MCQ
Three vectors $\vec a,\vec b,\vec c$ are inclined at an acute angle with each other such that $\left| {\vec a} \right| = 2\,,\,\left| {\vec b} \right| = 3\,,\,\left| {\vec c} \right| = 9$ and lengths of projection of $\vec a$ on $\vec b$ , $\vec b$ on $\vec c$ & $\vec c$ on $\vec a$ respectively are in geometric progression. If angles between $\vec a$ & $\vec b$ is $\frac {5\pi}{12}$ and between $\vec c$ & $\vec a$ is $\frac {\pi}{12}$ then the angle between $\vec b$ & $\vec c$ is
  • A
    $\frac {\pi}{6}$
  • $\frac {\pi}{4}$
  • C
    $\frac {\pi}{3}$
  • D
    $\frac {\pi}{8}$

Answer

Correct option: B.
$\frac {\pi}{4}$
b
Let angle between $\overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}} \& \overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}}, \overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}} \& \overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}}, \overrightarrow{\mathrm{c}} \& \overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}}$ are $\theta_{1}, \theta_{2}, \theta_{3}$ respectively.

$\because$ length of projection are in $G.P.$

$\therefore \quad {\left( {\frac{{\vec b \cdot \vec c}}{{|{\rm{c}}|}}} \right)^2} = \left( {\frac{{\vec a \cdot \vec b}}{{|{\rm{b}}|}}} \right)\left( {\frac{{\vec c \cdot \vec a}}{{|{\rm{a}}|}}} \right)$

$\Rightarrow \quad \frac{|b|^{2}|c|^{2} \cos ^{2} \theta_{2}}{|c|^{2}}=\frac{|a||b| \cos \theta_{1}|c||a|}{|b|} \cos \theta_{3}$

$\Rightarrow \quad \cos ^{2} \theta_{2}=\frac{|a||c|}{|b|^{2}} \times \cos \theta_{1} \cos \theta_{3}$

$\Rightarrow \quad \cos ^{2} \theta_{2}=\frac{2 \times 9}{9} \times \frac{1}{2}\left[\cos \left(\theta_{1}+\theta_{3}\right)+\cos \left(\theta_{1}-\theta_{3}\right)\right]$

$\left(\theta_{1}=\frac{5 \pi}{12} ; \theta_{3}=\frac{\pi}{12} \Rightarrow \theta_{1}+\theta_{3}=\frac{\pi}{2} ; \theta_{1}-\theta_{3}=\frac{\pi}{3}\right)$

$\Rightarrow \quad \cos ^{2} \theta_{2}=\frac{1}{2} \Rightarrow \theta_{2}=\frac{\pi}{4}$

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