MAT 140 Problem Set 3 Selected Solutions PS 3

3. Determine the normal equations, vector equations and parametric equations of the
following planes in 3 ( 3 dimensional Euclidean space ) :

(a) The plane through the points P = (1, - 1, 2 ) , Q = ( 3, 1, 0 ) and R = ( 2, 1, 1) .

2

(b) The plane through the point P = (1, - 1, 2 ) with normal n = -1 .

1

(c) Find the intersection of the two planes from (a) and (b).
1 1

(d) The plane through R = ( 2, 1, 1) and direction vectors a = 1 and b = 2 .

1 3

x = 1 + t - s

(e) The plane through S = (1, 2, 3) parallel to the plane a : y = -1 + t + s

z = 2 - t + 2 s
x = 1 + t

(f) The plane through S = (1, 2, 3) perpendicular to the line l : y = -1 + t

z = 2 - t
(g) The plane through the point S = (1, 2, 3) parallel to the plane 3 x - 2 y + z = 7 .

(h) The plane through the points S = (1, 2, 3) and T = (1, 1, 3), and perpendicular to the
plane 3 x - 2 y + z = 7 .

Solutions:
0 1 x = 3 + s

(a) x + z=3 ( x, y, z ) = ( 3, 1, 0 ) + t 1 + s 0 y = 1+ t

0 -1 z = -s

0 1 x = 1 + s

(b) 2x - y + z = 5 ( x, y, z ) = (1, -1, 2 ) + t 1 + s 2 y = -1 + t + 2 s

1 0 z = 2 + t

1

(c) ( x, y, z ) = ( 3, 1, 0 ) + t 1

-1

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PS 3 Problem Set 3 Selected Solutions MAT 140

1 1 x = 2 + t + s

(d) x -2y + z =1 ( x, y, z ) = ( 2, 1, 1) + t 1 + s 2 y = 1 + t + 2s

1 3 z = 1 + t + 3s

1 -1 x = 1 + t - s

(e) 3x - y + 2 z = 7 ( x, y, z ) = (1, 2, 3 ) + t 1 + s 1 y = 2+t + s

-1 2 z = 3 - t + 2 s

0 1 x = 1 + s

(f) x+ y-z = 0 ( x, y, z ) = (1, 2, 3 ) + t 1 + s 0 y = 2+t

1 1 z = 3 + t + s

2 0 x = 1 + 2t

(g) 3x - 2 y + z = 2 ( x, y, z ) = (1, 2, 3 ) + t 3 + s 1 y = 2 + 3t + s

0 2 z = 3 + 2 s

0 3 x = 1 + 3s

(h) x - 3z = -8 ( x, y, z ) = (1, 2, 3 ) + t 1 + s -2 y = 2 + t - 2s

0 1 z = 3 + s

2 2

7. (a) Compute the cross product of u 1 = -3 and u 2 = 5 .

1 1

(b) Compute the area of the triangle OPQ where P = ( 2, - 3, 1) , Q = ( 2, 5, 1) and
O = ( 0, 0, 0 ) .
(c) Find the distance of the origin to the line through P and Q [ Hint: use part (b) ].
(d) Compute the area of the triangle SPQ where P = ( 2, - 3, 1) , Q = ( 2, 5, 1) and
S = (1, 2, 1) .
(e) (Bonus Question: Hard) Find all points T such that the area of the triangle TPQ
is 4.

Solutions:

2 2 -8

(a) u 1 u 2 = -3 5 = 0 (b) 1 || u 1 u 2 || = 4 5
2
1 1 16

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MAT 140 Problem Set 3 Selected Solutions PS 3

|| u 1 u 2 || 8 5
(c) Dist = = = 5
|| PQ || 8

|| PQ PS || 8
(d) Area = = = 4
2 2
(e) Consider the cylinder with central axis going through P and Q , and radius 1.
All the points T on this cylinder are precisely those for which TPQ = 4 . The
equation of this cylinder is ( x - 2)2 + ( z -1)2 = 1 . We could compute it directly as
follows:
2- x 2- x
1 1
4 = Area = || TP TQ || = -3 - y 5 - y =
2 2
1- z 1- z

8( z -1) z -1

= 1 0 = 4 0
2
-8( x - 2) -( x - 2)

= 4 ( x - 2) 2 + ( z -1) 2

( x - 2) 2 + ( z -1) 2 = 1

11. Find the distance of the point P = (1, - 3, 5) to the plane 3 x + 4 y -12 z = 9 .
| 3 1 + 4 (-3) -12 5 - 9 | | -78 |
Solution: = = 6
3 + 4 + (-12)
2 2 2 13

x = 5 - 4s

15. Find the distance of the point P = ( - 3, 3, 3) to the plane a : y = -2 + t - 2s .

z = 3 - 3t + 3s

Solution: First find the normal equation of the plane: 3 x -12 y - 4 z = 27

| 3 (-3) -12 3 - 4 3 - 27 | | -84 | 84

Hence: dist = = =
3 + (-12) + (-4)
2 2 2 13 13

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PS 3 Problem Set 3 Selected Solutions MAT 140

19. Find the distance of the point P = ( 2, 4, 3) to the plane through the points
P = (1, 1, 0 ) , Q = ( -1, 0, 2 ) and R = ( 0, - 2, 3) .

