respectively, find OP ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ + 2OR
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
10 20
(a) (−15 ) (b) (−16 ) (c) (20
3
) 8
(d) (−3 ) −6
(e) (−15)
7. Express in the form xi + yj the vector of magnitude 12 making an angle of 120° with the
x-axis where I and j are the usual perpendicular unit vectors.
(a) 6i - 6√3j (b) - 6√3i + 6j (c) 6i + 6√3j (d)-6i + 6√3j (e) 6√3i - 6j

8.
From the diagram above, which of the following represents the vector V in component
form?
 (a) - 5√3i + 5j (b) 3√3i + 3j (c) i +2√3j (d) - 2√3i - j (e) 3i + 3√3j
9. For what value á are the points X and P are coincident given that
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = (á − 3)𝑃𝐵
𝑋𝐵 + 3𝑋𝑃 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
(a) 5 (b) 2 (c) 6 (d) 4 (e) 3
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 2𝑖 + 3𝑗 + 4𝑘, ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
10. Given that 3𝐴𝑃 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 4𝑖 − 2𝑗 + 3𝑘, find the
𝑍𝑃 = −𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 5𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 2𝑍𝑄
vector ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝑄 .
3 6 11 6 11 47 11 6
(a) 11 𝑖 − 2𝑗 + 𝑘 (b) 𝑖 + 2𝑗 + 𝑘 (c) 𝑖 − 2𝑗 + 𝑘 (d) 𝑖 − 2𝑗 − 𝑘
47 3 47 3 6 3 47

11. If a = 3i + 4j +8k, b = 3i – 2j – 7k, c = 2i – 5j +2k , find the components of a – 3b + 2c

(a) -2, 0, 33 (b) 33, 0, 4 (c) 2, 0, -33 (d) 0, -2, 33
12. If b = 12i – 4j + 3k, write out the direction cosines of vector b.
12 4 3 12 4 3 13 13 13 4 3 12
(a) , 13 , − 13 (b) , − 13 , 13 (c) 12 , − , (d) − 13 , 13 , 13
3 3 4 3

13. Given that u = -I +2j – 2k and v = 3i + 4j -2k, use the direction cosines approach to find
the angle between two vectors u and v.
39 1 19 29
(a) cos−1 (49) (b) cos−1 (29) (c) cos −1 (39) (d) cos −1 (39)

14. The modulus of the vector 6i – 2j – 3k is

(a) √23 (b) 7 (c) 49 (d) √11
15. The direction cosines of the vector i + j + k are
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
(a) 1,1,1 (b) 3 , 3 , 3 (c) √3 , √3 , √3, (d) √2 , √2 , √2, (e) −√3 , −√3 , −√3,

Use this statement to answer the next three questions: O, A, B, C, D are five points
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 𝑎, 𝑂𝐵
such that 𝑂𝐴 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 𝑏, 𝑂𝐶
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 𝑎 + 2𝑏, 𝑂𝐷
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 2𝑎 − 𝑏.

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ in terms of a and b

16. Express 𝐵𝐶
(a) a + b (b) a – b (c) –a + b (d) –a – b
17. Express ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐶𝐷 in terms of a and b
(a) 3a – b (b) 2a – 2b (c) a – 3b (d) 2a – 3b
18. Express ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐵𝐷 in terms of a and b
(a) 2a – 2b (b) 2a + 2b (c) a – 2b (d) 2a – 3b
19. If a = i – 3j, b = -2i + 5j, find |a – b|
(a) √37 (b) √73 (c) √63 (d) 6 (e) ±√73
20. Find the dot product of the vectors a = 6i – j and b = 2i – 8j
(a) 20 (b) -7 (c) 4 (d) 23 (e) -15
21. ind the angle between the vectors m = 5i + 3j and q = 3i – 2j
(a) 35.45° (b) 56.65° (c) 64.65° (d) 74° (e) 63.65°
22. Find the projection of the vectors u on the vector v given that u = 2i + j and v = i – j
5 √5 5 √5
(a) (b) (c) - (d) - (e) 5
√5 5 √5 5

23. Which of the following statements is/are correct?

I. Vector a is parallel to vector b if a = ëb
II. â · â = 1 if â is a unit vector
III. a · b = b · a
(a) I and II (b) I only (c) I and III (d) All of the above (e) None
24. The position vectors of two points P and Q are p = 4i – 2j and q = 2i + 3j respectively.
Find the scalars á and â such that 8i + 8j = áp + âq.
1 1 1 1 1
(a) á = 2 , â = 3 (b) á = 3, â = 2 (c) á = - 2 , â = 3 (d) á = 2 , â = -3 (e) á = -3, â = - 2

Use this to answer the next three questions:

Three vectors a, b, c are mutually orthogonal with |b| = 1 and |c| =√2. If the vectors p = 2a
+ 3b + 4c and q = a + 2b – 3c are perpendicular.

