Question
Let and be three non-zero vectors such that and are non-collinear. If is collinear with is collinear with and , then is equal to
Options
Solution
Key Concepts and Formulas
- Collinearity of Vectors: Two non-zero vectors and are collinear if and only if for some non-zero scalar .
- Linear Independence of Non-Collinear Vectors: If two vectors and are non-collinear, they are linearly independent. This implies that if , then and .
- Vector Equation Manipulation: Algebraic operations such as addition, subtraction, and scalar multiplication can be applied to vector equations.
Step-by-Step Solution
We are given three non-zero vectors such that and are non-collinear.
Step 1: Express the first collinearity condition mathematically. We are given that is collinear with . By the definition of collinearity, this means there exists a non-zero scalar, say , such that: Rearranging this equation to express in terms of and :
Step 2: Express the second collinearity condition mathematically. We are given that is collinear with . This means there exists a non-zero scalar, say , such that:
Step 3: Substitute the expression for from Step 1 into the equation from Step 2. Substitute the expression for from equation into equation : Distribute on the right side: Now, rearrange the terms to group and on one side, setting the expression equal to the zero vector: Combine the coefficients of and :
Step 4: Apply the concept of linear independence to solve for and . Since and are non-collinear, they are linearly independent. For the equation to hold, the coefficients of and must both be zero. This gives us a system of two linear equations:
From equation (1), we solve for : Now, substitute the value of into equation (2):
Step 5: Use the final given equation to find and . We are given the equation . From Step 1, we have . Substituting the value , we get: Now substitute this expression for into the given equation: Group the terms involving and :
Step 6: Apply linear independence again to find and . Since and are non-collinear, their coefficients must be zero:
Step 7: Calculate . Finally, we compute the sum :
Common Mistakes & Tips
- Misinterpreting Collinearity: Ensure that collinearity is correctly translated into a scalar multiple relationship. If and are collinear, where .
- Incorrect Application of Linear Independence: Linear independence of and is the key. Remember that if and are non-collinear, then and .
- Algebraic Errors: Double-check all algebraic manipulations, especially when substituting and rearranging terms.
Summary
The problem involves using the definition of collinearity to set up scalar multiple equations between the given vectors. By strategically substituting these equations, we can form a linear combination of the non-collinear vectors and . The principle of linear independence is then applied to equate the coefficients of and to zero, allowing us to solve for unknown scalars. This process is repeated to find the values of and , which are then summed to find the final answer.
The final answer is .