Solution: The plane is 3 x + 4 y + 5 z = 7 hence

| 3 2 + 4 4 + 5 3 - 7 | 30
Dist = = = 3 2 4.2426
50 50

23. Find the distance of the point P = ( 2, -1, - 3) to the plane

2 5

b : ( x, y, z ) = (1, 1, 1) + t -1 + s 0 .

-2 -3

Solution: The plane is 3 x - 4 y + 5 z = 4 hence
| 3 2 - 4 (-1) + 5 (-3) - 4 | 9 9 9
Dist = = = = 2 1.2728
50 50 5 2 10

x = 1 + 2t

27. Find the distance of the point Q = ( 3, - 2, 2 ) to the line m : y = 1 + 5t .

z = 1 + 3t
2 2

Solution: P = (1, 1, 1) is on the line. PQ = -3 . v = 5

1 3


|| PQ v || 6 13
Dist = = = 3 494 3.5094
|| v || 38 19

31. Find the distance of the point Q = ( 3, - 2, 2 ) to the line through the points
P = (-1, -4, -2) and R = (3, 6, 4) .
2

Solution: the line and point are the same as in problem 27: m: x = (3, 6, 4) + t 5

3

4 2
|| PQ v || 6 13 3 494
PQ = 2 and v = 5 : Dist = = =
|| v || 38 19
4 3

3.5094

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MAT 140 Problem Set 3 Selected Solutions PS 3

35. Compute the angles between the following pairs of vectors

1 1 5 -3 2 2

(a) u 1 = -4 , u 2 = 1 (b) u 1 = 3 , u 2 = 1 (c) u 1 = 1 , u 2 = 2 .

3 1 2 1 -5 1

u1 u 2
Solution: Use the formula: q = cos -1

|| u 1 || || u 2 ||
(a) 90 (b) 119.2825 (c) 86.5109

4

39. Compute the angle between the vector u = 2 and the plane x + 4 y - 3 z = 7 .

-1

4 1

Solution: The angle between the vector u = 2 and the normal n = 4 is

-1 -3


u n

q = cos-1 = 50.0633 , hence the angle between u and the plane is
|| u || || n ||

90 - 50.0633 = 39.9367

1 x = 1 + 3t - s

43. Compute the angle between the vector u = 2 and the plane y = 1- 2t + 4 s

3 z = -1 + t - 2s

1

Solution: The plane is y + 2 z = -1 . The angle between the vector u = 2 and

3

0
u n
-1

the normal n = 1 is q = cos = 17.0239 , hence the angle between
|| u || || n ||
2


u and the plane is 90 - 17.0239 = 72.9761

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PS 3 Problem Set 3 Selected Solutions MAT 140

47. Find the angle between the planes x + 2 y + 6 z = 5 and 2 x - 3 y + 5 z = 3 .

Solution: The angle between the two normal is: 48.7990 . This is also the angle
between the two planes.
x = 4 + t + s

51. Find the angle between the planes 3 x + 4 y + 2 z = 6 and y = 3 + 2t + s

z = -2 - t + s
Solution: The second plane has normal equation: 3 x - 2 y - z = 8 . The angle between
the two normals is: 92.8447 . Hence the angle between the two planes is: 87.1553
(the supplement).

55. Compute the angle between the plane x + 3 y - 4 z = 5 and the following lines:
1

(a) ( x, y, z ) = ( 3, 2, 1) + t -1

1

(b) The line through the points P = ( 2, 3, -1) and Q = (1, 6, 1) .
(c) The line through the points P = ( 3, 2, 1) and Q = ( 5, 2, 1) .
(d) The line through the points P = ( 3, 2, 1) and Q = ( 6, 4, 3) .
(e) The line through the points P = ( 3, 2, 1) and Q = ( 4, 4, 3) .

