If $\overline{\mathrm{a}}$ and $\overline{\mathrm{b}}$ are two unit vectors such that…

If $\overline{\mathrm{a}}$ and $\overline{\mathrm{b}}$ are two unit vectors such that $\overline{\mathrm{a}}+2 \overline{\mathrm{~b}}$ and $5 \bar{a}-4 \bar{b}$ are perpendicular to each other, then the angle between $\bar{a}$ and $\bar{b}$ is
  1. $\frac{\pi}{4}$
  2. $\frac{\pi}{3}$
  3. $\cos ^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{3}\right)$
  4. $\quad \cos ^{-1}\left(\frac{3}{7}\right)$

Solution

Let $\theta$ be the angle between $\overline{\mathrm{a}}$ and $\overline{\mathrm{b}}$. Since $\overline{\mathrm{c}}=\overline{\mathrm{a}}+2 \overline{\mathrm{~b}}$ and $\overline{\mathrm{d}}=5 \overline{\mathrm{a}}-4 \overline{\mathrm{~b}}$ are perpendicular to each other. $\begin{aligned} \therefore \quad & \overline{\mathrm{c}} \cdot \overline{\mathrm{~d}}=0 \\ & \Rightarrow(\overline{\mathrm{a}}+2 \overline{\mathrm{~b}}) \cdot(5 \overline{\mathrm{a}}-4 \overline{\mathrm{~b}})=0 \\ & \Rightarrow 5(\overline{\mathrm{a}} \cdot \overline{\mathrm{a}})+6(\overline{\mathrm{a}} \cdot \overline{\mathrm{~b}})-8(\overline{\mathrm{~b}} \cdot \overline{\mathrm{~b}})=0 \\ & \Rightarrow 5|\overline{\mathrm{a}}|^2+6|\overline{\mathrm{a}}||\overline{\mathrm{b}}| \cos \theta-8|\overline{\mathrm{~b}}|^2=0 \\ & \Rightarrow 5+6 \cos \theta-8=0 \\ & \Rightarrow \cos \theta=\frac{1}{2} \\ & \Rightarrow \theta=\frac{\pi}{3} \end{aligned}$

Asked in: MHT CET 2024 (16 May Shift 1)

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