VECTORS AND

THE GEOMETRY OF SPACE

VECTORS AND THE GEOMETRY OF SPACE

A line in the xy-plane is determined when

a point on the line and the direction of the line
(its slope or angle of inclination) are given.

The equation of the line can then be written

using the point-slope form.

VECTORS AND THE GEOMETRY OF SPACE

11.4
Equations of
Lines and Planes
In this section, we will learn how to:
Define three-dimensional lines and planes
using vectors.

EQUATIONS OF LINES

A line L in three-dimensional (3-D) space

is determined when we know:
A point P0(x0, y0, z0) on L
The direction of L

EQUATIONS OF LINES

In three dimensions, the direction

of a line is conveniently described by
a vector.

EQUATIONS OF LINES

So, we let v be a vector parallel to L.

Let P(x, y, z) be an arbitrary point on L.
Let r0 and r be the position vectors uuur
of P0 anduuu
P.r
That is, they have representations OP0 and OP .

EQUATIONS OF LINES

uuur
If a is the vector with representation P0 P ,
then the Triangle Law for vector addition
gives:
r = r0 + a

EQUATIONS OF LINES

However, since a and v are parallel vectors,

there is a scalar t such that
a = tv

VECTOR EQUATION OF A LINE

Equation 1

Thus,
r = r0 + t v

This is a vector equation of L.

VECTOR EQUATION

Each value of the parameter t gives

the position vector r of a point on L.
That is, as t varies,
the line is traced
out by the tip of
the vector r.

VECTOR EQUATION

Positive values of t correspond to points on L

that lie on one side of P0.
Negative values correspond to points that
lie on the other side.

VECTOR EQUATION

If the vector v that gives the direction of

the line L is written in component form as
v = <a, b, c>, then we have:
tv = <ta, tb, tc>

VECTOR EQUATION

We can also write:

r = <x, y, z> and r0 = <x0, y0, z0>
So, vector Equation 1 becomes:
<x, y, z> = <x0 + ta, y0 + tb, z0 + tc>

VECTOR EQUATION

Equations 2

Two vectors are equal if and only if

corresponding components are equal.
Hence, we have the following three
scalar equations.

SCALAR EQUATIONS OF A LINE

x = x0 + at
y = y0 + bt
z = z0 + ct
Where, t

Equations 2

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS

These equations are called parametric

equations of the line L through the point
P0(x0, y0, z0) and parallel to the vector
v = <a, b, c>.
Each value of the parameter t gives
a point (x, y, z) on L.

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Example 1

a. Find a vector equation and parametric

equations for the line that passes through
the point (5, 1, 3) and is parallel to the
vector i + 4 j 2 k.
b. Find two other points on the line.

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Here,
and

Example 1 a

r0 = <5, 1, 3> = 5 i + j + 3 k
v=i+4j2k

So, vector Equation 1 becomes:

r = (5 i + j + 3 k) + t(i + 4 j 2 k)
or
r = (5 + t) i + (1 + 4t) j + (3 2t) k

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Example 1 a

Parametric equations are:

x=5+t

y = 1 + 4t

z = 3 2t

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Example 1 b

Choosing the parameter value t = 1

gives x = 6, y = 5, and z = 1.
So, (6, 5, 1) is a point on the line.
Similarly, t = 1 gives the point (4, 3, 5).

EQUATIONS OF LINES

The vector equation and parametric

equations of a line are not unique.
If we change the point or the parameter
or choose a different parallel vector, then
the equations change.

EQUATIONS OF LINES

For instance, if, instead of (5, 1, 3),

we choose the point (6, 5, 1) in Example 1,
the parametric equations of the line become:
x=6+t

y = 5 + 4t

z = 1 2t

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Alternatively, if we stay with the point (5, 1, 3)

but choose the parallel vector 2 i + 8 j 4 k,
we arrive at:
x = 5 + 2t

y = 1 + 8t

z = 3 4t

DIRECTION NUMBERS

In general, if a vector v = <a, b, c> is used

to describe the direction of a line L, then
the numbers a, b, and c are called direction
numbers of L.

DIRECTION NUMBERS

Any vector parallel to v could also be used.

Thus, we see that any three numbers
proportional to a, b, and c could also be used
as a set of direction numbers for L.

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Equations 3

Another way of describing a line L

is to eliminate the parameter t from
Equations 2.
If none of a, b, or c is 0, we can solve each
of these equations for t, equate the results,
and obtain the following equations.

SYMMETRIC EQUATIONS

Equations 3

x x0 y y0 z z0
=
=
a
b
c

These equations are called symmetric

equations of L.

