1.

The points P(–1, 2, –3), Q(–2, 1, 0), R(0, 5, 1) and S form a parallelogram, where S is
diagonally opposite Q.

(a) Find the coordinates of S.

(2)

 − 13 
 
(b) The vector product PQ × PS =  7  . Find the value of m.
 m 
 
(2)

(c) Hence calculate the area of parallelogram PQRS.

(2)

(d) Find the Cartesian equation of the plane, Π1, containing the parallelogram PQRS.
(3)

(e) Write down the vector equation of the line through the origin (0, 0, 0) that is
perpendicular to the plane Π1.
(1)

(f) Hence find the point on the plane that is closest to the origin.
(3)

(g) A second plane, Π2, has equation x – 2y + z = 3. Calculate the angle between the two
planes.
(4)
(Total 17 marks)

2. The points A(1, 2, 1), B(–3, 1, 4), C(5, –1, 2) and D(5, 3, 7) are the vertices of a tetrahedron.

(a) Find the vectors AB and AC .

(2)
 (b) Find the Cartesian equation of the plane Π that contains the face ABC.
(4)

(c) Find the vector equation of the line that passes through D and is perpendicular to Π.
Hence, or otherwise, calculate the shortest distance to D from Π.
(5)

(d) (i) Calculate the area of the triangle ABC.

(ii) Calculate the volume of the tetrahedron ABCD.

(4)

(e) Determine which of the vertices B or D is closer to its opposite face.

(4)
(Total 19 marks)

3. (a) Show that the two planes

π1 : x + 2y – z = 1
π2 : x + z = –2

are perpendicular.
(3)

(b) Find the equation of the plane π3 that passes through the origin and is perpendicular to
both π1 and π2.
(4)
(Total 7 marks)

4. Consider the vectors OA = a , OB = b and OC = a + b . Show that if │a│=│b│ then

(a + b)•(a – b) = 0. Comment on what this tells us about the parallelogram OACB.
(Total 4 marks)
5. A plane π has vector equation r = (–2i + 3j – 2k) + λ(2i + 3j + 2k) + μ(6i – 3j + 2k).

(a) Show that the Cartesian equation of the plane π is 3x + 2y – 6z = 12.

(6)

(b) The plane π meets the x, y and z axes at A, B and C respectively. Find the coordinates of
A, B and C.
(3)

(c) Find the volume of the pyramid OABC.

(3)

(d) Find the angle between the plane π and the x-axis.
(4)

(e) Hence, or otherwise, find the distance from the origin to the plane π.
(2)

(f) Using your answers from (c) and (e), find the area of the triangle ABC.
(2)
(Total 20 marks)

6. Consider the vectors a = sin(2α)i – cos(2α)j + k and b = cos α i – sin α j – k, where 0 < α < 2π.

Let θ be the angle between the vectors a and b.

(a) Express cos θ in terms of α.

(2)

(b) Find the acute angle α for which the two vectors are perpendicular.
(2)
 7π
(c) For α = , determine the vector product of a and b and comment on the geometrical
6
significance of this result.
(4)
(Total 8 marks)

7. Consider the plane with equation 4x – 2y – z = 1 and the line given by the parametric equations

x = 3 – 2λ
y = (2k – 1) + λ
z = –1 + kλ.

Given that the line is perpendicular to the plane, find

(a) the value of k;

(4)

(b) the coordinates of the point of intersection of the line and the plane.
(4)
(Total 8 marks)
8. The diagram shows a cube OABCDEFG.

Let O be the origin, (OA) the x-axis, (OC) the y-axis and (OD) the z-axis.
Let M, N and P be the midpoints of [FG], [DG] and [CG], respectively.
The coordinates of F are (2, 2, 2).

(a) Find the position vectors OM , ON and OP in component form.

(3)

(b) Find MP × MN .
(4)

(c) Hence,

(i) calculate the area of the triangle MNP;

(ii) show that the line (AG) is perpendicular to the plane MNP;

(iii) find the equation of the plane MNP.

(7)
 (d) Determine the coordinates of the point where the line (AG) meets the plane MNP.
(6)
(Total 20 marks)

9. Consider the planes defined by the equations x + y + 2z = 2, 2x – y + 3z = 2 and

5x – y + az = 5 where a is a real number.

