Q.If θ is the angle between two vectors i^−2j^+k^ and 3i^−2j^+k^, find sinθ.
🔒You're viewing a preview — the full solution, concept, methods & PYQ mapping are locked.
🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Dot Product Angle
Finding the Angle Between Vectors
Suppose you have two arrows drawn from the same point. One question is unavoidable in geometry, physics, and mechanics: what is the angle between them? You could measure it with a protractor on paper, but that fails the moment the vectors live in 3D. The dot product gives you the angle by pure calculation.
The Core Idea
The scalar (dot) product of two vectors has two faces that describe the same number:
a⋅b=a1b1+a2b2+a3b3(components)
a⋅b=∣a∣∣b∣cosθ(geometry)
The first is easy to compute from coordinates; the second hides the angle θ (with 0≤θ≤π) between the vectors. Setting them equal and solving for cosθ gives the master formula.
cosθ=∣a∣∣b∣a⋅b,θ=cos−1(∣a∣∣b∣a⋅b)
Why It Works
Both vectors have a fixed length, so the only thing the dot product can "vary" with is how aligned they are. When they point the same way, cosθ=1 and the dot product is as large as possible, ∣a∣∣b∣. When they are perpendicular, cosθ=0 and the dot product vanishes. When they point opposite ways, cosθ=−1. Dividing a⋅b by the two lengths simply strips away the size information and leaves behind a pure measure of alignment — exactly cosθ.
The sign of the dot product tells you the type of angle at a glance: positive ⇒ acute, zero ⇒ right angle, negative ⇒ obtuse.
Using the Formula
For a=i^+2j^+2k^ and b=i^+0j^+0k^:
a⋅b=1,∣a∣=3,∣b∣=1
cosθ=3⋅11=31⇒θ=cos−131≈70.5∘ …
Find cosθ from the dot product, then sinθ=1−cos2θ (equivalently use ∣a×b∣). …
sinθ=21105.
Concept. cosθ=∣a∣∣b∣a⋅b, and ∣a×b∣=∣a∣∣b∣sinθ.
Why this method. The cross-product route gives sinθ directly and avoids sign ambiguity.
Working. Let a=i^−2j^+k^, b=3i^−2j^+k^.
∣a∣=1+4+1=6,∣b∣=9+4+1=14.
a×b=i^13j^−2−2k^11=(0)i^−(−2)j^+(4)k^=2j^+4k^, …
Showing the 12 most recent of 14 on this concept.
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The angle between the vectors i^−j^−k^ and i^−j^+k^ is ____.(a) sin−1322(b) cos−1(−31)(c) cos−1322(d) sin−1(−31)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Find cosθ from the dot product, then express the same acute angle using sinθ.
Let a=i^−j^−k^, b=i^−j^+k^. a⋅b=1+1−1=1. ∣a∣=∣b∣=3.
…
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If a=5i^−j^−3k^ and b=i^+3j^−5k^, then the measure of the angle between the vectors a+b and a−b = ____.(a) 0(b) π(c) 2π(d) 3π
›Reveal solutionSolution
(a+b)⋅(a−b)=∣a∣2−∣b∣2; if this is zero the vectors are perpendicular.
∣a∣2=25+1+9=35, ∣b∣2=1+9+25=35.
…
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If θ is the angle between any two vectors a and b, then for θ = ____, ∣a⋅b∣=∣a×b∣.(a) 0(b) 2π(c) 4π(d) π
›Reveal solutionSolution
∣a⋅b∣=∣a∣∣b∣∣cosθ∣ and ∣a×b∣=∣a∣∣b∣sinθ; equating gives tanθ=1.
…
- GUJCET 2024Set 131 markMCQQ.The angle 'θ' between the vectors a=i^−j^+k^ and b=i^+j^−k^ is __________. (A) sin−1(−31) (B) cos−1(−31) (C) sin−131 (D) cos−131
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use cosθ=∣a∣∣b∣a⋅b.
Steps. a=(1,−1,1), b=(1,1,−1).
a⋅b=1−1−1=−1,∣a∣=∣b∣=3. …
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The angle between the vectors a=6i^+2j^−8k^ and b=4i^−4j^+2k^ is ______.(a) 3π(b) 2π(c) 4π(d) 0
›Reveal solutionSolution
A zero dot product means the vectors are perpendicular.
a⋅b=6(4)+2(−4)+(−8)(2)=24−8−16=0.
…
- GUJCET 2023Set 091 markMCQQ.Let the vectors a and b be such that ∣a∣=3 and ∣b∣=32 and a×b is a unit vector, then the angle between a and b is : (A) 2π (B) 3π (C) 6π (D) 4π
›Reveal solutionSolution
The magnitude of a cross product is ∣a∣∣b∣sinθ; setting it to 1 fixes the angle.
Concept: ∣a×b∣=∣a∣∣b∣sinθ. Here the cross product is a unit vector, so its magnitude is 1. …
- GUJCET 2022Set 081 markMCQQ.Let the vectors a and b be such that ∣a∣=3 and ∣b∣=32. If a×b is a unit vector, then the angle between a and b is ______. (A) 2π (B) 4π (C) 3π (D) 6π
›Reveal solutionSolution
∣a×b∣=∣a∣∣b∣sinθ=1 solves to θ=4π. …
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2022Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If ∣a∣=10, ∣b∣=2 and a⋅b=12, then value of ∣a×b∣ is ___.(a) 5(b) 10(c) 16(d) 14
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use the identity ∣a×b∣2=∣a∣2∣b∣2−(a⋅b)2.
…
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2022Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The angle 'θ' between the vectors a=i^+j^+k^ and b=i^−j^+k^ is ___.(a) sin−1(322)(b) cos−1(−31)(c) −sin−1(322)(d) None of the above
›Reveal solutionSolution
Find cosθ from the dot product, then express as an sin−1 angle.
a⋅b=1−1+1=1, ∣a∣=∣b∣=3.
cosθ=3⋅31=31.
…
- GUJCET 2021Set 151 markMCQQ.Let the vector a and b be such that ∣a∣=3 and ∣b∣=32, then a×b is unit vector, if the angle between a and b is (A) 6π (B) 3π (C) 4π (D) 2π
›Reveal solutionSolution
Set the magnitude of the cross product to 1 and solve for the angle.
Concept. ∣a×b∣=∣a∣∣b∣sinθ. …
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2020Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Measure of the angle between the vectors a=^−^+k^ and b=^+^+k^ is ___.(a) cos−131(b) π−cos−131(c) sin−1322(d) sin−131
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use cosθ=∣a∣∣b∣a⋅b, then convert to the equivalent sin−1 form to match the given options.
a=^−^+k^, b=^+^+k^. a⋅b=1−1+1=1. ∣a∣=∣b∣=3.
cosθ=3⋅31=31, so θ=cos−131 (an acute angle, since cosθ>0).
…
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2020Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Let ∣x∣=∣y∣=∣x+y∣=1 and if measure of the angle between x and y is α, then sinα= ___(a) −23(b) 23(c) −21(d) 1
›Reveal solutionSolution
Square the condition ∣x+y∣=1 to extract x⋅y, hence cosα, then find sinα.
∣x+y∣2=∣x∣2+∣y∣2+2x⋅y=1+1+2x⋅y=1⇒x⋅y=−21.
…
🎓Unlock everything free for 14 days
- ✓Full step-by-step solutions
- ✓Concept-first explanations
- ✓Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
- ✓PYQ mapping + timed mock tests
Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.