CHAPTER 12 VECTORS AND THE GEOMETRY IN SPACE

First method
������⃑
𝐷 = �𝑃 𝑜 𝐴� 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

������⃑
𝑃𝑜 𝐴 ∙ 𝐿�⃑
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 =
������⃑
�𝑃 �⃑
𝑜 𝐴��𝐿�

Second method
������⃑
𝑃 𝑜𝐴
������⃑
�𝑃 𝑜 𝐴 × 𝐿�
�⃑
𝐷 = 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑗 =
𝑁�⃑ �𝐿�⃑�

𝑥−2 𝑦−1 𝑧−2

Ex. Find the distance from the origin to the line = =
3 4 −5

Sol.
A(0,0,0) origin point
Po(2,1,2)
𝐿�⃑ = 3𝑖 + 4𝑗 − 5𝑘
������⃑
𝑃 𝑜𝐴
������⃑
�𝑃 𝑜 𝐴 × 𝐿�
�⃑
𝐷 = 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑗 =
𝑁�⃑ �𝐿�⃑�
������⃑
𝑃𝑜 𝐴 = −2𝑖 − 𝑗 − 2𝑘
𝑖 −𝑗 𝑘
������⃑
𝑃 �⃑
𝑜 𝐴 × 𝐿 = �−2 −1 −2� = 𝑖 (5 + 8) − 𝑗(10 + 6) + 𝑘(−8 + 3)
3 4 −5
= 13𝑖 − 16𝑗 − 5𝑘
������⃑
�𝑃 �⃑
𝑜 𝐴 × 𝐿 � = �13 + (−16) + (−5) = √450
2 2 2

�𝐿�⃑� = �32 + 42 + (−5)2 = √50

CHAPTER 12 VECTORS AND THE GEOMETRY IN SPACE

√450
𝐷= =3
√50

OR (second method)
������⃑
𝑃 𝑜𝐴 ∙ 𝐿
�⃑ −2(3) + (−1)(4) + (−2)(−5)
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = = =0
������⃑
�𝑃𝑜 𝐴��𝐿��⃑ √4 + 1 + 4√9 + 16 + 25
𝜋
∴𝜃=
2
𝜋
������⃑
𝐷 = �𝑃 𝑜 𝐴� 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = √9 𝑠𝑖𝑛 =3
2

Equation of plane
Note: to find equation of plane in space we need :
1- Point on the plane
2- Vector normal to the plane

𝑎(𝑥 − 𝑥𝑜 ) + 𝑏(𝑦 − 𝑦𝑜 ) + 𝑐 (𝑧 − 𝑧𝑜 ) = 0
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐𝑧 = 𝑎𝑥𝑜 + 𝑏𝑦𝑜 + 𝑐𝑧𝑜

Ex. Find plane through the points A(0,0,1),B(2,0,0),C(0,3,0).

Sol.
�����⃑ = 2𝑖 − 𝑘
𝐴𝐵
�����⃑
𝐴𝐶 = 3𝑗 − 𝑘
CHAPTER 12 VECTORS AND THE GEOMETRY IN SPACE

𝑖 −𝑗 𝑘
�����⃑ × �����⃑
𝐴𝐵 𝐴𝐶 = �2 0 −1� = 3𝑖 + 2𝑗 + 6𝑘
0 3 −1
𝑎=3 , 𝑏=2 , 𝑐=6
𝑥𝑜 = 0 , 𝑦𝑜 = 0 , 𝑧𝑜 = 1
3x+2y+6z=6

Problems