OCR C4 2010 January — Question 2 6 marks

Exam BoardOCR
ModuleC4 (Core Mathematics 4)
Year2010
SessionJanuary
Marks6
PaperDownload PDF ↗
Mark schemeDownload PDF ↗
TopicVectors 3D & Lines
TypePerpendicularity conditions
DifficultyStandard +0.3 This is a straightforward two-part vectors question requiring standard techniques: (i) using the dot product condition for perpendicularity (BA·BC = 0), and (ii) recognizing collinearity means vectors AB and BC are parallel. Both parts involve routine vector arithmetic with no conceptual challenges beyond applying well-practiced methods.
Spec1.10a Vectors in 2D: i,j notation and column vectors1.10c Magnitude and direction: of vectors

2 Points \(A , B\) and \(C\) have position vectors \(- 5 \mathbf { i } - 10 \mathbf { j } + 12 \mathbf { k } , \mathbf { i } + 2 \mathbf { j } - 3 \mathbf { k }\) and \(3 \mathbf { i } + 6 \mathbf { j } + p \mathbf { k }\) respectively, where \(p\) is a constant.
  1. Given that angle \(A B C = 90 ^ { \circ }\), find the value of \(p\).
  2. Given instead that \(A B C\) is a straight line, find the value of \(p\).

2 Points $A , B$ and $C$ have position vectors $- 5 \mathbf { i } - 10 \mathbf { j } + 12 \mathbf { k } , \mathbf { i } + 2 \mathbf { j } - 3 \mathbf { k }$ and $3 \mathbf { i } + 6 \mathbf { j } + p \mathbf { k }$ respectively, where $p$ is a constant.\\
(i) Given that angle $A B C = 90 ^ { \circ }$, find the value of $p$.\\
(ii) Given instead that $A B C$ is a straight line, find the value of $p$.

\hfill \mbox{\textit{OCR C4 2010 Q2 [6]}}