Given vectors
a ⃗ = ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) , b ⃗ = ( 1 , 1 , − 1 ) \vec a=(1,2,3),\qquad \vec b=(1,1,-1) a = ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) , b = ( 1 , 1 , − 1 )
Let
c ⃗ = ( x , y , z ) . \vec c=(x,y,z). c = ( x , y , z ) .
We need to find ∣ a ⃗ × c ⃗ ∣ 2 |\vec a\times \vec c|^2 ∣ a × c ∣ 2 .
Use the condition a ⃗ ⋅ c ⃗ = 11 \vec a\cdot \vec c=11 a ⋅ c = 11
a ⃗ ⋅ c ⃗ = x + 2 y + 3 z = 11 . . . ( 1 ) \vec a\cdot \vec c=x+2y+3z=11 \qquad ...(1) a ⋅ c = x + 2 y + 3 z = 11 ... ( 1 )
Use the condition b ⃗ ⋅ ( a ⃗ × c ⃗ ) = 27 \vec b\cdot(\vec a\times \vec c)=27 b ⋅ ( a × c ) = 27
This is the scalar triple product:
b ⃗ ⋅ ( a ⃗ × c ⃗ ) = [ b ⃗ a ⃗ c ⃗ ] . \vec b\cdot(\vec a\times \vec c)=[\vec b\,\vec a\,\vec c]. b ⋅ ( a × c ) = [ b a c ] .
First compute
a ⃗ × c ⃗ = ∣ i ^ j ^ k ^ 1 2 3 x y z ∣ = ( 2 z − 3 y ) i ^ − ( z − 3 x ) j ^ + ( y − 2 x ) k ^ . \vec a\times \vec c=
\begin{vmatrix}
\hat i & \hat j & \hat k\\
1&2&3\\
x&y&z
\end{vmatrix}
=(2z-3y)\hat i-(z-3x)\hat j+(y-2x)\hat k. a × c = i ^ 1 x j ^ 2 y k ^ 3 z = ( 2 z − 3 y ) i ^ − ( z − 3 x ) j ^ + ( y − 2 x ) k ^ .
So
b ⃗ ⋅ ( a ⃗ × c ⃗ ) = ( 1 , 1 , − 1 ) ⋅ ( 2 z − 3 y , 3 x − z , y − 2 x ) . \vec b\cdot(\vec a\times \vec c)
=(1,1,-1)\cdot(2z-3y,\,3x-z,\,y-2x). b ⋅ ( a × c ) = ( 1 , 1 , − 1 ) ⋅ ( 2 z − 3 y , 3 x − z , y − 2 x ) .
Therefore,
( 2 z − 3 y ) + ( 3 x − z ) − ( y − 2 x ) = 27 (2z-3y)+(3x-z)-(y-2x)=27 ( 2 z − 3 y ) + ( 3 x − z ) − ( y − 2 x ) = 27
5 x − 4 y + z = 27 . . . ( 2 ) 5x-4y+z=27 \qquad ...(2) 5 x − 4 y + z = 27 ... ( 2 )
Use the condition b ⃗ ⋅ c ⃗ = − 3 ∣ b ⃗ ∣ \vec b\cdot \vec c=-\sqrt3|\vec b| b ⋅ c = − 3 ∣ b ∣
First,
∣ b ⃗ ∣ = 1 2 + 1 2 + ( − 1 ) 2 = 3 . |\vec b|=\sqrt{1^2+1^2+(-1)^2}=\sqrt3. ∣ b ∣ = 1 2 + 1 2 + ( − 1 ) 2 = 3 .
Hence
b ⃗ ⋅ c ⃗ = − 3 ⋅ 3 = − 3. \vec b\cdot \vec c=-\sqrt3\cdot \sqrt3=-3. b ⋅ c = − 3 ⋅ 3 = − 3.
