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SCALAR (DOT) PRODUCT OF TWO VECTORS

PREVIOUS EAMCET BITS

1. If m1, m2 , m3 and m4 are respectively the magnitudes of the vectors [EAMCET 2009]

a1 = 2i − j + k, a 2 = 3i − 4 j − 4k , a 3 = i − j + k and a 4 = − i + 3 j + k

Then the correct order of m1, m2, m3, m4 is

1) m3 < m1 < m 4 < m 2 2) m3 < m1 < m 2 < m 4

3) m3 < m 4 < m1 < m 2 4) m3 < m 4 < m 2 < m1

Ans: 1

Sol. m1 = 6, m 2 = 41, m3 = 3, m 4 = 11

∴ m3 < m1 < m 4 < m 2

2. Suppose a = λ i − 7 j + 3k, b = λ i + j + 2λk . If the angle between a and b is greater than 90°, then
λ satisfies the inequality : [EAMCET 2009]
1) −7 < λ < 1 2) λ > 1 3) 1 < λ < 7 4) −5 < λ < 1
Ans: 1

Sol. a.b < 0

⇒ λ 2 + 6λ − 7 < 0
( λ − 1)( λ + 7 ) < 0
−7 < λ < 1
3. If the position vectors of A, B and C are respectively 2i − j + k,i − 3j − 5k and 3i − 4 j − 4k , then
cos2A = [EAMCET 2008]
1) 0 2) 6/41 3) 35/41 4) 1
Ans: 3
Sol. AB = OB − OA = ( i − 3j − 5k ) − ( 2i − j + k ) = −i − 2 j − 6k

AC = OC − OA = ( 3i − 4 j − 4k ) − ( 2i − j + k ) = i − 3j − 5k

cos A =
AB.AC
=
( −i − 2 j − 6k )( i − 3j − 5k )
AB AC −i − 2 j − 6k i − 3j − 5k

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Scalar (dot) Product of Vectors

−1 + 6 + 30 35 35
= =
1 + 4 + 36 1 + 9 + 25 35 41 41
35
∴ cos 2 A =
41

4. If a = i − j − k and b = λ i − 3 j + k and the orthogonal projection of b on a is

4
3
(
i − j−k ,)
then λ = [EAMCET 2007]
1) 0 2) 2 3) 12 4) –1
Ans: 2

Sol. Orthogonal projection of b on a =

( b.a ) a
2
a

⎛ λ + 3 −1⎞ 4
⎜ ⎟ (i − J − k ) = (i − J − k ) ⇒ λ = 2
⎝ 3 ⎠ 3

5. If a + b + c = 0 and a = 3, b = 4 and c = 37 , then the angle between a and b is

[EAMCET 2006]
π π π π
1) 2) 3) 4)
4 2 6 3
Ans: 4
Sol. a + b = − c Squaring o.b.s

a + b + 2 a b cos ( a, b ) = c
2 2 2

9 + 16 + 24 cos ( a, b ) = 37
π
cos ( a, b ) = ⇒ ( a, b ) =
1
2 3
6. a.k = a. ( 2 i + j ) = a ( i + j + 3k ) = 1 ⇒ a [EAMCET 2006]

1) i − k 2)
1
3
( 3i + j − 3k ) 3)
1
3
( i + j + k) 4)
1
3
( 3i − 3 j + k )
Ans: 4
Sol. Let a = a1i + a 2 j + a 3 k

a.i = 1 ⇒ a1 = 1

a. ( 2i + j) = 1 ⇒ 2a1 + a 2 = 1 ⇒ a 2 = 1 − 2 = −1

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Scalar (dot) Product of Vectors

a. ( i + j + 3k ) = 1 ⇒ a1 + a 2 + 3a 3 = 1

1
⇒ 3a 3 = 1 ⇒ a 3 =
3
1
∴a = [3i − 3j + k ]
3

7. If the vector a = 2i + 3 j + 6k and b are collinear and b = 21, then b = [EAMCET 2005]

(
1) ± 2i + 3 j + 6k ) (
2) ±3 2i + 3 j + 6k ) (
3) i + j + k ) (
4) ±21 2i + 3 j + 6k )
Ans: 2
Sol. a = t ( b )

7 1
a = t b ⇒ t = =
21 3
1
t=± ∴ b = ±3 ( a )
3
8. If the vectors i + 3 j + 4k, λ i − 4 j + k are orthogonal to each other, then λ = [EAMCET 2004]
1) 5 2) – 5 3) 8 4) – 8
Ans: 3
Sol. a.b = 0 ⇒ λ − 12 + 4 = 0 ⇒ λ = 8
π
9. If a, b, c are three vectors such that a = b + c and the angle between b and c is : here
2
a = a ,b = b ,c = c [EAMCET 2003]

1) a 2 = b 2 + c2 2) b 2 = c 2 + a 2 3) c 2 = a 2 + b 2 4) 2a 2 − b 2 = c 2
Ans: 1

Sol. a 2 = ( b + c )
2

a 2 = b 2 + c 2 + 2 ( b.c )

⇒ a 2 = b 2 + c2 (∵ ( b.c ) = π / 2 )

10. ( ) (
If a.i = a. i + j = a. i + j + k then a = ) [EAMCET 2002]

1) i 2) j 3) k 4) i + j + k
Ans: 1
Sol. By verification a = i

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Scalar (dot) Product of Vectors

11. The orthogonal projection of a on b is [EAMCET 2002]

1)
( a.b ) a 2)
( a.b ) b 3)
a
4)
b
2 2
a b a a

Ans: 2

Sol. ( a.b ) b
2
b

12. If θ is an acute angle and the vector ( sin θ ) i + ( cos θ ) j is perpendicular to the vector i − 3 j

then θ = [EAMCET 2000]

π π π π
1) 2) 3) 4)
6 5 4 3
Ans: 4

Sol. The given vectors are ⊥ er then ( sin θi + cos θj) . i − 3j = 0 ( )

sin θ − 3 cos θ = 0 ⇒ tan θ = 3
π
sin θ − 3 cos θ = 0 ⇒ tan θ = 3 ⇒ θ =
3
13. If two out of the three vector a + b + c are unit vectors a + b + c = 0 and

( )
2 a.b + b.c + a.c + 3 = 0 , then the third vector is of length [EAMCET 2000]

1) 3 2) 2 3) 1 4) 0
Ans: 3

( )
2
Sol. a + b + c = 0 ⇒ a + b + c =0

(
∴ a 2 + b 2 + c 2 + 2 a.b + b.c + c.a = 0 )
1 + 1 + c2 − 3 = 0 ⇒ c2 = 1
∴ c =1

“““

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