25. Find |a|

(a) 6 (b) 3 (c) -3 (d) 9 (e) 12
26. Determine the magnitude of q
(a) 31 (b) √31 (c) -√31 (d) ±√31 (e) 13
27. Calculate the magnitude of the equation of the vector p on the vector q
(a) -6 (b) √6 (c) ±√6 (d) 6 (e) 18
28. Find the angle between the lines 𝑟1 = 3𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 4𝑘 + ë(𝑖 + 2𝑗 + 2𝑘 and
𝑟2 = 5𝑗 − 2𝑘 + 𝑖 (3𝑖 + 2𝑗 + 6𝑘)
2 19 3
(a) cos−1 (3) (b) cos−1 (21) (c) cos −1 ( )
√182

8 7
(d) cos −1 (21) (e) cos−1 (10)
29. Given that p = -i + 3j – 2k and q = i + j – 6k, find p · q and the cosine of the angle
between p and q
√3 19 7 3 √7
(a) 7, (b) 14, √ 7 (c) 14, √19 (d) 3, (e) -14, 19
7 √58

30. Find the unit vector which is perpendicular to a = 6i + j + 3k and b = 5i + k

1 10
(a) (𝑖 + 9𝑗 − 5𝑘) (b) (𝑖 − 9𝑗 + 5𝑘)
√107 √107

7 1 a
(c) (𝑖 + 9𝑗 − 5𝑘) (d) (−𝑖 − 𝑗 − 𝑘) (e) |b|
√107 √6

31. The line whose equation is 𝑟 = á(2𝑖 − 𝑗 + 𝑘) has direction ratios

1 1 1 1 1
(a) 0, 0, 0 (b) -2: 1: -1 (c) 2: 1: 1 (d) : - : (e) : − : 1
3 6 6 2 2

32. The equation of the plane normal to 4i +3j and 5 units from 0 is …

(a) 𝑟 · (4𝑖 + 3𝑗) = 5 (b) 𝑟 · 5𝑘 = 5 (c) 𝑟 · (4𝑖 + 3𝑗) = 1

(d) 𝑟 · (4𝑖 + 3𝑗) = 25 (e) 𝑟 · 5𝑘 = 0

33. The points A, B and C are collinear and ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 2𝑖 − 𝑗 + 𝑘, 𝑂𝐶

𝑂𝐴 = 𝑖 + 𝑗, 𝑂𝐵 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 3𝑖 + 𝑎𝑗 + 𝑏𝑘

(a) a = -3, b = 2 (b) a = 3, b = -2 (c) a = 0, b = 1

(d) a = -1, b = 0 (e) a = 6, b = -1

34. Determine which of the following pairs of vectors are mutually orthogonal
(a) 𝑎 = 𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 = 4𝑖 − 3𝑗 + 6𝑘
(b) 𝑐 = 2𝑖 − 3𝑗 + 2𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑 = 𝑖 + 2𝑗 + 3𝑘
(c) 𝑒 = 3𝑖 − 𝑗 − 𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓 = 2𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 4𝑘
(d) 𝑔 = −𝑖 = 𝑗 − 𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ = 𝑖 − 3𝑗 − 4𝑘
(e) 𝑝 = 3𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑞 = 4𝑖 + 8𝑗 − 6𝑘
35. Evaluate 𝑖 · (2𝑗 + 3𝑘)
(a) 0 (b) 2k + 3j (c) 4 (d) -6 (e) 2j + 3k

36. Which of the following statements is/are correct?

I. 𝑗 · (7𝑖 + 8𝑗 + 9𝑘) = 8
II. If a = 2i + 3j + 4k, then |a| = √29
𝑎1 𝑎2 𝑎3
III. Vectors a = (a1, a2, a3) and b = (b1, b2, b3) are parallel if and only if 𝑏1
= 𝑏2
= 𝑏3
= ë,
where ë is a scalar.
(a) I only (b) I and II (c) I and III (d) I, II, III (e) None

37. Find the value of constant ë if a and b are perpendicular, where

𝑎 = 3𝑖 − 4𝑗 + 5𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 = 2ë𝑖 + 𝑗 + 2𝑘
(a) -1 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) -2 (e) 5
38. Find the angle which the vector 𝑎 = 𝑖 + 𝑗 + 𝑘 makes with the x – axis

(a) 64° (b) 54.74° (c) 74.54° (d) 64.74° (e) 87°

39. ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑂𝑃, 𝑂𝑄⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑂𝑅
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ are the vectors 3𝑖 + 4𝑗, 3á𝑖 + 40𝑗 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖 − 2𝑗 respectively when á is a
scalar. If the resultant of ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ is perpendicular to 𝑂𝑄
𝑂𝑃 and 𝑂𝑅 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ , find á.
1
(a) 12 (b) -5 (c) (d) 2 (e) 40
2