Vectors Timed Quiz:

Duration: 30 minutes
Total marks: 17 marks
Q1) [Total marks: 13 marks]
The equation of 3 planes are given as:
1 : + 2 = 2
2 : + 2 = 4
3 : 4 + + 5 = 9
(i)

(ii)

Show that the equation of the line of intersection (line ) between 1

and 2 is given by:
0

: = ( + 1) + (3) ,
[2]

2
where and are constants to be determined.
[Hint: We have to find a point lying on the 2 planes. Based on the position vector
of a point on line , we can find by letting = 0 for plane 1 and 2 . The
direction vector of this line is perpendicular to the normal of the 2 planes. We
shall consider the cross product of the normal of plane 1 and 2]
7
Given that all 3 planes have no points in common and plane 3 is
.
45

units from line , find the value of and the possible values of .
[4]
[Hint: If all 3 planes have no points in common, what can be said about line and
plane 3 ? What can we conclude between the direction vector of line and the
normal of plane 3 ? The second part on finding the value of given the distance
between this line and the plane requires us to express this distance in terms of .
Remember to find the fixed vector when finding distance.]

Take = for the rest of the question:

(iii)
(iv)
(v)

Verify that the point (2, 1, 2) lies on plane 1 . [1]

Find the foot of perpendicular of the point (2, 1, 2) on plane 2 .
[3]
Hence find the equation of the plane 4 in scalar product form, where
4 is the image of plane 1 reflected in plane 2 . [3]

Q2) [Total marks: 4 marks]

2
1
Suppose a line 1 has vector equation: = ( 1 ) + (4).
4
2
1
Show that the distance between another point with position vector (4) to any
2
2
point on line 1 is given by 21 22 + 22. Hence, find the shortest
distance from point to the line 1 .
[This question highlights a specific manner to find the shortest distance directly without the
use of dot/cross product. We can use the vector method in finding distances to check for
our answer if we have the time!]

Additional questions: (Not part of the quiz)

Q1) [Question using arbitrary vector]
The line passes through the point with position vector and is parallel to the
unit vector .
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)

Show that the position vector of point , the foot of perpendicular

from the origin to , is given by: ( ). [4]
The point is on produced such that the ratio of : is 5: 2.
Find the position vector of in terms of and . [2]
Give a geometrical interpretation of | |.
[1]
State in terms of and , the cosine of the angle between and line .
[1]

[The hardest part is arguably part (i). we shall execute the same steps to finding the foot of
perpendicular from a point (in this case, it is the origin) to a line as though numbers are
given:
1) State the vector equation of line in terms of the vector and .
That is: = + , for all real values of
2) Next write down position vector of the foot of perpendicular lying on the line. If the
foot of perpendicular is point , then:

= + , for some values of

)
3) Write down the vector joining point to the origin (which is literally
4) Since
is perpendicular to the direction vector of line , we shall form an equation
to solve for the values of (in terms of and )
5) Then substitute this value back into the vector equation of line to obtain the position
vector of .
Take note that is a scalar (dot product of 2 vectors produces a scalar), thus this scalar
can be multiplied to the vector to form ( ).
Hint for part (iii): Since is a unit vector, then | | is in the form of
the length of projection of a vector onto another vector]

||
||

. This is related to

Q2)
2 perpendicular planes and intersect at the line with equation
1
2

+2
2

= .

1
Given that the plane is also parallel to the vector (2), find the Cartesian
0
equations of planes and .
[Hint: We shall first find the equation of plane and then the equation of plane . Note that
plane and are BOTH parallel to line since this line lies ON both planes.]

Q3)
Suppose a plane with equation 3 + 5 = 15 is tangential to a sphere at
point . Given that the centre of the sphere is (1, 5,3), find the position
vector of point and hence, find the radius of the sphere.
A plane tangential to a sphere
means that:
There is exactly one point of contact
with plane and sphere. This point of
contact is point .

Plane

Sphere

Realize that if a plane is tangential to a

sphere, then the line joining the point
of contact to the centre of sphere
must be perpendicular to the radius
of the sphere. So what can be say
about the vector
?
Finally, to find point is the same as
finding the foot of perpendicular of
point to the plane