Question 14 Marks
Using vectors, find the area of the triangle with vertices:
- A(1, 1, 2), B(2, 3, 5) and C(1, 5, 5)
- A(1, 2, 3), B(2, -1, 4) and C(4,5, -1)
Answer
View full question & answer→Given that
A = (1, 1, 2)
B = (2, 3, 5)
C = (1, 5, 5)
Position vector of $\text{A}=\hat{\text{i}}+\hat{\text{j}}+2\hat{\text{k}}$
Position vector of $\text{B}=2\hat{\text{i}}+3\hat{\text{j}}+5\hat{\text{k}}$
Position vector of $\text{C}=\hat{\text{i}}+5\hat{\text{j}}+5\hat{\text{k}}$
$\overrightarrow{\text{AB}}=$ Position vector of B-position vector of A
$=2\hat{\text{i}}+3\hat{\text{j}}+5\hat{\text{k}}-\big(\hat{\text{i}}+\hat{\text{j}}+2\hat{\text{k}}\big)$
$=\hat{\text{i}}+2\hat{\text{j}}+3\hat{\text{k}}$
$\overrightarrow{\text{AC}}-$ Position vector of C-position vector of A
$=\hat{\text{i}}+5\hat{\text{j}}+5\hat{\text{k}}-\big(\hat{\text{i}}+\hat{\text{j}}+2\hat{\text{k}}\big)$
$=4\hat{\text{j}}+3\hat{\text{k}}$
Area of triangle $=\frac{1}{2}\big|\overrightarrow{\text{AB}}\times\overrightarrow{\text{AC}}\big|$
$\overrightarrow{\text{AB}}\times\overrightarrow{\text{AC}}\begin{bmatrix}\hat{\text{i}}&\hat{\text{j}}&\hat{\text{k}}\\1&2&3\\0&4&3 \end{bmatrix}$
$=\hat{\text{i}}(6-12)-\hat{\text{j}}(3-0)+\hat{\text{k}}(4-0)$
$=-6\hat{\text{i}}-3\hat{\text{j}}+4\hat{\text{k}}$
$\overrightarrow{\text{AB}}\times\overrightarrow{\text{AC}}=\sqrt{(-6)^2+(-3)^2+4^2}$
$-\sqrt{36+9+16}$
$=\sqrt{61}$
Area of the teiangle $=\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{61}$ Sq. unit
A = (1, 1, 2)
B = (2, 3, 5)
C = (1, 5, 5)
Position vector of $\text{A}=\hat{\text{i}}+\hat{\text{j}}+2\hat{\text{k}}$
Position vector of $\text{B}=2\hat{\text{i}}+3\hat{\text{j}}+5\hat{\text{k}}$
Position vector of $\text{C}=\hat{\text{i}}+5\hat{\text{j}}+5\hat{\text{k}}$
$\overrightarrow{\text{AB}}=$ Position vector of B-position vector of A
$=2\hat{\text{i}}+3\hat{\text{j}}+5\hat{\text{k}}-\big(\hat{\text{i}}+\hat{\text{j}}+2\hat{\text{k}}\big)$
$=\hat{\text{i}}+2\hat{\text{j}}+3\hat{\text{k}}$
$\overrightarrow{\text{AC}}-$ Position vector of C-position vector of A
$=\hat{\text{i}}+5\hat{\text{j}}+5\hat{\text{k}}-\big(\hat{\text{i}}+\hat{\text{j}}+2\hat{\text{k}}\big)$
$=4\hat{\text{j}}+3\hat{\text{k}}$
Area of triangle $=\frac{1}{2}\big|\overrightarrow{\text{AB}}\times\overrightarrow{\text{AC}}\big|$
$\overrightarrow{\text{AB}}\times\overrightarrow{\text{AC}}\begin{bmatrix}\hat{\text{i}}&\hat{\text{j}}&\hat{\text{k}}\\1&2&3\\0&4&3 \end{bmatrix}$
$=\hat{\text{i}}(6-12)-\hat{\text{j}}(3-0)+\hat{\text{k}}(4-0)$
$=-6\hat{\text{i}}-3\hat{\text{j}}+4\hat{\text{k}}$
$\overrightarrow{\text{AB}}\times\overrightarrow{\text{AC}}=\sqrt{(-6)^2+(-3)^2+4^2}$
$-\sqrt{36+9+16}$
$=\sqrt{61}$
Area of the teiangle $=\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{61}$ Sq. unit
