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JEE Advanced 2010 · Vector Algebra

If a⃗\vec{a} and b⃗\vec{b} are vectors in space given by a⃗=i^−2j^5\vec{a}=\frac{\hat{i}-2\hat{j}}{\sqrt{5}} and b⃗=2i^+j^+3k^14\vec{b}=\frac{2\hat{i}+\hat{j}+3\hat{k}}{\sqrt{14}}, then find the value of (2a⃗+b⃗)⋅[(a⃗×b⃗)×(a⃗−2b⃗)]\left(2\vec{a}+\vec{b}\right)\cdot\left[\left(\vec{a}\times\vec{b}\right)\times\left(\vec{a}-2\vec{b}\right)\right].

Answer: 55

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Written solution

Given: a⃗=i^−2j^5,b⃗=2i^+j^+3k^14\text{Given: } \vec{a}=\dfrac{\hat{i}-2\hat{j}}{\sqrt{5}}, \qquad \vec{b}=\dfrac{2\hat{i}+\hat{j}+3\hat{k}}{\sqrt{14}}

∣a⃗∣2=1,∣b⃗∣2=1(unit vectors)|\vec{a}|^2=1, \qquad |\vec{b}|^2=1 \quad (\text{unit vectors})

To find: (2a⃗+b⃗)⋅[(a⃗×b⃗)×(a⃗−2b⃗)]\text{To find: } \left(2\vec{a}+\vec{b}\right)\cdot\left[\left(\vec{a}\times\vec{b}\right)\times\left(\vec{a}-2\vec{b}\right)\right]

a⃗⋅b⃗=1(2)+(−2)(1)+0(3)5 14\vec{a}\cdot\vec{b}=\dfrac{1(2)+(-2)(1)+0(3)}{\sqrt{5}\,\sqrt{14}}

=2−270=0=\dfrac{2-2}{\sqrt{70}}=0

Plan: 1. a⃗⋅b⃗=0,∣a⃗∣=∣b⃗∣=1\text{Plan: } 1.\ \vec{a}\cdot\vec{b}=0,\quad |\vec{a}|=|\vec{b}|=1

2. (p⃗×q⃗)×r⃗=(p⃗⋅r⃗) q⃗−(q⃗⋅r⃗) p⃗2.\ (\vec{p}\times\vec{q})\times\vec{r}=(\vec{p}\cdot\vec{r})\,\vec{q}-(\vec{q}\cdot\vec{r})\,\vec{p}

3. p⃗=a⃗, q⃗=b⃗, r⃗=a⃗−2b⃗3.\ \vec{p}=\vec{a},\ \vec{q}=\vec{b},\ \vec{r}=\vec{a}-2\vec{b}

(a⃗×b⃗)×(a⃗−2b⃗)(\vec{a}\times\vec{b})\times(\vec{a}-2\vec{b})

=[a⃗⋅(a⃗−2b⃗)] b⃗−[b⃗⋅(a⃗−2b⃗)] a⃗=\big[\vec{a}\cdot(\vec{a}-2\vec{b})\big]\,\vec{b}-\big[\vec{b}\cdot(\vec{a}-2\vec{b})\big]\,\vec{a}

a⃗⋅(a⃗−2b⃗)=∣a⃗∣2−2(a⃗⋅b⃗)\vec{a}\cdot(\vec{a}-2\vec{b})=|\vec{a}|^{2}-2(\vec{a}\cdot\vec{b})

=1−2(0)=1=1-2(0)=1

b⃗⋅(a⃗−2b⃗)=(a⃗⋅b⃗)−2∣b⃗∣2\vec{b}\cdot(\vec{a}-2\vec{b})=(\vec{a}\cdot\vec{b})-2|\vec{b}|^{2}

=0−2(1)=−2=0-2(1)=-2

(a⃗×b⃗)×(a⃗−2b⃗)=(1) b⃗−(−2) a⃗(\vec{a}\times\vec{b})\times(\vec{a}-2\vec{b})=(1)\,\vec{b}-(-2)\,\vec{a}

=b⃗+2a⃗=2a⃗+b⃗=\vec{b}+2\vec{a}=2\vec{a}+\vec{b}

(2a⃗+b⃗)⋅[(a⃗×b⃗)×(a⃗−2b⃗)]\left(2\vec{a}+\vec{b}\right)\cdot\left[\left(\vec{a}\times\vec{b}\right)\times\left(\vec{a}-2\vec{b}\right)\right]

=(2a⃗+b⃗)⋅(2a⃗+b⃗)=\left(2\vec{a}+\vec{b}\right)\cdot\left(2\vec{a}+\vec{b}\right)

=∣2a⃗+b⃗∣2=\left|2\vec{a}+\vec{b}\right|^{2}

=4∣a⃗∣2+4(a⃗⋅b⃗)+∣b⃗∣2=4|\vec{a}|^{2}+4(\vec{a}\cdot\vec{b})+|\vec{b}|^{2}

=4(1)+4(0)+1=4(1)+4(0)+1

=5=5

∴ (2a⃗+b⃗)⋅[(a⃗×b⃗)×(a⃗−2b⃗)]=5\therefore\ \left(2\vec{a}+\vec{b}\right)\cdot\left[\left(\vec{a}\times\vec{b}\right)\times\left(\vec{a}-2\vec{b}\right)\right]=5

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