M.Sc.

ENTRANCE PREPARATION MATERIALS

MATHEMATICS

For
TEAM NEPAL

By
SHIVA H SUBEDI(M.Sc., M.Phil.)
THAPATHALI CAMPUS, IOE, TU
shivacaus@yahoo.com (9851009178)
Chapter 1

Vector Algebra

1.1 Preliminaries
1. Plane vector:(2D) ~r = (x, y) = x~i + y~j
Space vector:(3D) ~r = (x, y, z) = x~i + y~j + z~k
p
mod ~r = |~r| = x2 + y 2 + z 2

2. Position vector: If coordinates of a point P is P(x,y,z) and O be origin (point of

~ = x~i + y~j + z~k.
reference), then position vector of point P is OP
~ = x~i+y~j +z~k and position vector of Q, OQ
If position vector of P, OP ~ = x0~i+y 0~j +z 0~k,
then vector P~Q = OQ
~ − OP
~ .

3. Collinear vectors: The set of vectors parallel to the same line:

~a and ~b are collinear if ~a = m~b for all m
~a and ~b are like vectors if ~a = m~b for all m > 0
~a and ~b are unlike vectors if ~a = m~b for all m < 0

~ + BC
4. Triangle Law: AB ~ = AC
~ in 4ABC.
~ + OB
Parallelogram Law: In parallelogram OABC, OA ~ = OC
~

~ + GB
• If G be the centroid of the 4ABC, then GA ~ + GC
~ =0

• If P be the circumcentre and Q be the orthocentre of 4ABC, then

~ + QB
QA ~ + QC ~ = 2QP
~ and P~A + P~B + P~C = P~Q

5. Coplanar vectors: Three or more nonzero vectors lying in the same plane or parallel
to the same plane:

6. Linearly dependent vectors: The vectors

~a = (a1 , a2 , a3 ) = a1~i + a2~j + a3~k,
~b = (b1 , b2 , b3 ) = b1~i + b2~j + b3~k,
 
a1 a2 a3 
 
~ ~ ~
 
~c = (c1 , c2 , c3 ) = c1 i + c2 j + c3 k are linearly dependent if  b1 b2 b3  = 0.
 
 c1 c2 c3 
Also all coplanar vectors are linearly dependent.
~
a
7. Unit vector along the direction of ~a: â = a| .
|~

2
 • Coefficient of ~i, ~j and ~k of the unit vector â represent the direction cosines of the
line determined by ~a, i.e.
â = l~i + m~j + n~k where l = cosα, m = cosβ, n = cosγ are the direction cosines.
• If ~a and ~b are unit vectors, then
|~a + ~b| = 2cos θ/2 and |~a − ~b| = 2sin θ/2

8. Scalar product of two vectors: ~a · ~b

• ~a · ~b = |~a||~b|cosθ = ab cosθ (in terms of magnitude and angle)

• ~a · ~b = a1 b1 + a2 b2 + a3 b3 (in terms of components s.t. ~a = a1~i + a2~j + a3~k etc.)
• ~a · ~b = magnitude of ~b×projection of ~b on ~a (geometrical meaning)

9. Some Relations:
a·~b
(i) Angle between two vectors ~a and ~b is found by the formula cosθ = ~
a||~b|
|~
a·~b
(ii) Projection of ~a on ~b = ~
|~b|

(iii) If ~a ⊥ ~b, then ~a · ~b = 0

(iv) ~a2 = ~a · ~a = a2
(v) (~a ± ~b)2 = a2 + b2 ± 2 ~a · ~b & (~a + ~b)(~a − ~b) = a2 − b2

10. Vector product of two vectors: ~a × ~b

• ~a × ~b = |~a||~b|sinθ n̂ = ab sinθ n̂ (in terms of unit vector)

 
i j k
 

• ~a × ~b = a1
 
a2 a3  ( in terms of components)
 
 b1 b2 b3 
• ~a × ~b = vector normal to the surface of ~a and ~b (geometrical meaning)
• |~a × ~b| = area of parallelogram with adjacent sides ~a and ~b.
• Area of triangle with adjacent sides ~a and ~b = 12 |~a × ~b|
• Area of parallelogram with its diagonals determined by ~a and ~b = 12 |~a × ~b|

11. Scalar triple product: ~a · (~b × ~c) or (~a × ~b) · ~c denoted by [~a ~b ~c]
 
a1 a2 a3 
 

• [~a ~b ~c] =  b1 b2 b3  where ~a = a1~i + a2~j + a3~k etc.

