Vectors (Edexcel GCSE Maths: Higher): Exam Questions

Exam code: 1MA1

3 hours53 questions
1a
1 mark

The vector a and the vector b are shown on the grid.

1oyXjMTR_q1a-medium-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

On the grid, draw and label vector 2a

1b
2 marks

Work out a + 2b as a column vector.

2a
1 mark
q2a-medium-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

OAB is a triangle.

OA = aOB=b

Find   AB  in terms of a and b.

2b
3 marks

P is the point on AB such that AP : PB = 3 : 1

Find  OP in terms of a and  b.
Give your answer in its simplest form.

3a
1 mark
q3a-medium-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

PQRS is a parallelogram.
N is the point on  SQ such that  SN : NQ =3:2

PQ =aPS = b

Write down, in terms of a and b, an expression for SQ.

3b
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3 marks

Express NR in terms of a and b.

4
3 marks
q4-medium-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

OAB  is a triangle.
M is the midpoint of OA.
N is the midpoint of OB.

OM = m ON = n

Show that  AB is parallel to MN.

5a
1 mark
q5a-medium-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

OAYB is a quadrilateral.

OA =3aOB =6b

Express AB in terms of a and b.

5b
4 marks

X is the point on AB such that  AX: XB = 1 :2 and BY = 5ab

Prove that  OX = 25 OY

6
2 marks

Here are two vectors.

AB=(53)               CB=(24)

Find, as a column vector, AC

7
1 mark

ABCDEF and GHIJKL are regular hexagons each with centre O.

q14-4ma1-1h-qp-nov21-paper1-igcse-maths

GHIJKL is an enlargement of ABCDEF, with centre O and scale factor 2

OA = a       OB = b

Write the following vectors, in terms of  a and b.
Simplify your answers.

i) AB

[1]

ii) KI

[2]

iii) LD

[2]

8
4 marks

ABCDEF is a regular hexagon.

q22-paper1hr-jan2019-edexcel-igcse-maths

ABX and DCX are straight lines.

AB= a              BC = b

Find EX in terms of a and b.
Give your answer in its simplest form.

9
1 mark

Here is vector a.

q2-paper-1h-nov-2020-aqa-gcse-maths

Choose the column vector that represents a.

  • (32)

  • (32)

  • (32)

  • (32)

10
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1 mark

a=(32) and b=(15)

Work out a  3b

  • (617)

  • (613)

  • (017)

  • (013)

11a
2 marks

Vectors a and 4b are drawn on the grid.

q7-paper6-nov2020-ocr-gcse-maths

Write vector a as a column vector.

11b
2 marks

Find vector b as a column vector.

12
3 marks

Vector a=(31) and vector b=(13)

Gavin starts to draw a diagram to show that a+2b=(55)

q9b-paper6-nov2019-ocr-gcse-maths

Complete Gavin’s diagram.

13
3 marks

b is a vector.

Given that b + (52) is parallel to (21) , find two possible answers for b.

b = () or ()

14a
2 marks

Vector a=(21) , vector b=(21).

On each grid below, draw a vector to represent

q11a-paper5-june2017-ocr-gcse-maths
14b
1 mark

Emma says that if she draws vector a and vector b they will be the same.

Explain why this is incorrect.

15
3 marks

Vectors a, b, c, d and e are drawn on an isometric grid.

q1b-paper5-spec2015-ocr-gcse-maths

Write each of the vectors c, d and e in terms of a and/or b.

c = ....................

d = ....................

e = ....................

16
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2 marks

a = (47) b = (p5)

a and b are column vectors.

2ab=(79)

Find the value of p.

1a
1 mark
q1a-hard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

APB is a triangle.
N is a point on AP.

AB  =a              AN  =2b                NP  =b

Find the vector PB, in terms of a and b.

1b
4 marks

B is the midpoint of AC.
M is the midpoint of PB.

Show that NMC is a straight line.

2
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5 marks
Quadrilateral PQRS with vectors: PQ is 4b, QR is 8a, RS is 4a+2b, and PR is a diagonal. Arrows indicate vector directions.

PQRS is a quadrilateral.

QR=8a
QP=4b
RS=4a+2b

X is the point on PR such that  PX:XR=3:1.

Prove that X is the midpoint of QS.

3a
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2 marks
q2a-hard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

OPTR is a trapezium.

OP=a  PT=b OR = 3b

i) Find OT in terms of a and b

[1]

ii) Find PR in terms of a and b Give your answer in its simplest form.