So,
x + y − z = − 3 . . . ( 3 ) x+y-z=-3 \qquad ...(3) x + y − z = − 3 ... ( 3 )
Solve the linear system
We have:
x + 2 y + 3 z = 11 . . . ( 1 ) x+2y+3z=11 \quad ...(1) x + 2 y + 3 z = 11 ... ( 1 )
5 x − 4 y + z = 27 . . . ( 2 ) 5x-4y+z=27 \quad ...(2) 5 x − 4 y + z = 27 ... ( 2 )
x + y − z = − 3 . . . ( 3 ) x+y-z=-3 \quad ...(3) x + y − z = − 3 ... ( 3 )
From (3):
x = − 3 − y + z . x=-3-y+z. x = − 3 − y + z .
Substitute into (1):
( − 3 − y + z ) + 2 y + 3 z = 11 (-3-y+z)+2y+3z=11 ( − 3 − y + z ) + 2 y + 3 z = 11
y + 4 z = 14 . . . ( 4 ) y+4z=14 \qquad ...(4) y + 4 z = 14 ... ( 4 )
Substitute into (2):
5 ( − 3 − y + z ) − 4 y + z = 27 5(-3-y+z)-4y+z=27 5 ( − 3 − y + z ) − 4 y + z = 27
− 15 − 9 y + 6 z = 27 -15-9y+6z=27 − 15 − 9 y + 6 z = 27
− 3 y + 2 z = 14 . . . ( 5 ) -3y+2z=14 \qquad ...(5) − 3 y + 2 z = 14 ... ( 5 )
Now solve (4) and (5):
From (4),
y = 14 − 4 z . y=14-4z. y = 14 − 4 z .
Put into (5):
− 3 ( 14 − 4 z ) + 2 z = 14 -3(14-4z)+2z=14 − 3 ( 14 − 4 z ) + 2 z = 14
− 42 + 12 z + 2 z = 14 -42+12z+2z=14 − 42 + 12 z + 2 z = 14
14 z = 56 14z=56 14 z = 56
z = 4. z=4. z = 4.
Then
y = 14 − 16 = − 2. y=14-16=-2. y = 14 − 16 = − 2.
From (3):
x + ( − 2 ) − 4 = − 3 x+(-2)-4=-3 x + ( − 2 ) − 4 = − 3
x − 6 = − 3 x-6=-3 x − 6 = − 3
x = 3. x=3. x = 3.
Thus,
c ⃗ = ( 3 , − 2 , 4 ) . \vec c=(3,-2,4). c = ( 3 , − 2 , 4 ) .
Compute a ⃗ × c ⃗ \vec a\times \vec c a × c
a ⃗ × c ⃗ = ∣ i ^ j ^ k ^ 1 2 3 3 − 2 4 ∣ \vec a\times \vec c=
\begin{vmatrix}
\hat i & \hat j & \hat k\\
1&2&3\\
3&-2&4
\end{vmatrix} a × c = i ^ 1 3 j ^ 2 − 2 k ^ 3 4
= i ^ ( 2 ⋅ 4 − 3 ⋅ ( − 2 ) ) − j ^ ( 1 ⋅ 4 − 3 ⋅ 3 ) + k ^ ( 1 ⋅ ( − 2 ) − 2 ⋅ 3 ) =\hat i(2\cdot 4-3\cdot(-2))-
\hat j(1\cdot 4-3\cdot 3)+
\hat k(1\cdot(-2)-2\cdot 3) = i ^ ( 2 ⋅ 4 − 3 ⋅ ( − 2 )) − j ^ ( 1 ⋅ 4 − 3 ⋅ 3 ) + k ^ ( 1 ⋅ ( − 2 ) − 2 ⋅ 3 )
= 14 i ^ + 5 j ^ − 8 k ^ . =14\hat i+5\hat j-8\hat k. = 14 i ^ + 5 j ^ − 8 k ^ .
Therefore,
∣ a ⃗ × c ⃗ ∣ 2 = 14 2 + 5 2 + ( − 8 ) 2 = 196 + 25 + 64 = 285. |\vec a\times \vec c|^2=14^2+5^2+(-8)^2=196+25+64=285. ∣ a × c ∣ 2 = 1 4 2 + 5 2 + ( − 8 ) 2 = 196 + 25 + 64 = 285.
Final answer
∣ a ⃗ × c ⃗ ∣ 2 = 285 |\vec a\times \vec c|^2=285 ∣ a × c ∣ 2 = 285