LINES AND PLANES IN SPACE

MATH23
MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS
 GENERAL OBJECTIVE

At the end of the lesson the students are expected to:

• Find equation of lines using various methods.

• Determine an equations of a plane and determine the vector
of its normal
 Lines Determined by a Point and a Vector

Line Segment
Are portions of a straight line with given boundaries or endpoints.
Lines Determined by a Point and a Vector

Example:
Let L1 and L2 be defined as
L1 : x = 1 + 4t ; y = 5 – 4t ; z = -1 + 5t
L2 : x = 2 + 8t ; y = 4 – 3t ; z = 5 + t
(a) are the lines parallel?
(b) do the lines intersect?
 Example
1. Find the parametric equations of the line
(a) passing through (4,2) and parallel to v = < 1, 5 >
(b) passing through (1,2,-3) and parallel to v = 4i + 5j – 7k

2. (a) Find the parametric equations of the line L passing

through the point P1(2,4,-1) and P2(5,0,7)
(b) Where does the line intersect the xy-plane?

3. Find the parametric equations describing the line segment

joining the points P1(2,4,-1) and P2(5,0,7).
 Vector Equations of Lines

Let v be a nonzero vector parallel to a given line

and ro is a vector whose components are the
coordinates of a point on the line.
Then the vector equation of a line r is

r = r0 + tv , -∞ < t < ∞

which passes through r0 and parallel to v.

 Vector Equations of Lines

(a) Find the equation of the line passing through

(-1,0,2) and parallel to the vector < 1,5,-4 >.
(b) Find the equation of the line in space passing
through P1(2,4,-1) and P2(5,0,7).
 Lines Determined by a Point and a Vector
Parametric Form

x  x0  at y  y0  bt z  z0  bt

Symmetric Form

x  x0 y  y0 z  z0
 
a b c

Vector Form

r  r0  vt  x, y, z  x0 , y0 , z0  t  a, b, c 
 Equations of Lines:
a.) Find equations of the line that passes through (-2,1) and
(1,3).
b.) Find the parametric and symmetric equations of the line
passing through the point (2, 3, -4) and parallel to the vector,
<-1, 2, 5>.
c.) Find the parametric and symmetric equations of the line
passing through the points (1, 2, -2) and (3, -2, 5).
d.) Determine if the lines are parallel or identical.
Line 1 : x = 3 + t Line 2 : x = 5 – 2t
y = 2 – 2t y = -2 + 4t
z=4+t z = 1 – 2t
 Exercise Set 11.5
30. Show that the lines L1 : x + 1 = 4t, y – 3 = 4t, z – 1 = 0 and L2 :
x + 13 = 12t, y – 1 = 6t, z – 2 = 3t intersect, and find their point
of intersection.
32. Show that the lines L 1: x = 2 + 8t, y = 6 – 8t, z = 10t and
L2 : x = 3 + 8t, y = 5 – 3t, z = 6 + t are skew lines.
34. Determine whether the lines L 1: x = 5 + 3t, y = 4 – 2t,
z = -2 + 3t and L2 : x = -1 + 9t, y = 5 – 6t, z = 3 + 8t are parallel.
38. Show that the lines L1 : x = 1 + 3t, y = -2 + t, z = 2t and L2 : x =
4 – 6t, y = -1 – 2t, z = 2 - 4t are the same.
36. Determine whether the points P1 (1, 0, 1), P2 (3, -4, -3), and
P3 (4, -6, -5) lie on the same line.
44. Describe the line segment represented by the vector
equation <x, y, z> = <-2, 1, 4> + t <3, 0, -1> (0 ≤ t ≤ 3)
 PLANES