[1]

3b
2 marks

S is the point on PR such that PS : SR = 1 : 3

Find OS in terms of a and b.
Give your answer in its simplest form.

3c
2 marks

What does your answer to part (b) tell you about the position of point S?

4
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4 marks
q3-hard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

OAB is a triangle.

OA =5a OB =2b

T is the point on  AB such that AT: TB=5 : 1

Show that  OT is parallel to the vector a + 2b

5a
2 marks
q4a-hard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

OA = 6a and OB = 6b
M is the midpoint of AB.

Write  OM in terms of a  and b.
Give your answer in its simplest form.

5b
4 marks

N is the midpoint of OB.
G is the point on OM such that OG : GM= 2 : 1

Show that AGN is a straight line.

6
5 marks
q5-hard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

CAYB is a quadrilateral.

CA = 3a CB = 6b BY =5ab

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

Prove that CX = 25CY

7
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4 marks
q6-hard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

OAB is a triangle.
P is the point on  AB such that  AP : PB = 5:3

 OA= 2a OB = 2b

OP = k(3a + 5b)  where k is a scalar quantity.

Find the value of k.

8
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3 marks
q23-4ma1-2h-qp-jan20-paper2-igcse-maths

ABC is a triangle.
The midpoint of  BC is M.
P is a point on AM.

AB = 4aAC = 2bAP = 32a + 34b

Find the ratio AP : PM

9
3 marks

OAB is a triangle.

OA=a

OB=b

The point C lies on OA such that OC : CA = 1 : 2
The point D lies on OB such that OD : DB = 1 : 2

Using a vector method, prove that ABDC is a trapezium.

10a
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3 marks

The diagram shows parallelogram ABCD.

q17-paper1h-june2018-edexcel-igcse-maths

AB=(27)       AC=(1011)

The point B has coordinates (5, 8)
Work out the coordinates of the point C.

10b
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2 marks

The point E has coordinates (63, 211)
Use a vector method to prove that ABE is a straight line.

11a
3 marks

The diagram shows triangle ABD.

q19-paper2h-spec2016-edexcel-igcse-maths

N is the midpoint of BC.

C is the midpoint of AD.

M is the point on AB such that AM:MB = 3 :1

AB = p     and    AC = q

Express, in terms of p and q,

i) BD

ii) MN

11b
2 marks

State, giving reasons, two different geometric facts relating MN and BD.

12
3 marks

In triangle JKL

M is the midpoint of
JK JN : NL = 3 : 2
KL=7a      NL=4b

q23-paper-3h-nov-2020-aqa-gcse-maths

Work out JM in terms of a and b.

Give your answer in its simplest form.

13
1 mark

PQR is a straight line.

PQ : QR = 3 : 1

PQ = a

q23-paper-2h-nov-2018-aqa-gcse-maths

Choose the vector RQ

  • 13a

  • 14a

  • 13a

  • 14a

14a
2 marks

a = (610)       b = (12)      c = (47)

Work out a + b + c

14b
2 marks

Show that a + 2c is parallel to b

15
3 marks
q23-paper2h-june2017-aqa-gcse-maths

Is BCD a straight line?
Show working to support your answer.

16
5 marks

Given that

      m(41) + n(52) = (126)

find the value of m and the value of n.

m = .......................

n = ....................... 

17
3 marks

Two vectors, a and b, are shown on the 1 centimetre grid below.

q10-paper6-june2018-ocr-gcse-maths

Show that the vector a + 2b has length 7cm.
You may use the grid below.

q10-2-paper6-june2018-ocr-gcse-maths
18
2 marks

Vector a=(21) , vector b=(21) and vector c=(120)

Find the value k so that k(ab)=c

k = .....................................................

19
5 marks

P, Q, R and S are the midpoints of OX, XY, YZ and OZ respectively.

q18-paper5-spec2015-ocr-gcse-maths

OP = aXQ = b and OS = c.

Show that PQ is parallel to SR.

20a
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4 marks

STUV is a quadrilateral.

Quadrilateral SVUT with arrows on sides: TS as 10a-2b, UT as 12b, UV as 6a.

TS=10a2b

UT=12b

UV=6a

W is the point on VT such that VW:WT=1:2.

Prove that UW=23WS

You must show all your working.

20b
2 marks

State two different facts about the geometric relationship between the point U, W and S.

21a
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3 marks

Let v=(23), w=(14) and x=2vw.

Write the vector x as a single column vector.

21b
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2 marks

Show that v+x is parallel to (11).