 
 
 c1 c2 c3 

• [~a ~b ~c]= volume of parallelepiped determined by ~a, ~b, ~c.

• [~a ~b ~c]=0 if ~a, ~b, ~c are coplanar.
• [~a ~b ~c]=0 if any two of the three vectors are parallel or equal.

12. Vector triple product: ~a × (~b × ~c) or (~a × ~b) × ~c

• ~a × (~b × ~c) = (~a · ~c)~b − (~a · ~b)~c

• ~a × (~b × ~c) = vector coplanar with ~b and ~c.

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13. Reciprocal system of vectors: If a~0 ,b~0 , c~0 are the reciprocal system to the vectors ~a, ~b,
~c s.t. [~a ~b ~c] 6= 0, then
~b×~ a×~b
a~0 = [~
c
a ~b ~
c]
; b~0 = c×~
~ a
a ~b ~
[~ c]
; c~0 = ~
a ~b ~
[~ c]

• [~a ~b ~c] [a~0 b~0 c~0 ] = 1.

• ~a · a~0 = 1, ~b · b~0 = 1, ~c · c~0 = 1.
• ~a · b~0 = 0 etc.

14. product of four vectors:

 
~a · ~c ~b · ~c 
~ ~
• Scalar product of four vectors: (~a × b) · (~c × d) = 
 
~a · d~ ~b · d~


• Vector product of four vectors:

(~a × ~b) × (~c × d)
~ = [~a ~b d]~
~ c − [~a ~b ~c]d~ or [~a ~c d]
~ ~b − [~b ~c d]~
~a

15. Derivative of vector: ~r = x~i + y~j + z~k represents displacement vector.

d~
r d2 ~
r
dt gives velocity vector and dt2 gives acceleration.

• ∇ = ~i ∂x
∂
+ ~j ∂y
∂
+ ~k ∂z
∂
(vector differential operator)
∂2 ∂2 ∂2
• ∇2 = ∇ · ∇ = ∂x2 + ∂y 2 + ∂z 2 (Laplace operator)
• ∇φ = ~i ∂φ ~ ∂φ ~ ∂φ
∂x + j ∂y + k ∂z (gradient of φ, where scalar function φ(x, y, z) represents
a surface)
• grad φ = ∇φ gives a vector normal to the surface φ.
~ ~ ~
• ∇ · F~ = ~i · ∂F
∂x + ~j · ∂F
∂y + ~k · ∂F
∂z (divergence of F~ , where F~ may be velocity field,
force field etc.)
• Div.F~ = ∇ · F~ gives the net rate of change of mass of the fluid flowing from the
point (x, y, z) per unit volume , if F~ is the velocity field of a flowing fluid. In
other words, Div.F~ is the tendency of a fluid to diverge from the point.
• Div.F~ = ∇ · F~ = 0 =⇒ F~ is incompressible or solenoid.
~ ~ ~
• ∇ × F~ = ~i × ∂F
∂x + ~j × ∂F
∂y + ~k × ∂F
∂z (curl of F~ )
• curl F~ = ∇ × F~ gives the tendency of particles at point (x, y, z) to rotate about
the axis that points in the direction of curl F~ , if F~ is the velocity field of a flowing
fluid.
• curl F~ = ∇ × F~ = 0 =⇒ F~ is irrotational. Also F~ is conservative if curl F~ = 0.
• φ(x, y, z) is said to be scalar potential of F~ if ∇φ = F~ .

16. Integration of vectors: integral of F~ along a curve C is line integral, integral over a
surface is surface integral and integral into a space is volume integral.

F~ · d~r gives the total workdone by F~ (a force field) when moving

R
• Line integral C
along curve C.
F~ · n̂ ds gives the flux of F~ over the surface S.
RR
• Surface integral S
RRR
• volume integral V
φ dv gives the expansion of φ (charge density, mass density
etc.) in that volume.

