If $a, b, c$ are distinct positive numbers and vectors $a \hat{\imath}+a \hat{\jmath}+c \hat{k},…

If $a, b, c$ are distinct positive numbers and vectors $a \hat{\imath}+a \hat{\jmath}+c \hat{k}, \hat{\imath}+\hat{k}$ and $c \hat{\imath}+c \hat{\jmath}+b \hat{k}$ lie in a plane, then
  1. $c$ is A.M. of a and b
  2. $\mathrm{c}^{2}=0$
  3. $\mathrm{c}$ is $\mathrm{H} . \mathrm{M}$. of $\mathrm{a}$ and $\mathrm{b}$
  4. $c$ is G.M. of a and b

Solution

Since, three vectors are coplanar $\left|\begin{array}{lll} \mathrm{a} & \mathrm{a} & \mathrm{c} \\ 1 & 0 & 1 \\ \mathrm{c} & \mathrm{c} & \mathrm{b} \end{array}\right|=0$ Applying $\mathrm{C}_{1} \rightarrow \mathrm{C}_{1}-\mathrm{C}_{2}$ $\left|\begin{array}{lll} 0 & a & c \\ 1 & 0 & 1 \\ 0 & c & b \end{array}\right|=0$ Expanding along $C_{1}$, we get $-1\left(a b-c^{2}\right)=0 \Rightarrow a b=c^{2} \Rightarrow c$ is G.M. of a and b

Asked in: MHT CET 2020 (19 Oct Shift 1)

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