Skip to content
MathsGenie logo
Quick links
Open app

Course home

  1. A Level
  2. Maths OCR (MEI)
  3. Question bank

3.2.12 Vectors to solve kinematics problems (A-level only)

MediumHard
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
Question 10

The unit vectors i\mathbf{i}i and j\mathbf{j}j are directed east and north. At time t=0t = 0t=0 seconds, runner A A\,A is 10 m east of a fixed marker O O\,O and is running with constant velocity (−4i+5j)(-4\mathbf{i} + 5\mathbf{j})(−4i+5j) m s−1\text{s}^{-1}s−1. At the same time, runner B B\,B is 15 m north of O O\,O and is running with constant velocity (−2i+2j)(-2\mathbf{i} + 2\mathbf{j})(−2i+2j) m s−1\text{s}^{-1}s−1.

a.

Show that, at time t t\,t seconds, the position vector of A A\,A is [(10−4t)i+5tj][(10 - 4t)\mathbf{i} + 5t\mathbf{j}][(10−4t)i+5tj] m and find a similar expression for the position vector of B B\,B at this time.

[5]
b.

Hence show that, at time ttt, the position vector of B B\,B relative to A A\,A is [(2t−10)i+(15−3t)j][(2t - 10)\mathbf{i} + (15 - 3t)\mathbf{j}][(2t−10)i+(15−3t)j] m

[2]
c.

By using your answer to part (b), or otherwise, show that the runners would collide if they continued at the same velocities and find the time at which the collision would occur.

[3]

3.2.12 Vectors to solve kinematics problems (A-level only) Questions

  1. A Level
  2. /Maths
  3. /3.2.12 Vectors to solve kinematics problems (A-level only)