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JEE Main 2023
Vector Algebra
Vector Algebra
Medium

Question

Let a=i^+j^+k^,b=i^8j^+2k^\overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}}=\hat{i}+\hat{j}+\hat{k}, \overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}}=-\hat{i}-8 \hat{j}+2 \hat{k} and c=4i^+c2j^+c3k^\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}}=4 \hat{i}+\mathrm{c}_2 \hat{j}+\mathrm{c}_3 \hat{k} be three vectors such that b×a=c×a\overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}} \times \overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}}=\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} \times \overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}}. If the angle between the vector c\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} and the vector 3i^+4j^+k^3 \hat{i}+4 \hat{j}+\hat{k} is θ\theta, then the greatest integer less than or equal to tan2θ\tan ^2 \theta is _______________.

Answer: 8

Solution

Key Concepts and Formulas

  1. Vector Cross Product Property: If A×B=0\vec{A} \times \vec{B} = \vec{0} and A\vec{A} is a non-zero vector, then B\vec{B} must be parallel to A\vec{A}, meaning B=λA\vec{B} = \lambda \vec{A} for some scalar λ\lambda.
  2. Distributive Property of Cross Product: (XY)×Z=(X×Z)(Y×Z)(\vec{X} - \vec{Y}) \times \vec{Z} = (\vec{X} \times \vec{Z}) - (\vec{Y} \times \vec{Z}).
  3. Angle Between Two Vectors: The cosine of the angle θ\theta between two non-zero vectors U\vec{U} and V\vec{V} is given by cosθ=UVUV\cos \theta = \frac{\vec{U} \cdot \vec{V}}{|\vec{U}| |\vec{V}|}.
  4. Trigonometric Identity: The relationship between tan2θ\tan^2 \theta and cos2θ\cos^2 \theta is tan2θ=1cos2θ1\tan^2 \theta = \frac{1}{\cos^2 \theta} - 1.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Determine the unknown components of vector c\overrightarrow{c}.

We are given the condition b×a=c×a\overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}} \times \overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}}=\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} \times \overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}}. To utilize the properties of the cross product, we rearrange the equation: b×ac×a=0\overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}} \times \overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}} - \overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} \times \overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}} = \overrightarrow{0} Using the distributive property of the cross product, we get: (bc)×a=0(\overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}} - \overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}}) \times \overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}} = \overrightarrow{0} Since a=i^+j^+k^\overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}} = \hat{i} + \hat{j} + \hat{k} is a non-zero vector, the vector (bc)(\overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}} - \overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}}) must be parallel to a\overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}}. Therefore, we can write: bc=λa\overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}} - \overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} = \lambda \overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}} for some scalar λ\lambda.

Now, we substitute the component forms of the vectors: a=i^+j^+k^\overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}} = \hat{i} + \hat{j} + \hat{k} b=i^8j^+2k^\overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}} = -\hat{i} - 8 \hat{j} + 2 \hat{k} c=4i^+c2j^+c3k^\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} = 4 \hat{i} + \mathrm{c}_2 \hat{j} + \mathrm{c}_3 \hat{k}

So, (i^8j^+2k^)(4i^+c2j^+c3k^)=λ(i^+j^+k^)(-\hat{i} - 8 \hat{j} + 2 \hat{k}) - (4 \hat{i} + \mathrm{c}_2 \hat{j} + \mathrm{c}_3 \hat{k}) = \lambda (\hat{i} + \hat{j} + \hat{k}) Combining the terms on the left side: (14)i^+(8c2)j^+(2c3)k^=λi^+λj^+λk^(-1 - 4) \hat{i} + (-8 - \mathrm{c}_2) \hat{j} + (2 - \mathrm{c}_3) \hat{k} = \lambda \hat{i} + \lambda \hat{j} + \lambda \hat{k} 5i^+(8c2)j^+(2c3)k^=λi^+λj^+λk^-5 \hat{i} + (-8 - \mathrm{c}_2) \hat{j} + (2 - \mathrm{c}_3) \hat{k} = \lambda \hat{i} + \lambda \hat{j} + \lambda \hat{k} Equating the coefficients of i^\hat{i}, j^\hat{j}, and k^\hat{k} on both sides: For i^\hat{i}: 5=λ-5 = \lambda For j^\hat{j}: 8c2=λ-8 - \mathrm{c}_2 = \lambda For k^\hat{k}: 2c3=λ2 - \mathrm{c}_3 = \lambda

From the i^\hat{i} coefficient, we find λ=5\lambda = -5. Substituting λ=5\lambda = -5 into the other equations: 8c2=5    c2=8+5    c2=3-8 - \mathrm{c}_2 = -5 \implies \mathrm{c}_2 = -8 + 5 \implies \mathrm{c}_2 = -3 2c3=5    c3=2+5    c3=72 - \mathrm{c}_3 = -5 \implies \mathrm{c}_3 = 2 + 5 \implies \mathrm{c}_3 = 7

Thus, the vector c\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} is 4i^3j^+7k^4 \hat{i} - 3 \hat{j} + 7 \hat{k}.

