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Given that (x = 3i – j, y = 2i + kj) and the…

(a) Given that (x = 3i – j, y = 2i + kj) and the cosine of the angle between x and y is (frac{sqrt{5}}{5}), find the values of the constant k.

(b) In the quadrilateral ABCD, 

 (overrightarrow{AB} = begin{pmatrix} -5 \ -1 end{pmatrix}, overrightarrow{AC} = begin{pmatrix} -6 \ -9 end{pmatrix})

and (overrightarrow{BD} = begin{pmatrix} 4 \ -7 end{pmatrix}). Show whether or not ABCD is a parallelogram.

Explanation

(a) (x = 3i – j ; y = 2i + kj)

(x cdot y = |x||y| cos theta)

((3i – j) cdot (2i + kj) = (sqrt{3^{2} + (-1)^{2}})(sqrt{2^{2} + k^{2}}) cos theta)

(6 – k = (sqrt{10})(sqrt{4 + k^{2}})(frac{sqrt{5}}{5}))

(5(6 – k) = sqrt{10(4 + k^{2})(5)})

(30 – 5k = sqrt{200 + 50k^{2}})

((30 – 5k)^{2} = 200 + 50k^{2})

(900 – 300k + 25k^{2} = 200 + 50k^{2})

(900 – 200 – 300k + 25k^{2} – 50k^{2} = 0)

(25k^{2} + 300k – 700 = 0 implies k^{2} + 12k – 28 = 0)

(k^{2} – 2k + 14k – 28 = 0 implies k(k – 2) + 14(k – 2) = 0)

(text{k = 2 or -14}).

(b) 

ABCD is a parallelogram if AD = BC.

(overrightarrow{AD} = overrightarrow{AB} + overrightarrow{BD})

= (begin{pmatrix} -5 \ -1 end{pmatrix} + begin{pmatrix} 4 \ -7 end{pmatrix})

= (begin{pmatrix} -1 \ -8 end{pmatrix})

(overrightarrow{BC} = overrightarrow{BA} + overrightarrow{AC})

= (begin{pmatrix} 5 \ 1 end{pmatrix} + begin{pmatrix} -6 \ -9 end{pmatrix})

= (begin{pmatrix} -1 \ -8 end{pmatrix}).

(overrightarrow{AD} = overrightarrow{BC}). ABCD is a parallelogram.