Q.The projection of the vector i^+2j^ on x-axis is _____.
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Vector Projection
Picture a stick leaning in sunlight with the sun directly overhead: the shadow it casts on the ground is the projection of the stick onto the ground. The stick is your vector, the ground is the direction you project onto, and the shadow tells you how much of the stick lies along that direction.
That is the whole idea: projection answers "how much of this vector points in that particular direction?"
The Geometry
Take two vectors a and b. The projection of a onto b is a new vector that
- lies along the line of b (parallel to b), and
- has length equal to how much of a points along b.
The scalar projection is a number; the vector projection is a vector — same information, but the vector version also carries direction.
The Formula
For b=0,
projba=∥b∥2a⋅bb,compba=∥b∥a⋅b.
Why it works: a⋅b measures how much a "agrees" with b (positive if aligned, negative if opposed, zero if perpendicular). Dividing by ∥b∥2 turns that into the signed length of the shadow relative to b, and multiplying by b places that length along b.
A Quick Example
Let a=(3,4) and b=(1,1) (the line y=x):
- a⋅b=3+4=7, and ∥b∥2=2
- projba=27(1,1)=(3.5,3.5)
The shadow sits exactly on the line y=x. …
The projection of a vector on the x-axis is simply its i^-component. …
The projection of a vector on the x-axis is simply its i^-component.
…
Showing the 12 most recent of 26 on this concept.
- CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQQ.The projection of the vector i+3j+7k on the vector 2i−3j+6k is(a) 5(b) 25(c) 6(d) none of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
Scalar projection of a on b is ∣b∣a⋅b.
With a=i+3j+7k and b=2i−3j+6k:
a⋅b=(1)(2)+(3)(−3)+(7)(6)=2−9+42=35, …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Write the projection of the vector i^−j^ on the vector i^+j^.(a) 0(b) 1(c) -1(d) 2
›Reveal solutionSolution
The two vectors are perpendicular, so the projection is 0.
The projection of vector u on vector v is
projvu=∣v∣u⋅v
Here u=i^−j^ and v=i^+j^.
Dot product:
u⋅v=(1)(1)+(−1)(1)=1−1=0
Since the dot product is 0, the projection is
projvu=∣v∣0=0
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Find the projection of vector a=2i^+3j^+2k^ on the vector b=i^+2j^+k^.(a) 23(b) 610(c) 106(d) None of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
The projection of a on b is ∣b∣a⋅b.
a⋅b=(2)(1)+(3)(2)+(2)(1)=2+6+2=10
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.If a⃗ = 2î + 3ĵ + 5k̂ and b⃗ = 3î + ĵ + k̂, then find the projection of a⃗ on b⃗.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Projection of a on b is ∣b∣a⋅b.
a⋅b=2(3)+3(1)+5(1)=6+3+5=14
∣b∣=32+12+12=11
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The scalar projection of the vector 3i^−j^−2k^ on the vector i^+2j^−3k^ is(a) 147(b) 147(c) 136(d) 27
›Reveal solutionSolution
a⋅b=7, ∣b∣=14, so projection =147.
With a=3i^−j^−2k^ and b=i^+2j^−3k^:
a⋅b=(3)(1)+(−1)(2)+(−2)(−3)=3−2+6=7.
∣b∣=12+22+(−3)2=14.
…
- CBSE 2025Set 65/2/11 markMCQQ.The projection vector of vector a on vector b is: (A) (∣b∣2a⋅b)b (B) ∣b∣a⋅b (C) ∣a∣a⋅b (D) (∣a∣2a⋅b)b
›Reveal solutionSolution
The projection vector of a on b is the component of a that lies along the direction of b, and it is given by the formula (∣b∣2a⋅b)b.
When we talk about the projection of vector a onto vector b, we are essentially asking: "How much of vector a points in the same direction as vector b?" Imagine shining a light perpendicular to vector b. The shadow of a cast on the line containing b is its projection.
This projection is itself a vector. It will always point in the same direction as b (or opposite, if the angle between a and b is obtuse). To define this vector, we need two things: its magnitude and its direction.
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Determine the magnitude of the projection (Scalar Projection).
Let θ be the angle between vectors a and b. Geometrically, if we drop a perpendicular from the tip of a onto the line containing b, the length of the segment formed on b is the magnitude of the projection. This length is given by ∣a∣cosθ.
