Lesson 7a

LINES IN SPACE
 LINES IN SPACE

A line in 2-space or 3-space can be

determined uniquely by specifying a
point on the line and a nonzero
∙
vector parallel to the line.
(a,b,c)

L v
y

x
 PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS OF LINES

THEOREM

a. The line in 2-space that passes through the point

and is parallel to the nonzero vector
has a parametric equations

b. The line in 3-space that passes through the point

and is parallel to the nonzero vector
has parametric equations
 EXAMPLES

1. Find the parametric equation of the line L passing through

the points (-1,2,4) and(3,-4,1).

Formula:

EXAMPLES
Using point Q:

Using point P:
 EXAMPLES

2. Find the parametric equation of the line passing through and

parallel to
Solution:

3. Find the parametric equations of the line passing through the

origin in 3-space and parallel to
Solution:
 VECTOR EQUATIONS OF LINES

In this equation, is a nonzero vector parallel to the

line, and is the vector whose components are the
coordinates of a point on the line.
 EXAMPLE

1. Find an equation of the line in 3-space that passes

through the points .
Solution:
, this is parallel to the line so it
can be used as. For we can use either the vector
from the origin to or the vector from the origin to .
, thus the vector equation of the line
through and is.
DISTANCE FROM A POINT S TO A LINE THROUGH P PARALLEL TO

|⃗
𝑷𝑺 × 𝒗|
𝒅=
|𝒗|
 EXAMPLE
1. Find the distance between the vector v = <-1,2,1> and point (1,3,5) where
(2,0,1) is in vector.
Solution:
 EXAMPLE

4. Find the distance of the parallel lines:

2x – 3y + z + 17 = 0 2x - 3y + z + 6 = 0

Solution:

d=

d=

d = units.
EXERCISES