Let $a, b, c$ be three distinct real numbers, none equal to one. If the vectors $$a \hat{i}+\hat{\mathrm{j}}+\hat{\mathrm{k}}, \hat{\mathrm{i}}+b \hat{j}+\hat{\mathrm{k}}$$ and $\hat{\mathrm{i}}+\hat{\mathrm{j}}+c \hat{\mathrm{k}}$ are coplanar, then $\frac{1}{1-a}+\frac{1}{1-b}+\frac{1}{1-c}$ is equal to :
Solution
$$
\left|\begin{array}{lll}
a & 1 & 1 \\\\
1 & \mathrm{~b} & 1 \\\\
1 & 1 & \mathrm{c}
\end{array}\right|=0
$$
<br/><br/>$$
\mathrm{C}_2 \rightarrow \mathrm{C}_2-\mathrm{C}_1, \mathrm{C}_3 \rightarrow \mathrm{C}_3-\mathrm{C}_1
$$
<br/><br/>$$
\begin{aligned}
& \left|\begin{array}{lll}
a & 1-a & 1-a \\
1 & b-1 & 0 \\
1 & 0 & c-1
\end{array}\right|=0 \\\\
& a(b-1)(c-1)-(1-a)(c-1)+(1-a)(1-b)=0 \\\\
& a(1-b)(1-c)+(1-a)(1-c)+(1-a)(1-b)=0
\end{aligned}
$$
<br/><br/>$$
\begin{aligned}
& \frac{\mathrm{a}}{1-\mathrm{a}}+\frac{1}{1-\mathrm{b}}+\frac{1}{1-\mathrm{c}}=0 \\\\
& \Rightarrow-1+\frac{1}{1-\mathrm{a}}+\frac{1}{1-\mathrm{b}}+\frac{1}{1-\mathrm{c}}=0 \\\\
& \Rightarrow \frac{1}{1-\mathrm{a}}+\frac{1}{1-\mathrm{b}}+\frac{1}{1-\mathrm{c}}=1
\end{aligned}
$$
About this question
Subject: Mathematics · Chapter: Vector Algebra · Topic: Types of Vectors
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