STANDARD EQUATION: Ax + By + Cz + D = 0

a) x = k, plane parallel to yz-plane

b) y = k, plane parallel to xz-plane
c) z = k, plane parallel to xy-plane
d) Ax + By + D = 0, plane parallel to z-axis
e) By + Cz + D = 0, plane parallel to x-axis
f) Ax + Cz + D = 0, plane parallel to y-axis
g) Ax + By + Cz = 0, plane
EXAMPLE:
1. x = 3 2. y = 3
z z

y  y


x x
 3. z = 3 4. 2x + 3y = 12

z z


(0, 4, 0)
y  y

(6, 0, 0)
x x
 5. 2x + 3z = 12 6. 2y + 3z = 12

z z

(0, 0, 4)
(0, 0, 4)  
(0, 6, 0)
y  y

(6, 0, 0)

x x
 6. 2x + 3y + 4z = 12
z

(0, 0, 3)

(0, 4, 0)
 y


(6, 0, 0)
x
 Planes in Space

If two planes are parallel, they would have similar normal or one
normal is scalar multiple of another normal.

Example
Find an equation of the plane passing through the point (3,-1,7)
and perpendicular to the vector n = < 4,2,-5 >.
Planes in Space
 Example

1. Determine whether the planes 3x – 4y + 5z = 0

and -6x + 8y – 10z – 4 = 0 are parallel.
2. Find an equation of the plane containing the points
P1(1,2,-1), P2(2,3,1), P3(3,-1,2).

3. Determine whether the line

x = 3 + 8t ; y = 4 + 5t ; z = -3 –t
is parallel to the plane : x – 3y + 5z = 12.
 Exercise Set 11.6
4. Find an equation of the plane that passes through the
point P (-1, -1, 2) has the vector n = <-1, 7, 6> as a
normal.
12. Find an equation of the plane that passes through
the points (3, 2, 1), (2, 1, -1), and (-1, 3, 2).
20. Find the acute angle of intersection of the planes
x +2y – 2z = 5 and 6x – 3y + 2z = 8.
42. Find parametric equations of the line of intersection
of the planes 3x – 5y + 2z = 0 and z = 0.
 Exercise Set 11.6
14. Determine whether the planes
a) 3x -2y + z = 4 and 6x – 4y + 3z = 7.
b) y = 4x – 2z + 3 and x = ¼ y + ½ z.
c) x + 4y + 7z = 3 and 5x – 3y + z = 0
are parallel, perpendicular, or neither.

16. Determine whether the line and plane

a) x = 3 – t , y = 2 + t, z = 1 – 3t and 2x + 2y – 5 = 0.
b) x = 1 – 2t, y = t, z = -t and 6x – 3y + 3z = 1.
c) x = t, y = 1 – t, z = 2 + t and x + y + z = 1.
are parallel, perpendicular, or neither.

18. Determine whether the line and plane

a) x = 3t, y = 5t, z = -t and 2x – y + z + 1 = 0.
b) x = 1 + t, y = -1 + 3t, z = 2 + 4t and x – y + 4z = 7
Intersect.
 Exercise Set 11.6
Find an equation of the plane that satisfies the stated
conditions.
26. The plane that contains the line x = -2 + 3t, y = 4 + 2t,
z = 3 – t and is perpendicular to the plane x – 2y + z = 5.
28. The plane through (-1, 4, -3) that is perpendicular to the
line x – 2 = t, , y + 3 = 2t, z = -t.
30. The plane through the points P 1(-2, 1, 4) and P2 (1, 0, 3)
that is perpendicular to the plane 4x – y + 3z = 2.
32. The plane that contains the point (2, 0, 3) and the line
x = -1 + t, y = t, z = -4 + 2t.
34. The plane that contains the line x = 3t, y = 1 + t, z = 2t and
is parallel to the intersection of the planes y + z = - 1 and
2x – y + z = 0.
 Plane in Space
Distance Problems Involving Planes
a) Point and a Plane
b) Two Parallel Planes
c) Two Skew Lines
Distance from a point to a plane
 Example
1. Find the distance between the point (1,-4,-3)
and the plane 2x – 3y + 6z = -1.
2. Find the distance between the parallel planes
-2x + y + z = 0 and 6x – 3y – 3z – 5 = 0.

