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                  | Question  16
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                     The position  vectors of points P, Q and R are 5i + 3j, 8i – j and 11i – 5j respectively. Show that P, Q and R are collinear. Find the scalars k1 and k2 such  that 37i – j = k1p +  k2 r where p and r are position vectors of P and R respectively. Given that m = 3i – 4j and n = 6i + 4j, find the angle between  the two vectors, correct to the nearest degree. |  
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                  | It was reported that this question was attempted by majority  of the candidates and their performance was described as fair. Candidates were  expected to respond as follows:In part (a), gradient of PQ =
  =  . Gradient of QR =  =  . Since the gradients were the same,  it implied that the points were collinear. K1p + k2r = k1(5i + 3j)  + k2(11i – 5j) = (5k1 + 11k2)i + (3k1 – 5k2)j. If k1p + k2r = 37i – j, then 5k1 + 11k2 = 37 and 3k1  – 5k2 = -1. Solving these equations simultaneously gave k1  = 3 and k2 = 2. In part (b), candidates were expected to recall that if θ was  the angle between two vectors m and n, then cos θ =
  . Here, m = 3i – 4j and n = 6i + 4j. |m| =  = 5. |n|  =  =  . Therefore, cos θ =  =  = 0.0555. hence, θ = cos-1(0.0555)  = 86.82o = 87o to the nearest degree. . |  
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