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MiscII · Q139

Q.Find two unit vectors each of which makes equal angles with uˉ,vˉ\bar u,\bar v and wˉ\bar w, where uˉ=2i^+j^−2k^\bar u=2\hat i+\hat j-2\hat k, vˉ=i^+2j^−2k^\bar v=\hat i+2\hat j-2\hat k and wˉ=2i^−2j^+k^\bar w=2\hat i-2\hat j+\hat k.

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uˉ=2i^+j^−2k^, vˉ=i^+2j^−2k^, wˉ=2i^−2j^+k^\bar u=2\hat i+\hat j-2\hat k,\ \bar v=\hat i+2\hat j-2\hat k,\ \bar w=2\hat i-2\hat j+\hat k; all three

have the same magnitude ∣uˉ∣=∣vˉ∣=∣wˉ∣=4+1+4=3|\bar u|=|\bar v|=|\bar w|=\sqrt{4+1+4}=3. A vector xˉ=x1i^+x2j^+x3k^\bar x=x_1\hat i+x_2\hat j+x_3\hat k makes equal angles with uˉ,vˉ,wˉ\bar u,\bar v,\bar w exactly when xˉ⋅uˉ=xˉ⋅vˉ=xˉ⋅wˉ\bar x\cdot\bar u=\bar x\cdot\bar v=\bar x\cdot\bar w (since all three have the same magnitude, equal angle   ⟺  \iff equal cosine   ⟺  \iff equal dot

product with a fixed ∣xˉ∣|\bar x|).

xˉ⋅uˉ=xˉ⋅vˉ⇒xˉ⋅(uˉ−vˉ)=0\bar x\cdot\bar u=\bar x\cdot\bar v\Rightarrow \bar x\cdot(\bar u-\bar v)=0. uˉ−vˉ=i^−j^\bar u-\bar v=\hat i-\hat j,

so x1−x2=0⇒x1=x2x_1-x_2=0\Rightarrow x_1=x_2. …

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