SYMMETRIC EQUATIONS

Notice that the numbers a, b, and c that

appear in the denominators of Equations 3
are direction numbers of L.
That is, they are components of a vector
parallel to L.

SYMMETRIC EQUATIONS

If one of a, b, or c is 0, we can still eliminate t.

For instance, if a = 0, we could write
the equations of L as:

x = x0
This means that L lies
in the vertical plane x = x0.

y y0 z z0
=
b
c

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Example 2

a. Find parametric equations and symmetric

equations of the line that passes through
the points A(2, 4, 3) and B(3, 1, 1).
b. At what point does this line intersect
the xy-plane?

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Example 2 a

We are not explicitly given a vector parallel

to the line.
However, observe that the vector v with

uuur
representation AB is parallel to the line
and

v = <3 2, 1 4, 1 (3)> = <1, 5, 4>

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Example 2 a

Thus, direction numbers are:

a = 1, b = 5, c = 4

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Example 2 a

Taking the point (2, 4, 3) as P0,

we see that:
Parametric Equations 2 are:
x=2+t

y = 4 5t

Symmetric Equations 3 are:

z = 3 + 4t

x2 y4 z +3
=
=
1
5
4

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Example 2 b

The line intersects the xy-plane when z = 0.

So, we put z = 0 in the symmetric equations
and obtain:

x2 y4 3
=
=
1
4
5

11
1
This gives x = and y = .
4
4

EQUATIONS OF LINES

Example 2 b

The line intersects the xy-plane

at the point

11 1
, ,0
4 4

EQUATIONS OF LINES

In general, the procedure of Example 2 shows

that direction numbers of the line L through
the points P0(x0, y0, z0) and P1(x1, y1, z1)
are:

x1 x0

y1 y0

z1 z0

So, symmetric equations of L are:

x x0
y y0
z z0
=
=
x1 x0 y1 y0 z1 z0

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

Often, we need a description, not of

an entire line, but of just a line segment.
How, for instance, could we describe
the line segment AB in Example 2?

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

If we put t = 0 in the parametric equations

in Example 2 a, we get the point (2, 4, 3).
If we put t = 1, we get (3, 1, 1).

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

So, the line segment AB is described by

either:
The parametric equations
x = 2 + t y = 4 5t
where 0 t 1

z = 3 + 4t

The corresponding vector equation

r(t) = <2 + t, 4 5t, 3 + 4t>
where 0 t 1

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

In general, we know from Equation 1 that

the vector equation of a line through the (tip
of the) vector r0 in the direction of a vector v
is:
r = r0 + t v

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

If the line also passes through (the tip of) r1,

then we can take v = r1 r0.
So, its vector equation is:
r = r0 + t(r1 r0) = (1 t)r0 + t r1
The line segment from r0 to r1 is given by
the parameter interval 0 t 1.

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

Equation 4

The line segment from r0 to r1 is given by

the vector equation
r(t) = (1 t)r0 + t r1
where 0 t 1

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

Example 3

Show that the lines L1 and L2 with parametric

equations
x=1+t

y = 2 + 3t

z=4t

x = 2s

y=3+s

z = 3 + 4s

are skew lines.

That is, they do not intersect and are not parallel,
and therefore do not lie in the same plane.

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

Example 3

The lines are not parallel because

the corresponding vectors <1, 3, 1>
and <2, 1, 4> are not parallel.
Their components are not proportional.

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

Example 3

If L1 and L2 had a point of intersection,

there would be values of t and s such that
1 + t = 2s
2 + 3t = 3 + s
4 t = 3 + 4s

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

Example 3

However, if we solve the first two equations,

we get:

11
t=
5

and

These values dont satisfy

the third equation.

8
s=
5

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

Example 3

Thus, there are no values of t and s

that satisfy the three equations.

So, L1 and L2 do not intersect.

EQUATIONS OF LINE SEGMENTS

Example 3

Hence, L1 and L2 are skew lines.

PLANES

Although a line in space is determined by

a point and a direction, a plane in space is
more difficult to describe.
A single vector parallel to a plane is not enough
to convey the direction of the plane.

PLANES

However, a vector perpendicular

to the plane does completely specify
its direction.

PLANES

Thus, a plane in space is determined

by:
A point P0(x0, y0, z0)
in the plane
A vector n that is
orthogonal to the plane

NORMAL VECTOR

This orthogonal vector n is called

a normal vector.

PLANES

Let P(x, y, z) be an arbitrary point in the plane.

