If $\mathbf{a}=\hat{i}+\hat{j}+\hat{k}, \mathbf{c}=\hat{j}-\hat{k}, \mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b}=\mathbf{c},…

If $\mathbf{a}=\hat{i}+\hat{j}+\hat{k}, \mathbf{c}=\hat{j}-\hat{k}, \mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b}=\mathbf{c}, \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b}=3$, then $\mathbf{b}=$
  1. $\frac{1}{3}(5 \hat{i}+2 \hat{j}+2 \hat{k})$
  2. $\frac{1}{3}(2 \hat{i}+5 \hat{j}+2 \hat{k})$
  3. $\frac{1}{3}(2 \hat{i}+2 \hat{j}+3 \hat{k})$
  4. $\frac{1}{3}(2 \hat{i}+5 \hat{j}+5 \hat{k})$

Solution

Let $\mathbf{b}=x \hat{i}+y \hat{j}+z \hat{k}$ If $\mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b}=\mathbf{c}$, then $\mathbf{c}$ is perpendicular to both $\mathbf{a}$ and $\mathbf{b}$ $ \begin{aligned} \mathbf{b} \cdot \mathbf{c} & =0 \\ y-z & =0 \\ y & =z...(i) \end{aligned} $ Also $\mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b}=3$ $ \begin{array}{r} x+y+z=3 \\ x+2 y=3...(ii) \end{array} $ $ \mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b}=\mathbf{c} $ $ \left|\begin{array}{ccc} \hat{i} & \hat{j} & \hat{k} \\ 1 & 1 & 1 \\ x & y & z \end{array}\right|=\hat{j}-\hat{k} $ $ \begin{aligned} & \hat{i}(z-y)-\hat{j}(z-x)+\hat{k}(y-x)=\hat{j}-\hat{k} \\ & \Rightarrow x-z=1 \text { and } x-y=1...(ii) \end{aligned} $ Subtracting Eq. (ii) from Eq. (i), $ 3 y=2 \Rightarrow y=\frac{2}{3} $ Also, $z=\frac{2}{3}$ [from Eq. (i)] $ \begin{array}{cc} & x+y+z=3 \\ \Rightarrow & x+\frac{4}{3}=3 \Rightarrow x=\frac{5}{3} \\ \therefore & \mathbf{b}=\frac{1}{3}(5 \hat{i}+2 \hat{j}+2 \hat{k}) \end{array} $

Asked in: AP EAMCET 2022 (06 Jul Shift 2)

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