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    				| 1. | If with reference to the right handed system of mutually perpendicular unit vectors i, j and k, vector α = 3i - j, vector β = 2i + j - 3k, then express vector β in the form vector β = vector(β1 + β2), where vector β1 is parallel to vector α and vector β2 is perpendicular to vector α. | 
| Answer» Let vector β1 = λ vector α, λ is a scalar, i.e. vector β1 = 3λi - λj. Now, vector β2 = vector(β - β1) = (2 - 3λ)i + (1 + λ)j - 3k Now, since vector β2 is perpendicular vector α, we should have vector (α x β) = 0 i.e., 3(2 - 3λ) - (1 + λ) = 0 ⇒ 6 - 9λ - 1 - λ = 0 ⇒ 5 - 10λ = 0 ⇒ 10λ = 5 ⇒ λ = 5/10 = 1/2 Therefore vector β1 = 3/2i - 1/2j and vector β2 = 1/2i + 3/2j - 3k | |