Let r0 and r1 be the position vectors of P0
and P.
Then, the vector r uuur
r0
is represented by P0 P

PLANES

The normal vector n is orthogonal to every

vector in the given plane.
In particular, n is orthogonal to r r0.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Equation 5

Thus, we have:
n . (r r0) = 0

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Equation 6

That can also be written as:

n . r = n . r0

VECTOR EQUATION

Either Equation 5 or Equation 6

is called a vector equation of the
plane.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

To obtain a scalar equation for the plane,

we write:
n = <a, b, c>
r = <x, y, z>
r0 = <x0, y0, z0>

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Then, the vector Equation 5

becomes:
<a, b, c> . <x x0, y y0, z z0> = 0

SCALAR EQUATION

Equation 7

That can also be written as:

a(x x0) + b(y y0) + c(z z0) = 0

This equation is the scalar equation

of the plane through P0(x0, y0, z0) with
normal vector n = <a, b, c>.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 4

Find an equation of the plane through

the point (2, 4, 1) with normal vector
n = <2, 3, 4>.
Find the intercepts and sketch the plane.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 4

In Equation 7, putting
a = 2, b = 3, c = 4, x0 = 2, y0 = 4, z0 = 1,
we see that an equation of the plane is:
2(x 2) + 3(y 4) + 4(z + 1) = 0
or
2x + 3y + 4z = 12

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 4

To find the x-intercept, we set y = z = 0

in the equation, and obtain x = 6.
Similarly, the y-intercept is 4 and
the z-intercept is 3.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 4

This enables us to sketch the portion

of the plane that lies in the first octant.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

By collecting terms in Equation 7

as we did in Example 4, we can rewrite
the equation of a plane as follows.

LINEAR EQUATION

Equation 8

ax + by + cz + d = 0
where d = (ax0 + by0 + cz0)
This is called a linear equation
in x, y, and z.

LINEAR EQUATION

Conversely, it can be shown that, if

a, b, and c are not all 0, then the linear
Equation 8 represents a plane with normal
vector <a, b, c>.
See Exercise 77.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 5

Find an equation of the plane that passes

through the points
P(1, 3, 2), Q(3, 1, 6), R(5, 2, 0)

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 5

uuur
The vectors a and b corresponding to PQ

uuur
and PR are:

a = <2, 4, 4>

b = <4, 1, 2>

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 5

Since both a and b lie in the plane,

their cross product a x b is orthogonal
to the plane and can be taken as the normal
vector.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 5

Thus,

n = ab
i j k
= 2 4 4
4 1 2
= 12 i + 20 j + 14 k

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 5

With the point P(1, 2, 3) and the normal

vector n, an equation of the plane is:
12(x 1) + 20(y 3) + 14(z 2) = 0
or
6x + 10y + 7z = 50

Example 6

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Find the point at which the line with

parametric equations
x = 2 + 3t

y = 4t

z=5+t

intersects the plane

4x + 5y 2z = 18

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 6

We substitute the expressions for x, y, and z

from the parametric equations into the
equation of the plane:
4(2 + 3t) + 5(4t) 2(5 + t) = 18

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 6

That simplifies to 10t = 20.

Hence, t = 2.
Therefore, the point of intersection occurs
when the parameter value is t = 2.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 6

Then,
x = 2 + 3(2) = 4
y = 4(2) = 8
z=52=3
So, the point of intersection is (4, 8, 3).

PARALLEL PLANES

Two planes are parallel

if their normal vectors are
parallel.

PARALLEL PLANES

For instance, the planes

x + 2y 3z = 4 and 2x + 4y 6z = 3
are parallel because:
Their normal vectors are
n1 = <1, 2, 3> and n2 = <2, 4, 6>
and n2 = 2n1.

NONPARALLEL PLANES

If two planes are not parallel, then

They intersect in a straight line.
The angle between the two planes is defined as
the acute angle between their normal vectors.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 7

a. Find the angle between the planes

x + y + z = 1 and x 2y + 3z = 1
b. Find symmetric equations for the line of
intersection L of these two planes.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 7 a

The normal vectors of these planes

are:
n1 = <1, 1, 1>

n2 = <1, 2, 3>

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 7 a

So, if is the angle between the planes,

Corollary 6 in Section 12.3 gives:

n1 n 2
1(1) + 1(2) + 1(3)
2
cos =
=
=
n1 n 2
1+1+1 1+ 4 + 9
42
2
o
= cos

72

42
1

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 7 b

We first need to find a point on L.

For instance, we can find the point where
the line intersects the xy-plane by setting z = 0
in the equations of both planes.
This gives the equations
x + y = 1 and x 2y = 1
whose solution is x = 1, y = 0.
So, the point (1, 0, 0) lies on L.