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 17. Integral transform theorem:

• Green’s theorem: (transformation from line integral in Plane (2D) to double

integral over same plane )
If C be boundary of R in xy-plane, and F1 & F2 are in R
R R ∂F2
− ∂F
R
C
(F1 dx + F2 dy) = (
R ∂x ∂y )dxdy
1

• Stoke’s theorem: (transformation from line integral to surface integral)

If C be boundary of open surface S, then C F~ · d~r = ∇ × F~ · n̂ ds
R RR
S

• Gauss divergence thm: (transformation from surface integral to volume integral)

F~ · n̂ ds = ∇ · F~ dv
RR RRR
If V be the volume enclosed by a closed surface S: S V

1.2 Problems
1. If ~a = (2, −3) and ~b = (4, −2), unit vector along 4~a − 3~b is ...? Ans: ( √−2
13
, √−3
13
).

2. If 2~i + 3~j − ~k and 6~i + λ~j − 3~k are collinear, λ=.....? Ans: 9

3. If ~a − 3~b + 5~c, ~a − 2~b + 3~c, −2~a + 3~b + p~c are linearly dependent, then p =... ? Ans: -4

4. If ~a = 2~i + 3~j − 8~k and ~b = 2~i − ~j − ~k, then angle between ~a and ~b...? Ans: 65.25◦ .

5. If ~a = ~i + 2~j + 3~k and ~b = 2~i + 3~j + 4~k, then projection of ~a on ~b is ...? Ans: √20
29

6. For what value of λ are the vectors ~i − 2~j + 4~k & 2~i + 7~j + λ~k are orthogonal? Ans: 3

7. Area of parallelogram determined by ~a = 3~i + 4~j and ~b = −5~i + 7~j is...? Ans: 41

8. Area of parallelogram with diagonals ~a = 3~i + 4~j and ~b = −5~i + 7~j is...? Ans: 41/2

~ − BD...?
9. ABCD is a parallelogram with AC and BD as its diagonals, then AC ~
~
a. 2AB ~
b. AB ~
c. 3AB ~
d. 4AB Ans: a

10. Volume of parallelepiped whose concurrent edges are represented by 2~i − 3~j + 4~k,
~i + 2~j − ~k and 3~i − ~j + 2~k is...? Ans: 7

11. A particle moves along the curve x = 4cost, y = 4sint, z = 6t, magnitude of velocity
√
at t = 0 is...? Ans: 52

12. A particle moves along the curve x = 4cost, y = 4sint, z = 6t, magnitude of accelera-
tion at t = π/2 is...? Ans: 4

13. Direction cosines of the line givn by vectors 2~i + 3~j − 6~k are...? Ans: 2/7, 3/7, -6/7

14. Vectors (p,q) and (5,1) are parallel but not equal if
a. p+q = 5 b. p = 5q c. pq = 5 d. q = 5p Ans: b

15. If θ is the angle between ~a and ~b and if |~a × ~b| = |~a · ~b|, then θ=...? Ans: π/4

16. Vector perpendicular to each vectors 3~i + 2~j + 2~k and 2~i − 2~j + 4~k is...? Ans: (8, −8, 8)

17. If |~b + ~c| = |~b − ~c|, then ~b and ~c form...?

a. right angle b. parallel c. acute angle d. obtuse angle Ans: a

5
18. If ~a and ~b are mutually perpendicular vectors, then (~a + ~b)2 equals to...?
a. ~a + ~b b. (~a − ~b)2 c. ~a − ~b d. ~a2 − ~b2 Ans: b
a×~b|
|~
19. If θ is the angle between ~a and ~b, then a·~b|
|~
= ...?
a. sinθ b. cosθ c. tanθ d. 1 Ans: c

20. If ~a, ~b, ~c are unit vectors such that ~a + ~b + ~c = 0, then ~a · ~b + ~b · ~c + ~c · ~a = ...?
a. 0 b. 1 c. 3/2 d. -3/2 Ans: d

21. If the position vectors of P and Q are ~i + 3~j − 7~k and 5~i − 2~j + 4~k respectively, then
direction cosines of the line PQ is...? 4
Ans: ( 9√ , −5
√ , 11
√ )
2 9 2 9 2

