Referred to the origin OO, the points AA and BB are such that OA→=a\overrightarrow{OA} = a and OB→=b\overrightarrow{OB} = b with aa not parallel to bb. The point PP is on ABAB produced with AP:AB=3:1AP:AB = 3:1 and the position vector of point QQ is 2a2a.

  1. (a)

    Find the position vector of the point of intersection of lines OBOB and PQPQ, giving your answer in terms of bb.

  2. (b)

    It is given that a×b=2i−4j+2ka \times b = 2\mathbf{i} - 4\mathbf{j} + 2\mathbf{k} and the point C(0,3,4)C(0,3,4) does not lie on the plane OABOAB. Find the foot of the perpendicular from CC to the plane OABOAB.

Work through it with AI →

It won't just hand you the answer — it asks where you're stuck.How the checker works

Worked solution

3(a)

1. Find the position vector of $P$.

Since PP is on ABAB produced with AP:AB=3:1AP:AB = 3:1, we know that AP→=3AB→\overrightarrow{AP} = 3\overrightarrow{AB}.
OP→−OA→=3(OB→−OA→)\overrightarrow{OP} - \overrightarrow{OA} = 3(\overrightarrow{OB} - \overrightarrow{OA})
OP→−a=3(b−a)\overrightarrow{OP} - \mathbf{a} = 3(\mathbf{b} - \mathbf{a})
OP→=3b−2a\overrightarrow{OP} = 3\mathbf{b} - 2\mathbf{a}

2. Express the position vector of a general point on the line $PQ$.

The line PQPQ passes through Q(2a)Q(2\mathbf{a}) and P(3b−2a)P(3\mathbf{b} - 2\mathbf{a}). Let RR be the point of intersection. Since RR lies on PQPQ, its position vector can be written using a scalar parameter μ\mu:
OR→=(1−μ)OQ→+μOP→\overrightarrow{OR} = (1 - \mu)\overrightarrow{OQ} + \mu\overrightarrow{OP}
OR→=(1−μ)(2a)+μ(3b−2a)\overrightarrow{OR} = (1 - \mu)(2\mathbf{a}) + \mu(3\mathbf{b} - 2\mathbf{a})
OR→=(2−2μ−2μ)a+3μb\overrightarrow{OR} = (2 - 2\mu - 2\mu)\mathbf{a} + 3\mu\mathbf{b}
OR→=(2−4μ)a+3μb\overrightarrow{OR} = (2 - 4\mu)\mathbf{a} + 3\mu\mathbf{b}

3. Set up an equation using the condition that the intersection point lies on $OB$.

Since the point RR also lies on the line OBOB, its position vector must be a scalar multiple of b\mathbf{b}. Let OR→=λb\overrightarrow{OR} = \lambda\mathbf{b} for some scalar λ\lambda.
Equating the two expressions for OR→\overrightarrow{OR}:
λb=(2−4μ)a+3μb\lambda\mathbf{b} = (2 - 4\mu)\mathbf{a} + 3\mu\mathbf{b}

4. Solve for the parameters to find the point of intersection.

Since vectors a\mathbf{a} and b\mathbf{b} are non-zero and not parallel, their coefficients on both sides of the equation must be equal.
Comparing the coefficients of a\mathbf{a}:
0=2−4μ  ⟹  μ=120 = 2 - 4\mu \implies \mu = \frac{1}{2}
Comparing the coefficients of b\mathbf{b}:
λ=3μ  ⟹  λ=3(12)=32\lambda = 3\mu \implies \lambda = 3\left(\frac{1}{2}\right) = \frac{3}{2}
Therefore, the position vector of the point of intersection is 32b\frac{3}{2}\mathbf{b}.

