VECTORS – PRACTICE WORKSHEET

1.

C B

c
M

O a A

OABC is a parallelogram. OA = a and OC = c.

M is the mid-point of OB.
Find MA Find in terms of a and c.

Answer MA = …………………….…………
[2]

2.

Q M

q L

O p P NOT TO SCALE

OPMQ is a parallelogram and O is the origin.

OP = p and OP = q
L is on PQ so that PL : LQ = 2 : 1.

Find the following vectors in terms of p and q. Write your answers in their simplest form.

(i) PQ,
[1]

(ii) PL ,
[1]

(iii) ML,
[2]

(iv) the position vector of L.

[2]

1
3.

B
O

O is the origin, OA = a and OB = b

1 2
(a) C has position vector a+ b.
3 3

Mark the point C on the diagram.

[1]

(b) Write down, in terms of a and b, the position vector of the point E.

Answer (b) ……………………..

[1]

(c) Find, in terms of a and b, the vector EB.

Answer (c) EB = ………………

[2]

2
4.

y C
5
B
4

1
D
A x
–4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4
–1

The pentagon OABCD is shown on the grid above.

(a) Write as column vectors

(i) OD ,
[1]

(ii) BC .
[1]

(b) Describe fully the single transformation which maps the side BC onto the side OD.

[2]

3
5.

S R Q

O P

NOT TO SCALE

OPQR is a parallelogram.
O is the origin.
OP = p and OR = r.
M is the mid-point of PQ and L is on OR such that OL : LR = 2 : 1.
The line PL is extended to the point S.

(a) Find, in terms of p and r, in their simplest forms,

(i) OQ,
[1]

(ii) PR ,
[1]

(iii) PL ,
[1]

(iv) the position vector of M.

[1]

3
(b) PLS is a straight line and PS = PL
2

Find, in terms of p and/or r, in their simplest forms,

(i) PS ,
[1]

(ii) QS ,
[2]

(c) What can you say about the points Q, R and S?

[1]

4
6.

O p

A B

O is the origin. Vectors p and q are shown in the diagram.

(a) Write down, in terms of p and q, in their simplest form

(i) the position vector of the point A,

Answer (a)(i) …..………………

[1]

(ii) BC ,

Answer (a)(ii) …..………………

[1]

(iii) BC − AC .

Answer (a)(iii) …..………………

[2]

(b) If | p | = 2, write down the value of | AB |.

Answer (b) ………………………

[1]

5
7.

G F E D

O a A B C

The diagram is made from three identical parallelograms.

O is the origin. OA = a and OG = g.

Write down in terms of a and g

(a) GB,

Answer (a) ………………………

[1]

(b) the position vector of the centre of the parallelogram BCDE.

Answer (b) ………………………

[1]

8.

D B

d c

E A

O NOT TO SCALE

OABCDE is a regular hexagon.

With O as origin the position vector of C is c and the position vector of D is d.
(a) Find, in terms of c and d,

(i) DC ,
[1]

(ii) OE ,

[2]

(iii) the position vector of B.

[2]

6
 (b) The sides of the hexagon are each of length 8 cm.

Calculate

(i) the size of angle ABC,

[1]

(ii) the area of triangle ABC,

[2]

(iii) the length of the straight line AC,

[3]

(iv) the area of the hexagon.

[3]

9.

V W

a b

U P

T Q

S R

The origin O is the centre of the octagon PQRSTUVW.

UV = a and WP = b

7
(a) Write down in terms of a and b

(i) VW ,

Answer (a)(i) ……………………………

[1]

(ii) TU ,

Answer (a)(ii) ……………………………

[1]

(iii) TP,

Answer (a)(iii) ………………..…………

[2]

(iv) the position vector of the point P.

Answer (a)(iv) …………….…..…………

[1]

(b) In the diagram, 1 centimetre represents 1 unit.

Write down the value of | a – b |.

Answer (b) ………………..……………..

[1]