3. Find the distance between Q(1,2,3) and 2x – y + z = 4

44. Find the distance between the point P (0, 1, 5) and the
plane 3x + 6y – 2z – 5 = 0.
46. Find the distance between the parallel planes
x + y + z = 1 and x + y + z = -1.
48. Find the distance between the skew lines
L1 : x = 3 – t, y = 4 + 4t, z = 1 + 2t & L2 : x = t, y = 3, z = 2t.
Perpendicular Planes:
Example:
a.) Find the angle between two planes given by 3x + 2y – z = 7 ; x - 4y + 2z = 0 and
find parametric equations for their line of intersection.
Intersecting planes:
Example:
a.) Find the line of intersection for the planes x + 3y + 4z = 0 and x – 3y +2z = 0.
b.) Find intersection of planes given by x + y + z + 1 = 0 and x + 2y + 3z + 4 = 0.
Distance Between a Point and a Plane:
Example:
a.) Find the distance between the point Q (3, 1, -5) to the plane 4x + 2y – z = 8.
b.) Find intersection of planes given by x + y + z + 1 = 0 and x + 2y + 3z + 4 = 0.
 PLANES IN 3-SPACE

Find the equation of the plane through

the point (2, 4,1) with normal vector Find the equation of the sphere with
n = <2,3,4>. center (2,1,-3) that is tangent to the
ans: 2x + 3y + 4z = 12 plane x-3y+2z=4
ans= (x-2)2+(y-1)2+(z+3)2=121/14
Find the equation of the plane containing
the points P = (1, 3, 2), Q = (3,1,6), and Find the Parametric equations of the line
R = (5, 2, 0). of intersection of the planes:
ans: 6x + 10y + 7z = 50 -2x+3y+7z+2=0 x+2y-3z+5=0
Ans:
Find the distance from (1,-2,3); x=-11/7-23t
2x-2y+z=4 y=-12/7+t
Ans:5/3 z=-7t

Find the distance between the given

parallel planes:
-2x+y+z=0 and 6x-3y-3z-5=0
Ans:5/
Are the planes defined by x+2y-3z= 4
and 2x + 4y - 6z = 1 parallel? Find the distance from (1/2, 0, 1) to 5x
Ans: parallel + y - z = 1.
Ans= 1/6
Find the angle between the planes
x+y+z=1 x - 2y + 3z = 2 Find the distance between the planes
Ans: 72.02° 10x + 2y - 2z = 5 5x + y - z = 1
Ans:1/2
Find the line of intersection of the two
planes Find the distance between the skew
x+y+z=1 x - 2y + 3z = 2 lines
Ans: Parametric Form: x = 1 + t; y = -2 + 3t; z = 4 - t; and
x =4/3-(5/3)t y = -1/3 +(2/3)t x = 2s; y = 3 + s; z = -3 + 4s:
z=t
Find the equation of the plane through ans:
P0(0,−1, 2) and parallel to x+3y +2z =
6.
Ans= x + 3y + 2z = 1.
Find an equation of the plane that passes Show that the lines
through the given points x=-2+t , y=3+2t, z=4-t
(-2,1,1),(0,2,3) and (1,0,-1) x=3-t, y=4-2t, z=t
Ans: 2y-z=1 are parallel and find an equation of the plane
they determine.
Determine whether the planes are parallel, Ans: 7x+y+9z=25
perpendicular, or neither.
Find parametric equations of the line
a).2x-8y-6z-2=0 Ans: Parallel through the point (5,0,-2) that is parallel to
-x+4y+3z-5=0 the planes
x-4y+2z=0 and 2x+3y-z+1=0.
b).3x-2y+z=1 Ans: Perpendicular Ans: x=5-2t y=5t z=-2+11t
4x+5y-2z=4
Find the plane whose points are equidistant
c). x-y+3z-2=0 Ans: neither from (2,-1,1) and (3,1,5)
2x+z=1 Ans: x+2y+4z=29/5

The plane through the point (-1,4,2) that Find the plane through (-1,2,-5) that is
contains the line of intersection of the perpendicular to the planes 2x-y+z=1 and
planes 4x-y+z-2=0 and 2x+y-2z-3=0 x+y-2z=3
Ans: 4x-13y+21z=-14 Ans: x+5y+3z=-6