Exercise 9F

1 Let A be a general point on the first line and B be a general point on the second line,
 2   3 
   
then AB   2   t  4  , where t     .
Find the minimum value of the
0 5
    quadratic by using calculus, or
completion of the square.
Let the distance AB = x
then x 2  (2  3t )2  (2  4t ) 2  (5t )2  8  4t  50t 2
1
The minimum value of x2 occurs when t 
25
4 50
So x 2  8  
25 625
198

25
198
x  or 2.81 (3 s.f .)
5

2 Let the lines respectively be l1 and l2

Let A and B be general points on l1 and l2 respectively.
 5    4 
 
 AB   3    2 
 1    3 
 
AB perpendicular to l1
 5    4    1
   
  3    2     1   0
 1    3   1
   
   3  3
AB perpendicular to l2
 5    4   4 
   
 3    2    2   0
 1    3   3 
   
 9  29  29
Solving these simultaneous equations,
  0,   1
1
 
 AB   1 
 2 
 
| AB | 12  12   2   6
2

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  7  6   1 
   
3 a  3  2    1  2  
 1  4   2 
   
i component     4
3
k component     1
4
So the equations aren't consistent
Therefore, l1 and l2 do not intersect

Let A and B be general points on l1 and l2 respectively.

  8  6 
 
 AB   2  2  2  
 1  4 
 
AB is perpendicular to l1
 8  6   6 
   
  2  2  2    2   0
 1  4   
   4 
 14    14
AB is perpendicular to l2
  8  6   0 
   
 2  2  2    2   0
 1  4   
   0
     1
Solving these simultaneous equations,
  1,   0
 2 
 
 AB   0 
 3 
 
 2    3
2 2
| AB |  13  3.61 (3 s.f.)

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3 b Assume that l1 and l2 meet:
 2  2   1   
   
 1  2    1   
 2  2   3   
   
i.e. 2  2  1    (1)
1  2  1   (2)
2  2  3   (3)
Adding equations (1) and (2) gives 3 = 0
This is a contradiction.
 Lines do not meet.
The lines are in fact parallel as 2i – 2j + 2k is a multiple of i – j + k.
The distance between them is found by considering A on line l1 and B on line l2.
Then AB  i  2 j  5k  t (i  j  k )
2
AB  x 2  (1  t )2  (2  t )2  (5  t ) 2
 1  2t  t 2  4  4t  t 2  25  10t  t 2
 30  12t  3t 2

d( x 2 )
The minimum value of x2 occurs when 0
dt
d( x) 2
 12  6t
dt
d( x) 2
When  0, t  2
dt

 x 2  30  24  12
 18
 x  18  3 2 or 4.24 (3 s.f.)

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3 c Assume that l1 and l2 meet. Then
 1  2   1    (1)
 1      1   
    (2)
 5  2   2   
    (3)
i.e. 1  2  1    (1)
1    1   (2)
5  2  2   (3)
Comparing equations (1) and (2) gives 1  2  1   , so   0
Substituting   0 in (1) gives   2
Substituting these values in (3) gives 5  2  0  2  2 , which is a contradiction
 Lines do not meet.
Let A and B be general points on l1 and l2 respectively.
 2    2 
 AB   2     
 
 3    2 
 
AB is perpendicular to l1
 2    2   2 
  2        1   0
   
 3    2   2 
   
   9  0
AB is perpendicular to l2
 2    2   1
 2        1  0
   
 3    2   1
   
 7  3    0
Solving these simultaneous equations,
7 63
 ,
26 26
  26 
3

 
 AB   264 
 1 
 26 
1
  263    264     261  
2 2 2
| AB |  0.196 (3 s. f .)
26

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4 Let A be the point (4,1, –1) and B be the point Find the distance between (4, 1, –1) and
(3 + 2t, –1 –t, 2 –t) which lies on the line. (3 + 2t, –1 – t, 2 –t) at a point on the
line.
Then BA  a  b
  4  (3  2t ),1  (1  t ), 1  (2  t ) 
 1  2t , 2  t , 3  t 
2
 BA  (1  2t )2  (2  t )2  (3  t ) 2
 6t 2  6t  14
2
BA is a minimum when BA is minimum

This minimum value can be found by calculus or completion of the square.

2
BA  6(t 2  t )  14
2
 1 6
 6  t    14 
 2 4
1
This is a minimum when t  and
2
2 1 1
BA  14  1  12
2 2
1
 BA  12  3.54(3 s.f.)
2

55
5 a The distance from the origin to the plane r  (6i  6 j  7k )  55 is
6  62  (7)2
2

55
 First find the distance from the
121 origin to each plane, then
55 subtract.

11
5
22
The distance from the origin to the plane r  (6i  6 j  7k )  22 is
62  62  (7)2
22

11
2
 The distance between the planes is 5  2  3

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5 b Let n = (n1, n2, n3),
Take the scalar product of n with each of the two direction vectors of either of the planes
(The first plane has been used in this solution)
 n1   4 
  
 n2  .  0   4n1  n3  0 (1)
 n  1
 3  
 n1   8 
  
 n2  .  3   8n1  3n2  3n3  0 (2)
 n   3
 3  
Since if two vectors are perpendicular, then their scalar product is zero.