Step 2: Calculate the angle θ\theta between c\overrightarrow{c} and the vector 3i^+4j^+k^3 \hat{i}+4 \hat{j}+\hat{k}.

Let d=3i^+4j^+k^\overrightarrow{\mathrm{d}} = 3 \hat{i} + 4 \hat{j} + \hat{k}. We need to find the angle θ\theta between c=4i^3j^+7k^\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} = 4 \hat{i} - 3 \hat{j} + 7 \hat{k} and d\overrightarrow{\mathrm{d}}.

First, calculate the dot product cd\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} \cdot \overrightarrow{\mathrm{d}}: cd=(4)(3)+(3)(4)+(7)(1)=1212+7=7\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} \cdot \overrightarrow{\mathrm{d}} = (4)(3) + (-3)(4) + (7)(1) = 12 - 12 + 7 = 7 Next, calculate the magnitudes of c\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} and d\overrightarrow{\mathrm{d}}: c=42+(3)2+72=16+9+49=74|\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}}| = \sqrt{4^2 + (-3)^2 + 7^2} = \sqrt{16 + 9 + 49} = \sqrt{74} d=32+42+12=9+16+1=26|\overrightarrow{\mathrm{d}}| = \sqrt{3^2 + 4^2 + 1^2} = \sqrt{9 + 16 + 1} = \sqrt{26} Now, use the formula for the cosine of the angle between two vectors: cosθ=cdcd=77426=71924\cos \theta = \frac{\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} \cdot \overrightarrow{\mathrm{d}}}{|\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}}| |\overrightarrow{\mathrm{d}}|} = \frac{7}{\sqrt{74} \sqrt{26}} = \frac{7}{\sqrt{1924}}

Step 3: Calculate tan2θ\tan^2 \theta and find the greatest integer less than or equal to it.

We have cosθ=71924\cos \theta = \frac{7}{\sqrt{1924}}. First, calculate cos2θ\cos^2 \theta: cos2θ=(71924)2=491924\cos^2 \theta = \left( \frac{7}{\sqrt{1924}} \right)^2 = \frac{49}{1924} Now, use the trigonometric identity tan2θ=1cos2θ1\tan^2 \theta = \frac{1}{\cos^2 \theta} - 1: tan2θ=14919241=1924491\tan^2 \theta = \frac{1}{\frac{49}{1924}} - 1 = \frac{1924}{49} - 1 tan2θ=19244949=187549\tan^2 \theta = \frac{1924 - 49}{49} = \frac{1875}{49} To find the greatest integer less than or equal to tan2θ\tan^2 \theta, we perform the division: 18754938.2653\frac{1875}{49} \approx 38.2653 The greatest integer less than or equal to 38.265338.2653 is 3838.


Common Mistakes & Tips

  • Ensure correct handling of signs during vector subtraction and dot product calculations.
  • Double-check the calculation of magnitudes of vectors.
  • Remember the identity tan2θ=sec2θ1\tan^2 \theta = \sec^2 \theta - 1 and its relation to cos2θ\cos^2 \theta.
  • The greatest integer function x\lfloor x \rfloor rounds down to the nearest integer.

Summary

The problem required us to first determine the unknown components of vector c\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} using the property that if X×Y=0\vec{X} \times \vec{Y} = \vec{0}, then X\vec{X} and Y\vec{Y} are parallel. This led to bc=λa\overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}} - \overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} = \lambda \overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}}, allowing us to solve for c2\mathrm{c}_2 and c3\mathrm{c}_3. Subsequently, we calculated the cosine of the angle θ\theta between c\overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} and the given vector d\overrightarrow{\mathrm{d}} using the dot product formula. Finally, we used a trigonometric identity to find tan2θ\tan^2 \theta and then determined the greatest integer less than or equal to its value.

The final answer is 38\boxed{38}.

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