Example 7 b

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

As L lies in both planes, it is perpendicular

to both the normal vectors.
Thus, a vector v parallel to L is given by
the cross product

v = n1 n 2 = 1 1 1 = 5 i 2 j 3 k
1 2 3

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 7 b

So, the symmetric equations of L can be

written as:

x 1 y
z
=
=
5
2 3

NOTE

A linear equation in x, y, and z represents

a plane.
Also, two nonparallel planes intersect in a line.
It follows that two linear equations
can represent a line.

NOTE

The points (x, y, z) that satisfy both

a1x + b1y + c1z + d1 = 0
and

a2x + b2y + c2z + d2 = 0

lie on both of these planes.

So, the pair of linear equations represents
the line of intersection of the planes (if they
are not parallel).

NOTE

For instance, in Example 7, the line L

was given as the line of intersection of
the planes
x + y + z = 1 and x 2y + 3z = 1

NOTE

The symmetric equations that we found for L

could be written as:

x 1 y
=
2
5

and

y
z
=
2 3

This is again a pair of linear equations.

NOTE

They exhibit L as the line of intersection

of the planes
(x 1)/5 = y/(2) and y/(2) = z/(3)

NOTE

In general, when we write the equations

of a line in the symmetric form

x x0 y y0 z z0
=
=
a
b
c
we can regard the line as the line
of intersection of the two planes

x x0 y y0
=
and
a
b

y y0 z z0
=
b
c

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 8

Find a formula for the distance D

from a point P1(x1, y1, z1) to the plane
ax + by + cz + d = 0.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 8

Let P0(x0, y0, z0) be any point in the plane.

uuuur
Let b be the vector corresponding to P0 P1 .
Then,
b = <x1 x0, y1 y0, z1 z0>

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 8

You can see that the distance D from P1

to the plane is equal to the absolute value
of the scalar projection of b onto the normal
vector n = <a, b, c>.

Example 8

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Thus,

D = comp n b
n b
=
n
=
=

a ( x1 x0 ) + b( y1 y0 ) + c( z1 z0 )
a 2 + b2 + c2
(ax1 + by1 + cz1 ) (ax0 + by0 + cz0 )
a +b +c
2

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 8

Since P0 lies in the plane, its coordinates

satisfy the equation of the plane.
Thus, we have ax0 + by0 + cz0 + d = 0.

E. g. 8Formula 9

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Hence, the formula for D can be written

as:

D=

ax1 + by1 + cz1 + d

a +b +c
2

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 9

Find the distance between the parallel

planes
10x + 2y 2z = 5 and 5x + y z = 1

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 9

First, we note that the planes are parallel

because their normal vectors
<10, 2, 2> and <5, 1, 1>
are parallel.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 9

To find the distance D between the planes,

we choose any point on one plane and
calculate its distance to the other plane.
In particular, if we put y = z =0 in the equation
of the first plane, we get 10x = 5.
So, (, 0, 0) is a point in this plane.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 9

By Formula 9, the distance between (, 0, 0)

and the plane 5x + y z 1 = 0 is:

D=

5( 12 ) + 1(0) 1(0) 1
52 + 12 + (1) 2

3
2

3
=
=
6
3 3

So, the distance between the planes is 3 / 6 .

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 10

In Example 3, we showed that the lines

L1: x = 1 + t

y = 2 + 3t

z=4t

L2: x = 2s

y=3+s

z = 3 + 4s

are skew.
Find the distance between them.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 10

Since the two lines L1 and L2 are skew,

they can be viewed as lying on two parallel
planes P1 and P2.
The distance between L1 and L2 is the same
as the distance between P1 and P2.
This can be computed as in Example 9.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 10

The common normal vector to both planes

must be orthogonal to both
v1 = <1, 3, 1> (direction of L1)
v2 = <2, 1, 4> (direction of L2)

Example 10

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

So, a normal vector is:

n = v1 v 2
i j k
= 1 3 1
2 1

= 13 i 6 j 5 k

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 10

If we put s = 0 in the equations of L2,

we get the point (0, 3, 3) on L2.
So, an equation for P2 is:
13(x 0) 6(y 3) 5(z + 3) = 0
or
13x 6y 5z + 3 = 0

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 10

If we now set t = 0 in the equations

for L1, we get the point (1, 2, 4)
on P1.

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

Example 10

So, the distance between L1 and L2

is the same as the distance from (1, 2, 4)
to 13x 6y 5z + 3 = 0.

Example 10

EQUATIONS OF PLANES

By Formula 9, this distance is:

D=

13(1) 6(2) 5(4) + 3

13 + (6) + (5)
8
=
0.53
230
2