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Q.If the vectors α⃗=ai^+aj^+ck^\vec{\alpha} = a\hat{i} + a\hat{j} + c\hat{k}; β⃗=i^+k^\vec{\beta} = \hat{i} + \hat{k}; γ⃗=ci^+cj^+bk^\vec{\gamma} = c\hat{i} + c\hat{j} + b\hat{k} are coplanar, then prove that c2=abc^2 = ab.

West Bengal WbchseWest Bengal HS (WBCHSE) Board 2026Subjective· 2mImportance★★★★★
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Coplanar vectors have a vanishing scalar triple product; writing it as a 3×33\times3 determinant and expanding leaves c2−ab=0c^2-ab=0, i.e. c2=abc^2=ab.

Concept. Three vectors α⃗,β⃗,γ⃗\vec{\alpha},\vec{\beta},\vec{\gamma} are coplanar if and only if their scalar triple product (box product) is zero: [α⃗ β⃗ γ⃗]=0[\vec{\alpha}\ \vec{\beta}\ \vec{\gamma}]=0. This is because the box product measures the volume of the parallelepiped they span — coplanar vectors span zero volume. This vector-algebra idea is common to the NCERT Class 12 mathematics syllabus that WBCHSE follows.

Set up the determinant. With α⃗=ai^+aj^+ck^\vec{\alpha}=a\hat{i}+a\hat{j}+c\hat{k}, β⃗=i^+0j^+k^\vec{\beta}=\hat{i}+0\hat{j}+\hat{k}, γ⃗=ci^+cj^+bk^\vec{\gamma}=c\hat{i}+c\hat{j}+b\hat{k},

[α⃗ β⃗ γ⃗]=∣aac101ccb∣=0.[\vec{\alpha}\ \vec{\beta}\ \vec{\gamma}]=\begin{vmatrix} a & a & c \\ 1 & 0 & 1 \\ c & c & b \end{vmatrix}=0.

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