Draw any quadrilateral

Find the midpoints of each side

Connect them in order
And you get a parallelogram

This is always true no matter what quadrilateral you draw

Geometric problems like this can be understood using vectors.
Vectors are also used to understand physical situations, such as the motion of
objects acted on by different forces, as you will see further in A-Level Mechanics.

What is a vector?
A vector describes the direction and length of a movement
You have already met column vectors
when describing shape translations
6 left, 1 down
E

Vectors can also be represented

by a single letter in bold or by the
letters at the start and finish with
an arrow above them
Eg PQRS is a parallelogram
P

0 left/right, 5 up

b
F

Eg Write down the vector needed to

translate from:
0
6

F to E
E to D
5

PQ a SR

SP b RQ

Column vectors
Eg P is the point (1,5), Q is the point (9,3)
a) Write down the vector PQ
Write your answer as a column vector

9 1 8

PQ

3 5 2
M is the midpoint of PQ
(b) Find the vector QM
Write your answer as a column vector

QM PQ
1
1
2

R
P
M

PQR is a triangle. QR
3
(b) Find the vector PR
Write your answer as a column vector

PR PQ QR
8 1 7


2 3 1

Resultant vectors
The outcome of a combination of vectors is called a resultant vector
Eg If a and b are the vectors given below, draw diagrams to represent:
i) a + 2b

ii) b a

b a

a + 2b

iii) 3(a b) = 3a 3b

3(a b)

a + b means do a followed by b
b

a - b means do a followed by b backwards

Vectors can be manipulated algebraically

Resultant vectors
Eg In the following diagram, write some equations about the vectors

c g

2a e

3b f

ab d

bg a

g
b

dg e

f
a

Vectors
1. The diagram shows two vectors a and b.

P
b

PQ a 2b

On the grid above draw the vector PQ

2. p

Write down as a column vector

2 1 3

p q
3 1 2

6 1 5

3p q
9 1 10

a) Write down the vector PQ

Write your answer as a column vector

6 2 4

6 3 3

(ii) 3p q

3. The diagram is a sketch.

P is the point (2, 3)
Q is the point (6, 6)

PQ

(i) p q

0
QR PS
4

0

4

R is above Q

4
PQRS is a parallelogram. PR
7
(b) Find the vector QS
Write your answer as a column vector

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

4 0 4

QS QP PS
3 4 1

Eg PQRS is a parallelogram.
Find vectors for:

a) PR PQ QR a b
b) QS QP PS a b

c) QX where X is the midpoint of QS 21 QS

1
2

a b 21 a 21 b

1
1
1
1
d) PX PQ QX a 2 a 2 b 2 a 2 b

Y is the point on the line RS such that 2RY = SY

Find vectors for:
e) RY

1
3

RS 31 a

f) QY QR RY b 31 a
g) XY XQ QY

Y
2
3

21 a 21 b b 31 a 61 a 21 b

1
3

4. PQRS is a trapezium.
QP is parallel to RS.

QR a

RS c

QP = 3RS
Express in terms of a and/or c
(i) QP

(ii) SP

3c

Diagrams NOT
accurately drawn

SP SR RO OP c a 3c 2c a

QP 3c

5. OAB is a triangle. OA a

OB b

P is the point on AB such that AP : PB = 2 : 1

Write OP in terms of a and b

2
3

OP OA 32 AB

2
3

a b

a b
1
3

2
3

1
3

6. OPQ is a triangle. OP a
OQ b
T is the point on PQ for which PT : TQ = 2 : 1

(a) Write down, in terms of a and b,

an expression for PQ

1
3

b
2
3

PQ a b
O

(b) Express OT in terms of a and b.

Give your answer in its simplest form.

OT OQ QP b
1
3

1
3

a b

7. OABC is a trapezium.
OC is parallel to AB.

OA a

1
3

a b

AB = 2OC
X is the point on AB such that AX:XB = 3:1.

Express XC in terms of a and c.

AB 2c AX 32 c

Diagrams NOT
accurately drawn

2
3

3
4

OC c

1
4

a
O

XC XA AO OC 32 c a c 21 c a

Diagram NOT
accurately drawn

Eg OPQR is a trapezium with PQ parallel to OR.

OP 2b

PQ 2a

OR 6a

M is the midpoint of PQ
N is the midpoint of OR

(a) Find the vector MN in terms of a and b.

MN MP PO ON
2a 2b
2 lines AB and CD are parallel if

AB k CD for some value k

QR 2a 2b 6a 4a 2b

Q
X

2b
O

a 2b 3a

3a

R
N

X is the midpoint of MN
Y is the midpoint of QR.
(b) Prove that XY is parallel to OR.

XY XM MQ QY
21 MN MQ 21 QR
a b a 2a b
2a
OR 6a

OR 3 XY

Eg OAC, OBX and BQC are all straight lines

OA 4a

OB 4b

8a

AC 2OA and BQ : QC 1: 3
(a) Find, in terms of a and b,
the vectors which represent:

4a
(i) BC BO OC 4b 12a
(ii) AQ AB

1
4

BC

4a 4b b 3a
3b a
3 points ABC are on a straight line if

AC k AB for some value k

3
4

2
3

Q
1
3

1
4

4b

8b

Given that BX 8b
(b) show that AQX is a straight line.