22. If ~a is a nonzero vector and |k~a| = 1, then k = ...?

a. 1 b.± |~a1| c. 1
|~
a| d. |~a| Ans: ± |~a1|

23. The angle between ~a × ~b and ~b × ~a is...? Ans: 180◦

24. If ~a × ~b = 0 and ~a · ~b = 0, then

a. ~a k ~b b. ~a ⊥ ~b c. ~a 6= 0 & ~b 6= 0 d. ~a = 0 or ~b = 0 Ans: d

25. If ~a, ~b and a +

~ b are unit vectors, then angle between ~a and ~b is...? Ans: 2π
3

26. If ~a and ~b are the adjacent sides of a parallelogram, then |~a +~b| = |~a −~b| is a necessary
and sufficient condition for a parallelogram to be a....?
a.rhombus b. rectangle c. trapezium d.none Ans: b

27. If ~a × ~b = ~a × ~c and ~a is a non-zero vector, then...?

a. ~b = ~c b. ~a ⊥ ~b − ~c c. ~b = ~c or ~a k ~b − ~c d. ~a ⊥ ~b + ~c Ans: c

28. If ~a, ~b and ~c are three vectors such that ~c = ~a + ~b and ~a · ~b = 0, then...?
a. a2 + b2 + c2 = 0 b. a2 − b2 + c2 = 0 c. a2 − b2 − c2 = 0 d. a2 + b2 − c2 = 0 Ans: d

29. |~a × ~b|2 + |~a · ~b|2 is equal to...?

a2
a. a2 b2 b. a2 − b2 c. a2 + b2 d. b2 Ans: a

30. If ~a = 3~i − 2~j + ~k, ~b = 6~i + 4~j − 2~k & ~c = 3~i − 2~j − 4~k, then ~a · (~b × ~c) is ...? Ans: -120
√
31. For two unit vectors ~a and ~b, if |~a + ~b| = 3, then (~a + ~b)(~a − 2~b)...? Ans: -3/2

32. If ~a · ~i = 4, then (~a × ~j) · (2~j − 3~k) is ...? Ans: -12

33. If ~a and ~b are unlike vectors, then ~a · ~b is...?

a.−|~a| |~b| b. |~a| |~b| c. 1 d. 0 Ans: a

34. If a=3, b=4 and angle between ~a and ~b is 120◦ , then |4~a + 3~b| is...? Ans: 12
√
35. If |~a × ~b| = 3 and |~a · ~b| = 3, then angle between ~a and ~b is...? Ans: 60◦

36. If angle between the vectors ~i + ~k & ~i − ~j + m~k is π/3, then m...? Ans: 0, -4

37. If the vectors ~i − 2x~j − 3y~k and ~i + 3x~j + 2y~k are orthogonal to each other, then the
locus of the point (x, y) is...?
a. a circle b. a parabola c. an ellipse d. a straight line Ans: a

6
 38. If a~i + ~j + ~k, ~i + b~j + ~k and ~i + ~j + c~k are coplanar, then
a. a + b + c = 0 b. a + b + c = abc + 2 c. abc = −1 d. abc = 0 Ans: b

39. The consecutive vertices of rhombus have the position vectors ~i + 2~j + 3~k, 2~i + 4~j + 5~k
and 4~i + 5~j + 3~k, then the position vectors of fourth vertex is...? Ans: 3~i + 3~j + ~k

40. Let ~a = ~i + ~j + ~k, ~b = ~i − ~j + 2~k, and ~c = x~i + (x − 2)~j − ~k, if ~c lies on the plane of ~a
and ~b, then x=...? Ans: -2

1.3 Hints for the problems

(−4,−6)
1. 4~a − 3~b = (−4, −6); unit vector = |(−4,−6)| .

2. ~b = m~a =⇒ 2m = 6; 3m = λ.
 
 1 −3 5
 
 
3.  1 −2 3 = 0
−2 3 p
 

a·~b
~
4. cosθ = a||~b|
|~

a·~b
5. Projection of ~a on ~b = ~
|~b|

6. (~i − 2~j + 4~k) · (2~i + 7~j + λ~k) = 0

7. Area = |~a × ~b|

8. Area = 12 |~a × ~b|

~ − BD
9. AC ~ = (AB ~ + BC)
~ − (BC ~ + CD)
~
 
2 −3 4 
 
 
10. Vol.= scalar triple product=1 2 −1
3 −1 2 
 

11. ~r = x~i + y~j + z~k, velocity = d~

r
dt , find its magnitude and put t = 0 if needed.
d2 ~
12. ~r = x~i + y~j + z~k, velocity = d~
r
dt , acceleration = r
dt2 , find its magnitude and put
t = π/2 if needed.

