Q.Find the area of the parallelogram whose adjacent sides are determined by the vectors a=i^−j^+3k^ and b=2i^−7j^+k^.
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Cross Product Area
Area from the Cross Product
The cross product a×b of two vectors in 3D is itself a vector, and the most useful thing about its magnitude is that it measures area.
Place the two vectors tail-to-tail. They span a parallelogram. The magnitude of their cross product is exactly the area of that parallelogram:
Area of parallelogram=∣a×b∣=∣a∣∣b∣sinθ
where θ is the angle between them.
Why sine, not cosine
The area of a parallelogram is base × height. Take ∣a∣ as the base. The height is the part of b perpendicular to a, namely ∣b∣sinθ. Multiplying gives ∣a∣∣b∣sinθ — precisely ∣a×b∣. The dot product uses cosθ (overlap along); the cross product uses sinθ (spread across), and "across" is what builds area.
Area of a triangle
A triangle with adjacent sides a and b is half that parallelogram:
Area of triangle=21∣a×b∣
For a triangle with vertices A,B,C, take a=AB and b=AC.
A quick example
For a=i^+2j^ and b=3i^+j^,
a×b=i^13j^21k^00=(1⋅1−2⋅3)k^=−5k^. …
The area of a parallelogram formed by two adjacent vectors is the magnitude of their cross product.
Step 1 – Compute the cross product
a×b=i^12j^−1−7k^31=i^[(−1)(1)−(3)(−7)]−j^[(1)(1)−(3)(2)]+k^[(1)(−7)−(−1)(2)]
Step 2 – Simplify each component
=i^[−1+21]−j^[1−6]+k^[−7+2]=20i^+5j^−5k^ …
Area =∣a×b∣=152 square units.
The area of a parallelogram with adjacent sides a and b equals ∣a×b∣.
a×b=i^12j^−1−7k^31=((−1)(1)−(3)(−7))i^−((1)(1)−(3)(2))j^+((1)(−7)−(−1)(2))k^ …
Method: Area of a Parallelogram from the Cross Product
When two vectors are given as the adjacent sides of a parallelogram (or triangle) and you need the area, the tool is the cross product — its magnitude is the area.
Steps
Step 1: Recognise the geometry and pick the right formula
Two vectors a and b from a common vertex span a parallelogram of area
Area=∣a×b∣=∣a∣∣b∣sinθ.
A triangle on the same two sides has half this, 21∣a×b∣. Use sinθ (not cosθ) — area is about the perpendicular spread between the vectors.
Step 2: Compute the cross product as a 3×3 determinant …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using the dot product instead of the cross product
Why it's wrong: the dot product gives ∣a∣∣b∣cosθ, which measures alignment, not area. Correct approach: area needs the cross product magnitude ∣a×b∣=∣a∣∣b∣sinθ.
Mistake 2: Dropping the minus sign on the j^ component …
Showing the 12 most recent of 15 on this concept.
- GUJCET 2021Set 151 markMCQQ.The area of parallelogram whose adjacent sides are determined by the vectors a=i^−j^+3k^ and b=2i^−7j^+k^ is (A) 152 (B) 15 (C) 215 (D) 215
›Reveal solutionSolution
Parallelogram area = |axb|.
Concept. a×b=(a2b3−a3b2, a3b1−a1b3, a1b2−a2b1).
Solution. a=(1,−1,3), b=(2,−7,1):
a×b=(−1+21, 6−1, −7+2)=(20,5,−5). …
- GUJCET 2024Set 131 markMCQQ.The area of a parallelogram, whose adjacent sides are given by the vectors a=2i^+3j^+4k^ and b=−j^−2k^, is __________. (A) 23 (B) 6 (C) 24 (D) 26
›Reveal solutionSolution
Parallelogram area =∣a×b∣.
Steps. a=(2,3,4), b=(0,−1,−2).
a×b=(3(−2)−4(−1),−(2(−2)−4⋅0),2(−1)−3⋅0)=(−2,4,−2). …
- GUJCET 2019Set 171 markMCQQ.The angle between two adjacent sides a and b of parallelogram is 6π. If a=(2,−2,1) and ∣b∣=2∣a∣, then area of this parallelogram is . (A) 18 (B) 29 (C) 9 (D) 43
›Reveal solutionSolution
Parallelogram area =∣a∣∣b∣sinθ.
