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LINES AND PLANES IN SPACE (Chapter 16)

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None of the planes are parallel. ) the line of intersection of any two is parallel to the third plane. (diag (8)) Case (2) If m 6= 1 there is a unique solution. (m 1)z = 9 m2 ) (m + 1)z = m2 9 m2 9 ) z= m+1

From row 2, 2y z = 0 ) y = 1 2z = From row 1, x = 3y + z =

m2 9 2(m + 1)

9 m2 3(m2 9) 2(m2 9) + = 2(m + 1) 2(m + 1) 2(m + 1)

The three planes meet at a unique point (diag (6)) 9 m2 m2 9 m2 9 , , provided m 6= 1. 2(m + 1) 2(m + 1) m + 1 b Comparing with a, 2 m = 1 and 9 m2 = 8 ) m = 1 8 8 8 ) the three planes meet at the point 4 , 4 , 2 , i.e., (2, 2, 4).

Example 24
a b Find the intersection of the planes: Hence solve: x + y + 2z = 2 2x + y z = 4 xyz =5 a The augmented matrix 1 2 1 1 x + y + 2z = 2 2x + y z = 4 Give a geometric interpretation of your result. 2 1 2 4 1 0 1 1 2 5 2 0

The system is consistent with infinite solutions. Let z = t so y = 5t, x = 2 + 3t, t 2 R are the solutions, ) the two planes meet in the line x = 2 + 3t, y = 5t, z = t, t 2 R : ! Note: This line passes through (2, 0, 0) has direction vector b
3 5 1

The solutions of the first 2 equations are x = 2 + 3t, y = 5t, z = t ffrom ag Substitution into the third equation gives 2 + 3t + 5t t = 5 ) 7t = 3 ) t= 3 7 15 3 ) x = 23 , y = , z = 7 7 7 15 3 ) the three planes meet at the unique point 23 7 , 7 , 7 .

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LINES AND PLANES IN SPACE (Chapter 16)

EXERCISE 16F
1 a1 x + b1 y + c1 z = d1 a2 x + b2 y + c2 z = d2 ? b Under what conditions will the planes in a be: i parallel ii coincident? c Solve the following using elementary row operations and interpret each system of equations geometrically: i x 3y + 2z = 8 ii 2x + y + z = 5 iii x + 2y 3z = 6 3x 9y + 2z = 4 xy+z = 3 3x + 6y 9z = 18 a How many solutions are possible when solving simultaneously:

2 Discuss the possible solutions of the following systems where k is a real number. Interpret the solutions geometrically: a x + 2y z = 6 b x y + 3z = 8 2x + 4y + kz = 12 2x 2y + 6z = k 3 For the eight possible geometric solutions of three planes in space, comment on the possible solutions in each case. For example,
Pz=Px=Pc

has infinitely many solutions where x, y and z are expressed in terms of two parameters s and t.

4 Solve the following systems using elementary row operations and in each case state the geometric meaning of your solution: a x + y z = 5 b x y + 2z = 1 c x + 2y z = 8 x y + 2z = 11 2x + y z = 8 2x y z = 5 4x + y 5z = 18 5x 2y + 5z = 11 3x 4y z = 2 d xy+z = 8 2x 2y + 2z = 11 x + 3y z = 2 e x + y 2z = 1 xy+z = 4 3x + 3y 6z = 3 f xyz = 5 x+y+z = 1 5x y + 2z = 17

5 Solve the system of equations

x y + 3z = 1 2x 3y z = 3 3x 5y 5z = k where k takes all real values. State the geometrical meaning of the different solutions.

6 Find all values of m for which x + 2y + mz = 1 2x + y z = 3 mx 2y + z = 1 has a unique solution. In the cases where there is no unique solution, solve the system. Give geometrical meanings to all possible solutions. Illustrate each case. 7 Find if and where the following planes meet: P1 : r1 = 2i j + (3i + k) + (i + j k) P2 : r2 = 3i j + 3k + r(2i k) + s(i + j) P3 : r3 =

2 1 2

! +t

1 1 0

! u

0 1 2

LINES AND PLANES IN SPACE (Chapter 16)

477

REVIEW SET 16A (2-D)


1 Find a the vector equation b the parametric equations 4 of the line that passes through (6, 3) with direction 3 .

2 Find the vector equation of the line which cuts the y-axis at (0, 8) and has direction 5i + 4j. x 18 7 = + t . Find m. 3 (3, m) lies on the line with vector equation y 2 4 4 Find the velocity vector of an object that is moving in the direction 3i j with a speed of 20 km h1 . 5 A particle at P(x(t), y(t)) moves such that x(t) = 4 + 8t and y (t) = 3 + 6t, where t > 0 is the time in seconds. The distance units are metres. Find the: a initial position of P b position of P after 4 seconds c speed of P d velocity vector of P. p 6 A yacht is sailing at a constant speed of 5 10 km h1 in the direction i 3j. Initially it is at point (6, 10). A beacon is at (0, 0) at the centre of a tiny atoll. a Find in terms of i and j : i the initial position vector of the yacht ii the direction vector of the yacht iii the position vector of the yacht at any time t hours, t > 0. b Find the time when the yacht is closest to the beacon. c If there is a reef of radius 8 km around the atoll, will the yacht hit the reef? 1 7 Submarine X23 is at (2, 4). It fires a torpedo with velocity vector 3 at exactly 1 2:17 pm. Submarine Y18 is at (11, 3). It fires a torpedo with velocity vector a at 2:19 pm to intercept the torpedo from X23. a b c d Find x1 (t) and y1 (t) for the torpedo fired from submarine X23. Find x2 (t) and y2 (t) for the torpedo fired from submarine Y18. At what time does the interception occur? What was the direction and speed of the interception torpedo?

8 Trapezoid (trapezium) KLMN is formed by the lines: x 2 5 x 33 11 line 1 (KL) is = + p ; line 2 (ML) is = + q ; y 19 2 y 5 16 x 3 4 x 43 5 = + r ; line 4 (MN) is = + s line 3 (NK) is y 7 10 y 9 2 where p, q, r and s are scalars. a b c d Which two lines are parallel? Why? Which lines are perpendicular? Why? Use vector methods to find the coordinates of K, L, M and N. Calculate the area of trapezium KLMN.

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