Engineering
Mathematics
Scalar Triple Product
Question

Let  a,  b   and  c be three non‑coplanar unit vectors such that the angle between every pair of them is π3. If a×b  +  b×c=pa  +  qb  +  rc, where p, q and r are scalars, then the value of  p2+2q2+r2q2 is

JEE Advance
College PredictorLive

Know your College Admission Chances Based on your Rank/Percentile, Category and Home State.

Get your JEE Main Personalised Report with Top Predicted Colleges in JoSA

Solution

Given  a·b  =b·c  =  c·a  =12

and  a×b  +b×c  =pa  +qb  +rc                         ......(1)

ake dot with  a,  b,  c

 [a   b   c]=p+q2+r2                                             .....(2)

 0=p2+q+r2                                                               .....(3)

 [a   b   c]=p2+q2+r                                                    .....(4)

(4) – (2)      ⇒         r – p = 0

      r = p

Put in equation (3), we get         p + q = 0

Hence    p2+2q2+r2q2=p2+p2+2p2p2=4

Aliter :   |a|  =  1  =  |b|  =  |c|

Also,   a·b  =  b·c  =  c·a=12

Now       a×b  +  b×c  =pa  +ab  +rc

Take dot product with  a,  b,  c

      on solving, we get

 p=12,    q=12,   r=12

 

 p2+2q2+r2q2=4