“Vector 02-TRIANGLE LAW/POLYGON LAW”

1. Use the triangle law of vector addition to derive the parallelogram and polygon law of vector
addition.
D
2. ABCD is a parallelogram. Prove that AC + BD = 2BC C

A B

→ → →
3. Suppose a is a vector of magnitude 4.5 unit due north. What is the vector (a) 3 a , (b) − 4 a ?

4. Check whether three vectors of magnitude 1, 2 and 4 can give zero resultant:
→ → → →
5. Four forces P,2P,3P and 4P act along sides of a square taken in order. Find their resultant.

6. Is it possible to add two vectors of unequal magnitudes and get zero? Is it possible to add three
vectors of equal magnitudes and get zero?
→ → →
7. If C = A + B , does it mean that C  A and C  B?

8. The minimum number vectors of unequal magnitude required to produce a zero resultant is:
(A) 2 (B) 3
(C) 4 (D) more than 4

9. Which of the following pairs of displacement cannot be added to produce a resultant

displacement of 2 m?
(A) 1 m and 1 m (B) 1 m and 2 m
(C) 1 m and 3 m (D) 1 m and 4 m

10. Given that A = B. What is the angle between A + B and A − B?

(A) 30o (B) 60o
(C) 90o (D) 180o

11. Figure shows ABCDEF as a regular hexagon. What is the value of: E D
AB + AC + AD + AE + AF
O
(A) AO (b) 2AO F C

(C) 4AO (D) 6AO

A B

12. ABCE is a rectangle. CDEF is a rhombus. G is the mid-point of AB. AF = p and EB = q.

a) Find in terms of p and q :
(i) AB (ii) CB (iii) DB
b) Show that EB + CA = 2DF .

13. The diagram shows a regular hexagon ABCDEF with AB = p and BC = q. Find in terms of p
and q :

(A) AD (B) AC
(C) CE (D) BE (E) EA

14. The diagram shows a trapezium ABCD with AB parallel to DC and twice as long. E is the mid-
point of BC. AD = p and DC = q. Find in terms of p and q :

(A) AB (B) AC (C) CD

(D) DB (E) AE (F) ED

15. The diagram shows a tetrahedron OABC with OA = a, OB = b and OC = c . D is the mid-point of
AB and E is on BC so that the ratio BE : EC = 2 :1. Find in terms of a,b and c :

(A) AC (B) AB (C) AD

(D) BC (E) BE (F) OE (G) DE

16. Use vector methods to show that the line joining the mid-points of two sides of a triangle is
parallel to the third side and half its length.
17. The diagram shows triangle ABC with D, E and F the mid-points of BC, AC and AB respectively.
G is the point on AD such that the ratio AG: GD = 2: 1. Vector AB = p and BC = q .

(a) Find in terms of p and q :

(i) DB (ii) DA
(iii) BG (iv) GE
Explain what your results indicate about the points B, G and E.
(b) Prove the equivalent result for points C, G and F.

18. Two vectors having different magnitudes

(A) have their directions opposite. (B) may have a zero resultant.
(C) cannot have a zero resultant. (D) none of the above.
y
19. A and B are shown in the figure. where | A | = | B | = 5 units. C is a
B
vector such that A + B + C = 0. What is the magnitude of C ?
x
(A) 5 2 (B) 5/ 2
A
(C) 10 (D) zero

20. In the above question (19) what is the angle between vectors C and A ?
(A) 900 (B) 450
0
(C) 225 (D) 1350

21. For the resultant of two vectors to be maximum what must be the angle between them
(A) 00 (B) 600
0
(C) 90 (D) 1800

22. If | A + B = A + B then angle between the vectors A and B is

(A) 0 (B) 180
(C) 90 (D) cannot find
    
23. Find the angle that resultant of A and B makes with A as shown A = B →

(A) 45 (B) 30 B

→
60
(C) 60 (D) cannot find
A

24. Two vectors having magnitudes 8, 10 can have maximum & minimum value of magnitude of
their resultant as
(A) 12, 6 (B) 10, 3
(C) 18, 2 (D) none of these
     
25. If A + B + C = O and | A | = 2; | B | = 4, Which of the following can’t be correct?
 
(A) | C | = 2 (B) | C | = 6
  
(C) | C | = 8 (D) | C | = 4
26. If the magnitude of two vectors are 3 and 4 respectively, which of the following can not be the
magnitude of their resultant
(A) 5 (B) 9
(C) 2 (D) 1

27. If A, B, C represent unit vectors in each case, which vector combination(s) result in a unit
vector?

(1) V C (2)
V C
B
V

V B

V A V A
(3) (4)
V B V B

V
C V A V A
V
C

(A) 1, 2,3 (B) 1, 3

(C) 1, 2, 4 (D) 4

28. Two forces of 4 dyne and 3 dyne act upon a body. The resultant force on the body can only be
(A) between 3 and 4 dyne (B) between 1 and 7 dyne
(C) more than 3 dynes (D) more than 4 dynes

29. Which of the following cannot be resultant of forces of 5N and 10 N.

(A) 8 N (B) 7 N
(C) 5 N (D) 2 N

30. Out of the following sets of forces, the resultant of which cannot be zero.
(A) 10, 10, 10 (B) 10, 10, 20
(C) 10, 20, 20 (D) 10, 20, 40

31. Out of the following pairs of forces, the resultant of which cannot be 4N ?
(A) 2N and 2N (B) 2N and 4N
(C) 2N and 6N (D) 2N and 8N

32. If the resultant of two unequal vectors is equal to sum of their magnitude, the angle between
the vectors is
(A) 900 (B) 1800 (C) 00 (D) none of these

33. For the resultant of two vectors to be maximum what must be the angle between them

(a) 00 (b) 600 (c) 900 (d) 1800

34. Minimum number of unequal forces whose vector sum can equal to zero is

(a) Two (b) Three (c) Four (d) Any

35. Two vectors having magnitudes 8, 10 can have maximum & minimum value of magnitude of
their resultant as
(A) 12, 6 (B) 10, 3
(C) 18, 2 (D) none of these

Answer Key
1. descriptive 2. descriptive 3. (a) 13.5 4. (No) 5. 2 2P
units in N
direction
(b) 18 units
due south
6. No, Yes 7. No 8. (B) 9. (B) 10. (C)
11. (D) 12.(a): 13. (a) 2q 14. (a) 2q 15. (a) c − a
(i ) p +
q (b) p + q (b) p + q (b) b − a
2 (c) q − 2 p ( c ) − q ( d ) 2q − p (c)
b−a
q
(ii) − p + ( d ) 2 ( q − p ) ( e ) 3q + p 2
2 (d )c − b
(iii) − p + q ( e ) p − 2q 2 2
p−q p − 3q 2
(f) −q = ( e) ( c − b)
2 2 3
b + 2c
(f)
3
4c − 3a − b
(g)
6
16. To Prove 17.(a): 18. (C) 19. (A) 20. (D)
q
(i ) −
2
q
( ii ) − − p
2
q− p
( iii )
3
(iv) BGE is a
straight line &
BG = 2GE
21. (A) 22. (A) 23. (B) 24. (C) 25. (C)
26. (B) 27. (B) 28. (B) 29. (D) 30. (D)
31. (D) 32. (C) 33. (A) 34. (B) 35. (C)