Question 13 Marks
If two sides of a triangle be represented by the vectors $\hat{i}+2 \hat{j}+2 \hat{k}$ and $3 \hat{i}-2 \hat{j}+\hat{k},$ then prove that the area of the triangle is $\frac{5}{2} \sqrt{5}$ square units.
Answer
View full question & answer→According to question, the adjacent sides of parallelogram,
and
$\vec{a}=\hat{i}-\hat{j}+3 \hat{k}$
$\therefore \vec{a} \times \vec{b}=\left|\begin{array}{rrr}\hat{i} & \hat{j} & \hat{k} \\ 1 & -1 & 3 \\ 2 & -7 & 1\end{array}\right|$
$ =(-1+21) \hat{i}-(1-6) \hat{j}+(-7+2) \hat{k}$
$ =20 \hat{i}+5 \hat{j}-5 \hat{k}$
$ =(-1+21) \hat{i}-(1-6) \hat{j}+(-7+2) \hat{k}$
$ =20 \hat{i}+5 \hat{j}-5 \hat{k}$
$\therefore$ Area of parallelogram $=|\vec{a} \times \vec{b}|$
$=|20 \hat{i}+5 \hat{j}-5 \hat{k}|$
$=\sqrt{20^2+5^2+(-5)^2}$
$=\sqrt{400+25+25}$
$=\sqrt{400}$
$=15 \sqrt{2} \text { sq. unit. }$
and
$\vec{a}=\hat{i}-\hat{j}+3 \hat{k}$
$\therefore \vec{a} \times \vec{b}=\left|\begin{array}{rrr}\hat{i} & \hat{j} & \hat{k} \\ 1 & -1 & 3 \\ 2 & -7 & 1\end{array}\right|$
$ =(-1+21) \hat{i}-(1-6) \hat{j}+(-7+2) \hat{k}$
$ =20 \hat{i}+5 \hat{j}-5 \hat{k}$
$ =(-1+21) \hat{i}-(1-6) \hat{j}+(-7+2) \hat{k}$
$ =20 \hat{i}+5 \hat{j}-5 \hat{k}$
$\therefore$ Area of parallelogram $=|\vec{a} \times \vec{b}|$
$=|20 \hat{i}+5 \hat{j}-5 \hat{k}|$
$=\sqrt{20^2+5^2+(-5)^2}$
$=\sqrt{400+25+25}$
$=\sqrt{400}$
$=15 \sqrt{2} \text { sq. unit. }$