(a) If a = 4 find the coordinates of the point of intersection of the three planes.
(2)

(b) (i) Find the value of a for which the planes do not meet at a unique point.

(ii) For this value of a show that the three planes do not have any common point.
(6)
(Total 8 marks)

10. The position vector at time t of a point P is given by

OP = (1 + t)i + (2 – 2t)j + (3t – 1)k, t ≥ 0.

(a) Find the coordinates of P when t = 0.

(2)

(b) Show that P moves along the line L with Cartesian equations

y − 2 z +1
x–1= = .
−2 3
(2)

(c) (i) Find the value of t when P lies on the plane with equation 2x + y + z = 6.

(ii) State the coordinates of P at this time.

(iii) Hence find the total distance travelled by P before it meets the plane.
(6)
 The position vector at time t of another point, Q, is given by

 t2 
 
OQ =  1 − t  , t ≥ 0.
 2

1 − t 

(d) (i) Find the value of t for which the distance from Q to the origin is minimum.

(ii) Find the coordinates of Q at this time.

(6)

(e) Let a, b and c be the position vectors of Q at times t = 0, t = 1, and t = 2 respectively.

(i) Show that the equation a – b = k(b – c) has no solution for k.

(ii) Hence show that the path of Q is not a straight line.

(7)
(Total 23 marks)

11. The points A, B, C have position vectors i + j + 2k, i + 2 j + 3k, 3i + k respectively and lie in
the plane π.

(a) Find

(i) the area of the triangle ABC;

(ii) the shortest distance from C to the line AB;

(iii) the cartesian equation of the plane π.

(14)
 The line L passes through the origin and is normal to the plane π, it intersects π at the point D.

(b) Find

(i) the coordinates of the point D;

(ii) the distance of π from the origin.

(6)
(Total 20 marks)

12. Two lines are defined by

 − 3  3 
    x−4 y+7
l1 : r =  − 4  + λ  2  and l 2 : = = –(z + 3).
 6   − 2 −3 4
   

(a) Find the coordinates of the point A on l1 and the point B on l2 such that AB is
perpendicular to both l1 and l2.
(13)

(b) Find │AB│.

(3)

(c) Find the Cartesian equation of the plane Π that contains l1 and does not intersect l2.
(3)
(Total 19 marks)

 4 
 
13. A ray of light coming from the point (−1, 3, 2) is travelling in the direction of vector  1  and
 − 2
 
meets the plane π : x + 3y + 2z − 24 = 0.

Find the angle that the ray of light makes with the plane.
(Total 6 marks)
14. Three distinct non-zero vectors are given by OA = a , OB = b, and OC = c .

If OA is perpendicular to BC and OB is perpendicular to CA , show that OC is

perpendicular to AB .
(Total 6 marks)

15. Consider the points A(1, 2, 1), B(0, –1, 2), C(1, 0, 2) and D(2, –1, –6).

(a) Find the vectors AB and BC .

(2)

(b) Calculate AB× BC .

(2)

(c) Hence, or otherwise find the area of triangle ABC.

(3)

(d) Find the Cartesian equation of the plane P containing the points A, B and C.
(3)

(e) Find a set of parametric equations for the line L through the point D and perpendicular to
the plane P.
(3)

(f) Find the point of intersection E, of the line L and the plane P.
(4)

(g) Find the distance from the point D to the plane P.

(2)

(h) Find a unit vector that is perpendicular to the plane P.

(2)
 (i) The point F is a reflection of D in the plane P. Find the coordinates of F.
(4)
(Total 25 marks)

16. (a) Write the vector equations of the following lines in parametric form.

 3 2
   
r1 =  2  + m − 1
7 2
   
1  4 
   
r2 =  4  + n − 1
 2  1 
   
(2)

(b) Hence show that these two lines intersect and find the point of intersection, A.
(5)

(c) Find the Cartesian equation of the plane Π that contains these two lines.
(4)

 − 8  3
   
(d) Let B be the point of intersection of the plane Π and the line r =  − 3  + λ  8  .
 0   2
   
Find the coordinates of B.
(4)

(e) If C is the mid-point of AB, find the vector equation of the line perpendicular to the plane
Π and passing through C.
(3)
(Total 18 marks)