AX AO OX
4a 12b

4 3b a

AX 4 AQ
and AQX is a straight line.

8. OABC is a parallelogram.
2
P is the point on AC such that AP = AC
3

OA 6a

OC 6c

(a) Find the vector OP

6a

Give your answer in terms of a and c

OP OA 32 AC
6a 32 6a 6c

B
2
3

P
1
3

2a 4c

6c

The midpoint of CB is M.
(b) Prove that OPM is a straight line.
As parallelogram, CB 6a CM 3a

OM OC 21 CB

6c 3a

OP 2 a 2c
OM 3 a 2c
OM 32 OP
and OPM is a straight line.

CD a

DE b

9. CDEF is a quadrilateral with

FC a b

(a) Express CE in terms of a and b.

ab
4
5

CE a b
(b) Prove that FE is parallel to CD.

FE FC CD DE a b a b 2a

1
5

FE 2CD so parallel
M is the midpoint of DE.

2a
Diagram NOT
accurately drawn

(c) Express FM in terms of a and b.

FM FE EM 2a 21 b
X is the point on FM such that FX : XM = 4 : 1
(d) Prove that C, X and E lie on the same straight line.

CX CF 54 FM a b 54 2a 21 b 35 a 35 b

CE a b CX 35 CE and CXE is a straight line.

3
5

a b

b
E

10.The diagram shows a regular hexagon ABCDEF with centre O.

OA 6a OB 6b

3
5

(a) Express in terms of a and/or b

(i) AB 6a 6b
(ii) EF OA 6a

6b

6a
F

2
5

X
C

X is the midpoint of BC.

(b) Express EX in terms of a and/or b

EX EB BX 12b 3a
Y is the point on AB extended, such that AB : BY = 3:2
(c) Prove that E, X and Y lie on the same straight line

EY EB 32 AB 12b 4a 4b 16b 4a
EX 3 4b a

EY 4 4b a EY 34 EX and EXY is a straight line.

A regular hexagon can be split into 6 equilateral triangles

Proving that the midpoints of any quadrilateral

form a parallelogram using vectors
C
F

a
B

EF EB BF b a
1
HG HD DC
2
1
c (2c 2b 2a)
2
c c b a
a b EF HG

H
c
A

Therefore 2 pairs of opposite sides with the

same length and direction - a parallelogram!

EH EA AH b c
1
FG FC CD
2
1
a (2a 2b 2c)
2
aabc

b c EH FG

Vectors
1. The diagram shows two vectors a and b.

P
b

PQ a 2b

On the grid above draw the vector PQ

2. p

Write down as a column vector

(i) p q

(ii) 3p q

3. The diagram is a sketch.

P is the point (2, 3)
Q is the point (6, 6)
Q

a) Write down the vector PQ

Write your answer as a column vector
P

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

4
PQRS is a parallelogram. PR
7
(b) Find the vector QS
Write your answer as a column vector

4. PQRS is a trapezium.
QP is parallel to RS.

QR a

RS c

QP = 3RS
Express in terms of a and/or c
(i) QP

(ii) SP

Diagrams NOT
accurately drawn

5. OAB is a triangle. OA a

OB b

P is the point on AB such that AP : PB = 2 : 1

Write OP in terms of a and b

P
O

6. OPQ is a triangle. OP a
OQ b
T is the point on PQ for which PT : TQ = 2 : 1

Q
T

(a) Write down, in terms of a and b,

an expression for PQ

b
O

(b) Express OT in terms of a and b.

Give your answer in its simplest form.

7. OABC is a trapezium.
OC is parallel to AB.

OA a

OC c

Diagrams NOT
accurately drawn
X

AB = 2OC
X is the point on AB such that AX:XB = 3:1.

Express XC in terms of a and c.

a
O

8. OABC is a parallelogram.
2
P is the point on AC such that AP = AC
3

OA 6a

OC 6c

(a) Find the vector OP

6a

Give your answer in terms of a and c

The midpoint of CB is M.
(b) Prove that OPM is a straight line.

6c

9. CDEF is a quadrilateral with

CD a

DE b

FC a b

(a) Express CE in terms of a and b.

ab

M
X

(b) Prove that FE is parallel to CD.

M is the midpoint of DE.

(c) Express FM in terms of a and b.

X is the point on FM such that FX : XM = 4 : 1

(d) Prove that C, X and E lie on the same straight line.

Diagram NOT
accurately drawn

10.The diagram shows a regular hexagon ABCDEF with centre O.

OA 6a OB 6b

(a) Express in terms of a and/or b

(i) AB
(ii) EF

6b

6a
F

X is the midpoint of BC.

(b) Express EX in terms of a and/or b

Y is the point on AB extended, such that AB : BY = 3:2

(c) Prove that E, X and Y lie on the same straight line