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Question #40856

Difficulty: 8/10 | 🟢 Free

The Question

Let A,B,C,DA, B, C, D be four points in R3\mathbb{R}^3 such that the volume of the tetrahedron ABCDABCD is 77. Let MM be the 4×44 \times 4 matrix defined by M=(a⃗b⃗c⃗d⃗1111)M = \begin{pmatrix} \vec{a} & \vec{b} & \vec{c} & \vec{d} \\ 1 & 1 & 1 & 1 \end{pmatrix} where a⃗,b⃗,c⃗,d⃗\vec{a}, \vec{b}, \vec{c}, \vec{d} are the position vectors of A,B,C,DA, B, C, D respectively, and det⁡(M)>0\det(M) > 0. Let g⃗\vec{g} be the position vector of the centroid of the tetrahedron ABCDABCD. Let NN be a 4×44 \times 4 matrix whose columns are C1,C2,C3,C4C_1, C_2, C_3, C_4, where C1=(3a⃗−g⃗2),C2=(3b⃗−g⃗2),C3=(3c⃗−g⃗2),C4=(3d⃗−g⃗2)C_1 = \begin{pmatrix} 3\vec{a} - \vec{g} \\ 2 \end{pmatrix}, \quad C_2 = \begin{pmatrix} 3\vec{b} - \vec{g} \\ 2 \end{pmatrix}, \quad C_3 = \begin{pmatrix} 3\vec{c} - \vec{g} \\ 2 \end{pmatrix}, \quad C_4 = \begin{pmatrix} 3\vec{d} - \vec{g} \\ 2 \end{pmatrix} If P=13NP = \frac{1}{3} N, what is the value of det⁡(P)\det(P)?

Options

  • A.

    28

  • B.

    84

  • C.

    14

  • D.

    42

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Correct Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Explanation

How the Examiner Thinks

Monster

Ultra-high difficulty questions designed to test your limit, stamina, and deep conceptual understanding.

Concepts Behind This Question

Centroid of a Tetrahedron|Determinant Product Rule|Determinant Scaling Property|Collinearity vs Coplanarity

Why This Question Is Tricky

Common Mistakes

This question tests the geometric interpretation of determinants using homogeneous coordinates and the properties of block matrices.

The primary trap is the 'Determinant Scaling Property': students often incorrectly scale the 4×44 \times 4 matrix P=13NP = \frac{1}{3}N by (1/3)3(1/3)^3 instead of (1/3)4(1/3)^4, forgetting that the homogeneous representation adds a fourth dimension, leading to the distractor 84.

A secondary trap lies in ignoring the centroid shift or the modified last row, assuming the determinant simply scales by 333^3 from the 3a⃗3\vec{a} term, which leads to the distractor 14.

The elegant solution path requires recognizing NN as a product of a block upper triangular transformation matrix and the vertex matrix MM.

Quick Facts About This Question

Question Information

SubjectMathematics
ChapterIntroduction to Three-dimensional Geometry - Class 11
ConceptCentroid of a Tetrahedron
Difficulty8
Cognitive Load7
Target Solve Time160 sec
AccessFree