Solution: The angle between the normal n of the plane and the direction vector v of the
n v
-1
line is: q = cos .
|| n || || v ||

(a) q = 132.7941 hence the angle between the line and the plane is 42.7941

(b) q = 90 The line is parallel to the plane, but not in the plane! So strictly speaking
there is no angle between the line and the plane. But one could say that they intersect
at infinity and that the angle they make is 0 .
(c) q = 101.3099 hence the angle between the line and the plane is 11.3099

(d) q = 92.7263 hence the angle between the line and the plane is 2.7263

(e) q = 86.2518 hence the angle between the line and the plane is 3.7482

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MAT 140 Problem Set 3 Selected Solutions PS 3

59. Find the intersection of the line through the points P = ( 2, 3, 1) and Q = ( 5, - 3, 4 ) and
the plane x - y + 2 z = -4 .

x = 2 + t

Solution: The line has parametric equations: y = 3 - 2t . Intersecting these with the

z = 1 + t
plane gives us: (2 + t ) - (3 - 2t ) + 2(1 + t ) = -4 5t = -5 t = -1 . Hence the
x = 2 + (-1) = 1

point of intersection is: y = 3 - 2 (-1) = 5 i.e. (1, 5, 0 ) .

z = 1 + (-1) = 0

1

63. Find the intersection of the line ( x, y, z ) = ( 5, 1, 0 ) + t -1 and the plane through the

-1

points P = ( 2, 1, 0 ) , Q = ( 3, 0, 2 ) and R = (1, 5, 1)

Solution: The plane has normal equation: 3 x + y - z = 7 . Intersecting this with the
line gives us: 3(5 + t ) + (1- t ) - (-t ) = 7 3t = -9 t = -3 .
1

Hence the point of intersection is: ( 2, 4, 3) = ( 5, 1, 0 ) + (-3) -1

-1

1

67. Find the distance between the lines l : ( x, y , z ) = ( 2, 0, 3) + t 2 and

-3

2

m : ( x, y, z ) = (1, 1, - 1) + s 1 .

1

Solution: Note that the lines intersect in ( 3, 2, 0 ) [ when t = 1, s = 1 ]
Hence the distance between the two lines is 0

223
PS 3 Problem Set 3 Selected Solutions MAT 140

2

71. Find the distance between the lines l : ( x, y, z ) = (1, 5, 3) + t 1 and

-3

1

m : ( x, y , z ) = (1, 0, - 2 ) + s -4 .

5

Solution: Note that the lines are not parallel. The plane
1 2

a : ( x, y, z ) = (1, 0, - 2 ) + s -4 + t 1

5 -3

has normal equation: 7 x + 13 y + 9 z = -11 . Note that m is entirely in this plane and l
parallel to the plane. The distance between the two (non parallel) lines is the same as the
distance between the plane a and the line l , i.e. between the plane a and any point on
the line l :

| 7 1 + 13 5 + 9 3 + 11| 110 110 299

Dist = = = 6.3615
299 299 299

73. Find the intersection of the two planes x + y - 3 z = 3 and 3 x - y + z = 1 .

1

Solution: ( x, y, z ) = (1, 2, 0 ) + t 5

2

x = 4 + 2t

77. Find the intersection of the two planes x + 2 y + z = 9 and y = 3 - t + s

z = 2 + t + s
Solution: There are many ways to do this. For example one could first write the plane
given in parametric from as a normal equation: x + y - z = 5 .

x + 2y + z = 9
Then we intersect the two planes using the cross product etc.

x+ y-z =5

1 1 3

The direction vector of the line is 1 2 = -2 and a point on the line could

-1 1 1

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MAT 140 Problem Set 3 Selected Solutions PS 3

x + 2y +0 = 9
be found by taking e.g. z = 0 then x = 1 and y = 4

x + y -0 = 5

3

so that we get ( x, y, z ) = (1, 4, 0 ) + t -2

1

Here is another (simpler) method: since we have one plane in normal from and one in
parametric form we could simply substitute one in the other:

(4 + 2t ) + 2(3 - t + s ) + (4 + t + s ) = 9 t = -3s - 5
x = 4 + 2(-3s - 5)

So that the points of the intersection satisfy: y = 3 - (-3s - 5) + s

z = 2 + (-3s - 5) + s

x = -6 - 6 s -6


y = 8 + 4s which is a line ( x, y, z ) = (- 6 , 8, - 3 ) + s 4

-2
z = -3 - 2 s

3

Note that this is the same line as before ( x, y, z ) = (1, 4, 0 ) + t -2 [ check! ]

1

85. Find the distance between the planes 3 x + 4 y - 5 z = 2 and 6 x + 8 y -10 z = 2 .

Solution: Note that the second line can be written as 3 x + 4 y - 5 z = 1 . Hence the
distance between the two planes is:

2 -1 1 1 2
= = 0.1414
50 50 10

225