Let n1 = k
Substitute n1 = k into (1) to find n3 = −4k
4
Substitute n1 = k and n3 = −4k into (2) to find n2  k
3
 4 
So n   k , k ,  4k 
 3 
Let k = 3
(You could choose any value for k other than zero, 3 is convenient as it removes the fraction.)
n   3, 4,  12 
So the Cartesian form of the first plane is
3x + 4y − 12z = 13
To find the distance between the planes choose a point on the second plane and use
a  b  c  d
a 2  b2  c 2
Choose (14, 2, 2) as the point on the second plane and substitute to find
3 14   4  2    12  (2)  (13)
Distance between planes 
32  42   12 
2

42  8  24  13

169
13

13
1
So the distance between the planes is 1.

6 a The length of the normal vector 10i  10 j  23k is 102  102  232  729  27
1
 (10i  10 j  23k ) is a unit vector normal to the plane.
27
The plane has equation
r  (10i  10 j  23k )  81
1 81
or r  (10i  10 j  23k )  3
27 27
 The perpendicular distance from the origin to the plane is 3.

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6 b A plane parallel to  through the point (–1, –1, 4) has equation
1 1
r  (10i  10 j  23k )  (i  j  4k )  (10i  10 j  23k )
27 27
10 10 92
  
27 27 27
72

27
8

3
2
 The perpendicular distance from the origin to this new plane is 2
3
2 1
This distance between the planes is 3  2 
3 3
1
 The perpendicular distance from the point (1, 1, 4) to the plane  is
3
c A plane parallel to  through the point (2, 1, 3) has equation
1 1
r  (10i  10 j  23k )  (2i  j  3k )  (10i  10 j  23k )
24 27
20 10 69
  
27 27 27
99

27
11

3
2
 The perpendicular distance from the origin to this new plane is 3
3
2 2
 The distances between this plane and  is 3  3 
3 3
2
 The perpendicular distance from (2,1, 3) to  is
3
d A plane parallel to  through the point (6,12, 9) has equation
1 1
r  (10i  10 j  23k )  (6i  12 j  9k )  (10i  10 j  23k )
27 27
60 120 207
  
27 27 27
27

27
 1
 The perpendicular distance from the origin to this new plane is 1, in the opposite direction.
 The distance between this plane and  is 3  (1)  4
 The perpendicular distance from (2, 1, 3) to  is 4.

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7 Let M be the midpoint of the line segment joining P to its reflection in l.
Then, for some 
 1   
PM   1  2 
 1  
 
PM must be perpendicular to l
 1     1 
  1  2    2   0
 1     1 
   
  2
3
1
 3
 
 PM   1 
3
 
 1 
 3 
The reflection of P in l has position vector
 2   7 
 3  3   3 
   
OP  2 PM   0    2    2 
 2  3   3 
   2  8
 3  3


 7, 2,8
3 3 3 
|1(2)  0(1)  3(1)  5 | 4 2 6
8 a  
 2  3
2
 12  12 6

 2 
1  
b A unit normal vector to the plane is 1
6  
1
The line segment along the shortest distance from P to the plane is normal to the plane,

and the distance is 2 6

3
Therefore Q has position vector
5
1  2   3
   2 6  1     4 
OQ   0  +2    1  =  3 
 3   3  6   1   
     13 
 3 


 Q  5 , 4 , 13
3 3 3 

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9 a The kestrel's path in vector form is
3  9 
r   5     5  , 0  1
  
0 1.2 
   
Let G be the position of the birdwatcher.
Let H be a general point in the path. Then,
 2  9 
GH   1  5 
 0.7  1.2 
 
The shortest distance between the kestrel and the birdwatcher will occur when
GH is perpendicular to the path.
 2  9   9 
   
  1  5    5   0
 0.7  1.2   1.2 
   
   35
158
 2  9 35 
  
158 
 
 GH   1  5 35
 158  


 0.7  1.2
  
35 

158 
| GH | 0.45 (2 d.p.)
 | GH | 0.5
So the birdwatcher will be able to spot
the kestrel.
b In practice, the bird is very unlikely to fly in a straight line from A to B

| 4(3)  (2)  8(4)  6 | 40 40 29

10 a  
32   2   42 29
2
29

  2  3    2 
   
b    2     0     5 
  3  3   2
      
 2   2  3   2 
       
   2    5     0    5 
 3   2  3   2
       
   4  10  6     6  0  6   0

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  3  2
   
10 c n1 =  2  , n 2 =  5 
 4  2
   
 3   2
n1  n 2   2    5   6  10  8  4
 4   2
   
| n1 | 29, | n 2 | 33
 cos   4
29 33
   82.6 (1d.p.)
o

11 a A vector equation for l1 is

 2  2
   
r   2     1 
 1   2 
   
Let M be a general point on l1
 5  2 
 
AM   3   
 3  2 
 
| AM | is minimum when AM is
perpendicular to l1
 5  2   2 
   
  3      1   0
 3  2   2 
   
  7
9
 31
 
 AM  1  20 
9
 41
 

| AM | 13 2
3
b A vector equation is
3  31
   
 1     20 
2  
   41
So a cartesian equation is
x  3 y 1 z  2
 
31 20 41

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12 First find the intersection between l1 and the plane.

 2  4   1 
 1  3    1  1  3  4
   
 2  4   1
   
  
  6, 4, 6 
Choose any other point along l1 , and reflect
4
it in the plane to obtain e.g.  3 
0
 
4 2
r   3     1
 
0  
  6

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