Answer

32b\frac{3}{2}\mathbf{b}

3(b)

1. Identify the normal vector and formulate the equation of plane $OAB$.

The normal to the plane OABOAB, n\mathbf{n}, is parallel to the cross product of two non-parallel vectors on the plane.
n=a×b=(2−42)\mathbf{n} = a \times b = \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -4 \\ 2 \end{pmatrix}
Since the plane contains the origin O(0,0,0)O(0,0,0), the scalar product equation of the plane OABOAB is:
r⋅(2−42)=0\mathbf{r} \cdot \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -4 \\ 2 \end{pmatrix} = 0

2. Formulate the vector equation of the line passing through $C$ and perpendicular to the plane $OAB$.

The perpendicular line ll passes through C(0,3,4)C(0,3,4) and has a direction vector parallel to the normal n\mathbf{n}.
l:r=(034)+λ(2−42), where λ∈Rl: \mathbf{r} = \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 3 \\ 4 \end{pmatrix} + \lambda \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -4 \\ 2 \end{pmatrix}, \text{ where } \lambda \in \mathbb{R}

3. Find the value of the parameter $\lambda$ at the point of intersection between the line and the plane.

At the foot of the perpendicular FF, the line intersects the plane. We substitute the line equation into the plane equation:
[(034)+λ(2−42)]⋅(2−42)=0\left[ \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 3 \\ 4 \end{pmatrix} + \lambda \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -4 \\ 2 \end{pmatrix} \right] \cdot \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -4 \\ 2 \end{pmatrix} = 0
(034)⋅(2−42)+λ(2−42)⋅(2−42)=0\begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 3 \\ 4 \end{pmatrix} \cdot \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -4 \\ 2 \end{pmatrix} + \lambda \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -4 \\ 2 \end{pmatrix} \cdot \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -4 \\ 2 \end{pmatrix} = 0
(0−12+8)+λ(22+(−4)2+22)=0(0 - 12 + 8) + \lambda(2^2 + (-4)^2 + 2^2) = 0
−4+λ(4+16+4)=0-4 + \lambda(4 + 16 + 4) = 0
−4+24λ=0  ⟹  λ=16-4 + 24\lambda = 0 \implies \lambda = \frac{1}{6}

4. Calculate the coordinates of the foot of the perpendicular $F$.

Substitute λ=16\lambda = \frac{1}{6} back into the equation of line ll to find the position vector of FF:
OF→=(034)+16(2−42)\overrightarrow{OF} = \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 3 \\ 4 \end{pmatrix} + \frac{1}{6} \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -4 \\ 2 \end{pmatrix}
OF→=(034)+(13−2313)=(1373133)\overrightarrow{OF} = \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 3 \\ 4 \end{pmatrix} + \begin{pmatrix} \frac{1}{3} \\ -\frac{2}{3} \\ \frac{1}{3} \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} \frac{1}{3} \\ \frac{7}{3} \\ \frac{13}{3} \end{pmatrix}

The coordinates of the foot of the perpendicular are (13,73,133)\left(\frac{1}{3}, \frac{7}{3}, \frac{13}{3}\right).

Answer

(13,73,133)\left(\frac{1}{3}, \frac{7}{3}, \frac{13}{3}\right)

AI analysis — may contain mistakes.

Worked this one out on paper? Snap your steps and Gigle's AI math checker will circle the step where it went wrong.

More questions on this topic

  1. 1A drilling company plans to install a straight pipeline ABAB through a mountain. Points (x,y,z)(x, y, z) are defined relative…
  2. 2A plane Π1\Pi_1 has equation x+y+z=3x + y + z = 3. A line passes through the points PP and QQ with position vectors i+j+2k\mathbf{i} + \mathbf{j} + 2\mathbf{k}…
  3. 3A home interior designer is looking to design a pull-down wardrobe lift. To test his concept, the designer built a small…
  4. 4The points AA and BB have coordinates (0,2,0)(0, 2, 0) and (1,0,2)(1, 0, 2) respectively, and the plane π1\pi_1 has equation r⋅(221)=4\mathbf{r} \cdot \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ 2 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix} = 4…
  5. 5A temporary isolation centre is built to manage the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. The roof takes the shape of a t…