Steps.
- a=(2,−2,1)⇒∣a∣=3; ∣b∣=2∣a∣=6; θ=6π. …
- GUJCET 2025Set 031 markMCQQ.Area of a rectangle having vertices A, B, C and D with position vectors −i^+21j^+4k^, i^+21j^+4k^, i^−21j^+4k^ and −i^−21j^+4k^, respectively is _____. (A) 4 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 21
›Reveal solutionSolution
[!TLDR]
The emf is maximum at t=2ωπ.
Concept
In an AC generator the induced emf is sinusoidal: ε=ε0sin(ωt+ϕ). The condition ε=0 at t=0 fixes the phase ϕ=0, so ε=ε0sin(ωt).
Solution …
- GUJCET 2026Set x1 markMCQQ.The area of the triangle with vertices A(1,1,2), B(2,3,5) and C(1,5,5) is ______ (A) 43 (B) 243 (C) 61 (D) 261
›Reveal solutionSolution
Area =21∣AB×AC∣=261.
Form two edge vectors:
AB=(1,2,3),AC=(0,4,3)
Cross product:
AB×AC=(2⋅3−3⋅4,−(1⋅3−3⋅0),1⋅4−2⋅0)=(−6,−3,4)
Magnitude: …
- GUJCET 2022Set 081 markMCQQ.The area of a triangle having the points A(1,1,1), B(1,2,3) and C(2,3,1) as its vertices is ______. (A) 219 (B) 221 (C) 219 (D) 221
›Reveal solutionSolution
Triangle area from vertices = ½ of the magnitude of the cross product of two edge vectors.
Concept. Area=21AB×AC.
Solution. AB=(0,1,2), AC=(1,2,0).
AB×AC=(1⋅0−2⋅2,2⋅1−0⋅0,0⋅2−1⋅1)=(−4,2,−1) …
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If the position vectors of points A and B from the origin are a=2i^−3j^+2k^ and b=2i^+3j^+k^ respectively, then the area of triangle OAB= ____.(a) 229(b) 157(c) 21229(d) 21157
›Reveal solutionSolution
Area of △OAB=21∣a×b∣.
a×b=i^22j^−33k^21=i^(−3−6)−j^(2−4)+k^(6+6)=−9i^+2j^+12k^.
…
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The area of the triangle with vertices A(1,1,2), B(2,3,5) and C(1,5,5) = ____.(a) 241(b) 261(c) 251(d) 271
›Reveal solutionSolution
Area of a triangle with vertices A,B,C is 21∣AB×AC∣.
AB=(1,2,3), AC=(0,4,3).
AB×AC=i^10j^24k^33=i^(6−12)−j^(3−0)+k^(4−0)=−6i^−3j^+4k^.
…
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If a=i^−7j^+7k^ and b=3i^−2j^+2k^, then ∣a×b∣ = ____.(a) 192(b) 0(c) 19(d) 38
›Reveal solutionSolution
Compute the cross product directly and take its magnitude.
a×b=i^13j^−7−2k^72=i^(−14+14)−j^(2−21)+k^(−2+21)=0i^+19j^+19k^.
…
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The area of a parallelogram whose adjacent sides are a=j^+2k^ and b=i^+2j^ is ______.(a) 221(b) 42(c) 21(d) 2121
›Reveal solutionSolution
The area of a parallelogram equals ∣a×b∣.
a×b=i^01j^12k^20=i^(0−4)−j^(0−2)+k^(0−1)=−4i^+2j^−k^.
…
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.For the vectors a and b, ∣a∣=32, ∣b∣=3 and ∣a×b∣=1, then the angle between a and b is ______.(a) 6π(b) 4π(c) 3π(d) 2π
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use ∣a×b∣=∣a∣∣b∣sinθ.
…
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2022Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The area of a parallelogram whose adjacent sides are given by the vectors a=3i^+j^+4k^ and b=i^−j^+k^ is ___.(a) 21(b) 42(c) 42(d) 21
›Reveal solutionSolution
The area of the parallelogram is ∣a×b∣.
…
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