We know the dot product of two vectors is defined as:
a⋅b=∣a∣∣b∣cosθ
From this, we can express $|\vec{a}|\cos\theta$ as:∣a∣cosθ=∣b∣a⋅b
This value, $\frac{\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b}}{|\vec{b}|}$, is called the **scalar projection** of $\vec{a}$ on $\vec{b}$. It tells us the "length" of the projection, including a sign that indicates whether it's in the same or opposite direction as $\vec{b}$. > [!WARNING] > A common mistake is to confuse the scalar projection with the vector projection. The scalar projection is a number (a scalar), while the vector projection is a vector. Option (B) in the question represents the scalar projection.2. Determine the direction of the projection.
Since the projection vector lies along b, its direction must be the same as the direction of b. The unit vector in the direction of b is given by:
b^=∣b∣b
- Combine magnitude and direction to form the vector projection. To get the vector projection, we multiply its magnitude (the scalar projection) by its direction (the unit vector b^). Let projba denote the vector projection of a on b. …
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- CBSE 2025Set X11 markQ.The projection of vector i^+j^ along the vector i^−j^ is __________.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The vectors are perpendicular (a⋅b=0), so the projection is 0.
Concept: The (scalar) projection of a along b is ∣b∣a⋅b.
Step 1 — Dot product.
With a=i^+j^ and b=i^−j^,
a⋅b=(1)(1)+(1)(−1)=0.
Step 2 — Magnitude of b. …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The projections of a line segment on X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis are 12, 4 and 3 respectively. What is the length of the line segment?(i) 12(ii) 13(iii) 4(iv) 3
›Reveal solutionSolution
The length of a line segment equals the square root of the sum of the squares of its projections on the three axes.
If a line segment has projections a,b,c on the X,Y,Z axes, its length is a2+b2+c2.
…
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markQ.The projection of the vector i^+2j^ on x-axis is _____.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The projection of a vector on the x-axis is simply its i^-component.
…
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If the projection of a=i^−2j^+3k^ on b=2i^+λk^ is zero, then the value of λ is(a) 0(b) 1(c) −32(d) −23
›Reveal solutionSolution
A zero projection means the dot product a·b is zero; solve for λ.
a=i^−2j^+3k^, b=2i^+0j^+λk^
The projection of a on b is ∣b∣a⋅b. This is zero exactly when a⋅b=0 (since ∣b∣=0).
…
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The projection of the vector a⃗ = 2î + 3ĵ + 2k̂ on the vector b⃗ = î + 2ĵ + k̂ is :(a) 10/√6(b) −10/√6(c) 5/√6(d) −5/√6
›Reveal solutionSolution
Projection of a on b is ∣b∣a⋅b.
Given a=2i^+3j^+2k^ and b=i^+2j^+k^:
a⋅b=2(1)+3(2)+2(1)=2+6+2=10.
∣b∣=12+22+12=6.
…
- CBSE 20241 markMCQQ.If a=2i^−2j^+k^, b=i^+2j^−3k^ and c=2i^−j^+4k^, then the projection of (c−b) along a is: (A) 15 (B) 5 (C) 32 (D) 1
›Reveal solutionSolution
The projection of a vector onto another is the scalar component along that direction, found by the dot product divided by the magnitude of the reference vector. Here, the projection of (c−b) along a equals 5, which corresponds to option (B).
The idea of projection is simple: if you shine a light straight down onto a line, the shadow a vector casts on that line is its projection. The scalar projection (what we want here) is just the length of that shadow — how much of one vector points in the direction of another. It’s given by the formula:
Projection of u along v=∣v∣u⋅v
This is a scalar (could be positive or negative), telling you the signed magnitude of the component of u in the direction of v. No unit vector needed — just the dot product divided by the length of the reference vector.
Let’s apply this step by step.
- Find the vector we’re projecting: c−b c=2i^−j^+4k^ b=i^+2j^−3k^ Subtract component-wise:
c−b=(2−1)i^+(−1−2)j^+(4−(−3))k^=i^−3j^+7k^
- Compute the dot product of (c−b) with a a=2i^−2j^+k^
(c−b)⋅a=(1)(2)+(−3)(−2)+(7)(1)=2+6+7=15
- Find the magnitude of a
∣a∣=22+(−2)2+12=4+4+1=9=3
- Apply the projection formula …
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