Grade 10 core mathematics – Vectors I Quiz

1. Which of the following best describes a vector?

A quantity with both magnitude and direction
A named point in the plane
A quantity with direction only
A quantity with magnitude only
Explanation:

A vector is defined by having both magnitude (size) and direction, unlike scalars which have magnitude only.

2. How is the vector from point A to point B commonly written?

vector AB
AB (as a number)
A + B
BA
Explanation:

The standard notation for the vector starting at A and ending at B is written as vector AB (often shown with an arrow AB).

3. What is the magnitude (length) of the vector (3, 4)?

3
4
7
5
Explanation:

Magnitude = sqrt(3^2 + 4^2) = sqrt(9+16) = sqrt(25) = 5.

4. Which is the unit vector in the direction of (3, 4)?

(3/5, 4/5)
(5/3, 5/4)
(3, 4)
(1, 1)
Explanation:

The unit vector is the vector divided by its magnitude: (3,4)/5 = (3/5,4/5).

5. Two vectors are equal if they have the same...

starting point
both magnitude and direction
direction only
magnitude only
Explanation:

Equal vectors must have identical magnitude and direction; their positions (starting points) may differ.

6. Find the resultant of the vectors (2, 1) and (1, 3).

(1, 2)
(2, 4)
(3, 4)
(0, -2)
Explanation:

Vector addition is component-wise: (2+1, 1+3) = (3,4).

7. What is 3 times the vector (2, -1)?

(2, -3)
(5, -2)
(6, 3)
(6, -3)
Explanation:

Scalar multiplication: 3*(2, -1) = (3*2, 3*(-1)) = (6, -3).

8. What is the vector from P(1, 2) to Q(4, 6)?

(-3, -4)
(4, 6)
(1, 1)
(3, 4)
Explanation:

Vector PQ = Q - P = (4-1, 6-2) = (3,4).

9. What is the position vector of point (3, -2) relative to the origin?

(3, -2)
(3, 2)
(0, 0)
(-3, 2)
Explanation:

The position vector from the origin to (3,-2) is simply (3,-2).

10. What is the magnitude of the vector from (-1, 0) to (2, -4)?

7
5
4
√13
Explanation:

Vector = (2-(-1), -4-0) = (3,-4); magnitude = sqrt(3^2+(-4)^2)=sqrt(9+16)=5.

11. What is the midpoint of A(1, 3) and B(5, 7)?

(3, 5)
(6, 10)
(2, 4)
(4, 6)
Explanation:

Midpoint = ((1+5)/2, (3+7)/2) = (3,5).

12. In parallelogram ABCD, AB = (2, 0) and AD = (0, 3). What is AC?

(2, 0)
(0, 3)
(2, 3)
(-2, -3)
Explanation:

Diagonal AC = AB + AD = (2,0)+(0,3) = (2,3).

13. What is the opposite of the vector (4, -2)?

(-4, -2)
(-4, 2)
(4, -2)
(2, -4)
Explanation:

The opposite (negative) of (4,-2) is (-4,2), reversing both components.

14. Are the vectors (2, 4) and (3, 6) collinear?

No, they point in different directions
Yes, because they are scalar multiples
Yes, but only if scaled by 0
No, because their magnitudes are different
Explanation:

(3,6) = 1.5*(2,4), so one is a scalar multiple of the other and they lie on the same line (are collinear).

15. Which pair of vectors is perpendicular?

(1, 1) and (2, 2)
(0, 2) and (0, 4)
(1, 2) and (2, -1)
(3, 0) and (6, 0)
Explanation:

Dot product = 1*2 + 2*(-1) = 2 - 2 = 0; zero dot product means perpendicular.

16. What is the length of the unit vector (5/13, 12/13)?

1
12/13
5/13
13
Explanation:

Unit vectors have length 1; check: sqrt((5/13)^2+(12/13)^2)=sqrt(25/169+144/169)=sqrt(169/169)=1.

17. If a vector v has magnitude 10 and is in the direction of (3, 4), what is v?

(10, 10)
(6, 8)
(3, 4)
(30, 40)
Explanation:

Unit vector in that direction is (3/5,4/5); multiply by 10 gives v = 10*(3/5,4/5) = (6,8).

18. If AB = (2, 1) and BC = (1, 2), what is AC?

(2, 3)
(3, 3)
(-1, -1)
(1, 1)
Explanation:

By the triangle rule AC = AB + BC = (2+1, 1+2) = (3,3).

19. If OA = (2, 3) and OB = (5, 7) (position vectors from the origin), what is AB?

(5, 7)
(3, 4)
(-3, -4)
(7, 10)
Explanation:

AB = OB - OA = (5-2, 7-3) = (3,4).

20. If |u| = 3, what is |2u|?

1.5
3
6
9
Explanation:

Scaling a vector by 2 scales its magnitude by 2: |2u| = 2|u| = 2*3 = 6.

21. Which of the following is a unit vector perpendicular to (1, 0)?

(1, 0)
(2, 0)
(0, 1)
(1, 1)
Explanation:

(0,1) has length 1 and dot product with (1,0) is 0, so it is a unit vector perpendicular to (1,0).

22. If vector v = (x, 4) has magnitude 5 and x is positive, what is x?

0
3
4
5
Explanation:

Solve sqrt(x^2+4^2)=5 → x^2+16=25 → x^2=9 → positive x = 3.

23. Find the value of k so that (k, 2) is perpendicular to (3, -6).

4
0
-4
2
Explanation:

Perpendicular when dot product is zero: 3k + 2*(-6) = 0 → 3k -12 =0 → k = 4.

24. What is u - v if u = (2, 1) and v = (1, -1)?

(3, 0)
(2, -2)
(1, -1)
(1, 2)
Explanation:

Subtract components: (2-1, 1-(-1)) = (1, 2).

25. If u + v = (5, 2) and u = (2, 3), what is v?

(3, -1)
(2, -1)
(-3, -1)
(7, 5)
Explanation:

v = (5,2) - u = (5-2, 2-3) = (3, -1).