22
5 marks

PQRS is a parallelogram.

Parallelogram PQRS with diagonal lines PR and SQ intersecting at point M, and a point N on line PR. Arrows indicate vectors a and b.

PQ=aSP=b

M is the midpoint of PR.

N is the midpoint of PM.

Determine the vector NS in terms of a and b.

1a
3 marks

OACB is a parallelogram.

q1a-vhard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

OA = a and OB = b

D is the point such that AC = CD
The point N divides  AB in the ratio 2: 1

Write an expression for ON in terms of a and b.

1b
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3 marks

Prove that  OND is a straight line.

2
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4 marks
q2-vhard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

ABC is a straight line.

AB :BC = 2:5

OA = 2a+bOB =3a +2b

Express  OC  in terms of  a and b.

Give your answer in its simplest form.

3
5 marks
q3-vhard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

ACEF is a parallelogram.
B is the midpoint of AC.
M is the midpoint of BE.

CB = aED = bDC = 2b

Show that  AMD  is a straight line.

4
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4 marks
q4-vhard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

OABC is a parallelogram.
OA = a and OC  = c

X is the midpoint of the line AC.

OCD is a straight line so that OC : CD= k : 1

Given that XD = 3c 12a find the value of k.

5
5 marks
q5-vhard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

OAN, OMB and  APB are straight lines.
AN = 2OA.
M is the midpoint of OB.

OA=a                OB =b

AP = kAB  where k is a scalar quantity.

Given that  MPN is a straight line, find the value of k.

6
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5 marks
q6-vhard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

OMA, ONB and  ABC are straight lines.
M is the midpoint of OA.
B is the midpoint of AC.

OA = 6a        OB = 6b        ON = kb 
where k is a scalar quantity.

Given that  MNC is a straight line, find the value of k.

7a
2 marks

CDEF is a quadrilateral.

q7a-vhard-4-13-vectors-edexcel-gcse-maths

CD = a,    DE =b    and     FC = a b.

Express  FE  in terms of a and/or  b.
Give your answer in its simplest form.

7b
4 marks

M is the midpoint of DE.
X is the point on  FM such that FX:XM= n : 1
CXE is a straight line.

Work out the value of n.

8
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5 marks

The diagram shows triangle OAB

q22-january-2022-1h-edexcel-igcse-maths

OA=8a     OB=6b
M is the point on OB such that OM:MB = 1 :2
N is the midpoint of AB
P is the point of intersection of ON and AM

Using a vector method, find OP as a simplified expression in terms of a and b
Show your working clearly.

OP= ...................................

9
5 marks

OXYZ is a trapezium.

q24-4ma1-1hr-qp-jan22-paper1-igcse-maths

OX=a

XY=b

OZ=3b

M is the midpoint of OX
N is the point such that  MNZ and  ONY are straight lines.
Given that ON : OY = λ : 1
use a vector method to find the value of λ

λ = ....................................................

10a
2 marks

In the diagram

DE=aDH=bHG=8bEX:XH=3:1EF:FG=1:3

q27-paper-3h-nov-2021-aqa-gcse-maths

Show that  DX=14a+34b

10b
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4 marks

Is DXF a straight line?

Show working to support your answer.

11
3 marks

Here is quadrilateral PQRS.

PS=a      SR=b     RQ=c

PS and QR are not parallel.

q27-paper3h-nov2019-aqa-gcse-maths

X is a point on PS where    PX : XS = 1 : 2

Y is a point on RQ where         RY : YQ = 2 : 1

q27-2-paper3h-nov2019-aqa-gcse-maths

Is XY parallel to PQ?

Show working to support your answer.

12
3 marks

ABCDE is a pentagon.

q26-paper2h-nov2017-aqa-gcse-maths

Show that BCDE is a parallelogram.

13
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4 marks

Vector m=(2k) and vector n =(311)

Vector 2m + n  is parallel to (11)

Find the value of k.

k=.........................................

14
5 marks

The diagram shows triangle OAB and points C and D.

q15-paper4-june2019-ocr-gcse-maths

OA = 3a and OB = 3b.
C lies on AB such that AC = 2CB.
D is such that BD = + 2a + b.
Show, using vectors, that OCD is a straight line.

15
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3 marks

ABCD is a parallelogram.

q16-paper6-nov2017-ocr-gcse-maths

BD = a and AD = b.
F is the midpoint of BC.
G is the midpoint of DC.
AE = 3EB.

Prove that  EF and  AG  are parallel.