13. Find â = ~
a
a| ,
|~ coefficients of ~i, ~j, ~k in â gives direction cosines.

14. (p,q) = m(5,1) gives p =5m and q = m , dividing p/q = 5.

15. ab sinθ = ab cosθ gives tanθ = 1.

16. Vector perpenicular to ~a and ~b = ~a × ~b, so find cross product.

17. |~b + ~c|2 = |~b − ~c|2 =⇒ (~b + ~c)2 = (~b − ~c)2 gives ~b · ~c = 0.

18. (~a + ~b)2 = a2 + b2 + 2~a · ~b = a2 + b2 = a2 + b2 − 2~a · ~b. [ here ~a · ~b = 0 as ~a & ~b are

perpendicular]
ab sinθ
19. = ab cosθ

7
20. (~a + ~b +~c)2 = a2 + b2 + c2 + 2(~a · ~b + ~b ·~c +~c ·~a) =⇒ 0 = 1 + 1 + 1 + 2(~a · ~b + ~b ·~c +~c ·~a)

21. P~Q = OQ ~ , find unit vector along P~Q coefficients of ~i , ~j. ~k gives direction
~ − OP
cosines.
1
22. |k| = |~
a| =⇒ k = ± |~a1|

23. vectors in opposite direction

24. True if ab = 0 =⇒ a = 0 or b = 0 =⇒ ~a = 0 or ~b = 0

25. |~a + ~b| = 1 =⇒ |~a + ~b|2 = 1 =⇒ a2 + b2 + 2~a · ~b = 1 =⇒ cosθ = −1/2

26. =⇒ |~a + ~b|2 = |~a − ~b|2 =⇒ ~a · ~b = 0 =⇒ ~a ⊥ ~b

27. =⇒ ~a × (~b − ~c) = 0 =⇒ either ~b − ~c = 0 or ~a k (~b − ~c) [as ~a 6= 0]

28. =⇒ |~c| = |~a + ~b| =⇒ c2 = a2 + b2 + 2~a · ~b =⇒ c2 = a2 + b2 ∵ ~a · ~b = 0

29. =⇒ a2 b2 sin2 θ + a2 b2 cos2 θ = a2 b2

 
3 −2 1
 
~
 
30. Scalar triple product [~a b ~c] = 6 4 −2
3 −2 −4
 

√
31. |~a + ~b| = 3 =⇒ |~a + ~b|2 = 3 =⇒ a2 + b2 + 2~a · ~b = 3 =⇒ ~a · ~b = 1/2
so (~a + ~b)(~a − 2~b) = a2 − 2b2 − ~a · ~b = 1 − 2 − 1/2

32. ∵ ~a · (~b ×~c) = (~a ×~b) ·~c. here, (~a ×~j) · (2~j − 3~k) = ~a · [~j × (2~j − 3~k)] = ~a · (−3~i) = −3 ~a ·~i

33. ~a and ~b unlike =⇒ θ = π. So ~a · ~b = ab cosθ = ab cosπ = −ab = −|~a| |~b|

34. |4~a + 3~b|2 = 16a2 + 9b2 + 24 ~a · ~b = 16a2 + 9b2 + 24ab cos120◦

ab sinθ
√
35. =⇒ = √3 =⇒ tanθ = 3
ab cosθ 3
√ √
36. ~a · ~b = ab cosθ =⇒ 1 + m = 2 2 + m2 cos π/3 squaring =⇒ m2 + 4m = 0

37. orthogonal =⇒ dot product = 0 =⇒ 1 − 6x2 − 6y 2 = 0 =⇒ x2 + y 2 = 1/6 (circle)

 
a 1 1
 
 
38. coplanar =⇒ 1 b 1 = 0
 
1 1 c

~ = DC
39. In rhombus ABCD, AB ~ =⇒ OB−
~ OA
~ = OC
~ − OD
~ =⇒ OD
~ = OA+
~ OC
~ − OB
~

40. Here three vectors are coplanar , so scalar triple product [~a ~b ~c] = 0, proceed as 38

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