Let a unit vector which makes an angle of $60^{\circ}$ with $2 \hat{i}+2 \hat{j}-\hat{k}$ and an angle of $45^{\circ}$ with $\hat{i}-\hat{k}$ be $\vec{C}$. Then $$\vec{C}+\left(-\frac{1}{2} \hat{i}+\frac{1}{3 \sqrt{2}} \hat{j}-\frac{\sqrt{2}}{3} \hat{k}\right)$$ is:
Solution
<p>$$\begin{aligned}
& \text { Let } \vec{C}=a \hat{i}+b \hat{j}+c \hat{k} \\
& (a \hat{i}+b \hat{j}+c \hat{k}) \cdot(2 \hat{i}+2 \hat{j}-\hat{k})=1 \times 3 \times \frac{1}{2} \\
& 2 a+2 b-c=\frac{3}{2} \qquad \text{... (1)}\\
& (a \hat{i}+b \hat{j}+c \hat{k}) \cdot(\hat{i}-\hat{k})=1 \times \sqrt{2} \times \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \\
& a-c=1 \quad \text{... (2)}\\
& a^2+b^2+c^2=1 \quad \text{... (3)}\\
\end{aligned}$$</p>
<p>Solving (1), (2) and (3)</p>
<p>$$\begin{aligned}
& a+2 b=\frac{1}{2} \\
& a^2+b^2+(a-1)^2=1 \\
& 2 a^2-2 a+b^2=0 \\
& 2 a^2-2 a+\left(\frac{2 a-1}{4}\right)^2=0 \\
& 32 a^2-32 a+4 a^2-4 a+1=0 \\
& 36 a^2-36 a+1=0 \\
& a=\frac{36 \pm \sqrt{(36)^2-4(36)}}{2 \times 36} \\
& =\frac{1}{2} \pm \frac{\sqrt{2}}{3} \\
& b=\frac{1-2 a}{4} \Rightarrow b=\frac{1 \pm \frac{2 \sqrt{2}}{3}-1}{4} \\
& =\mp \frac{1}{3 \sqrt{2}} \\
& C=-\frac{1}{2} \pm \frac{\sqrt{2}}{3}
\end{aligned}$$</p>
<p>$$\begin{aligned}
& C+\left(\frac{-1}{2} \hat{i}+\frac{1}{3 \sqrt{2}} \hat{j}-\frac{\sqrt{2}}{3} \hat{k}\right) \\
& =\frac{\sqrt{2}}{3} \hat{i}-\frac{1}{2} \hat{k}
\end{aligned}$$</p>
About this question
Subject: Mathematics · Chapter: Vector Algebra · Topic: Types of Vectors
This question is part of PrepWiser's free JEE Main question bank. 169 more solved questions on Vector Algebra are available — start with the harder ones if your accuracy is >70%.