CONCEPTS of THREE DIMENSIONAL GEOMETRY

MATHEMATICS
CLASS XII
Concepts
Distance formula: Distance between two points A
 ,  ,   and B
 ,  ,   is
AB=
 −   +
 −   +
 −  

points A
 ,  ,   and B
 ,  ,   in the ratio m:n

Section formula: Coordinates of a point P, which divides the line segment joining two given

(i) internally, are P , , ,

     
  
the Coordinates of a point Q divides the line segment joining two given points in the ratio m:n
(ii) externally are Q , , 
     
  

, , 
     
  
(iii) coordinate of mid-point of AB is R

The direction of a line OP is determined by the angles , ,  which makes with OX,
Direction cosines of a line :
(i)
OY,OZ respectively. These angles are called the direction angles and their cosines are

Direction cosines of a line are denoted by l, m, n; l = cos  ,m = cos ,  = cos 

called the direction cosines.
(ii)

i.e cos2 + cos2! + cos2" = 1

(iii) Sum of the squares of direction cosines of a line is always 1.
l2 + m2 + n2 =1
Direction ratio of a line :
(i) Numbers proportional to the direction cosines of a line are called direction ratios of a
= = (.
# % '
$ &
line. If a ,b ,c, are , direction ratios of a line, then
(ii) If a ,b ,c, are , direction ratios of a line , then the direction cosines are
± √* , ± √* ± √*
* , -
, -  , -  , - 

are  −  ,  −  ,  − 
(iii) Direction ratio of a line AB passing through the points A(x1, y1, z1) and B (x2, y2, z2)

STRAIGHT LINE
Equation of a line

1/,
One Point Form
a) Vector equation of a line passing through a point ./ and along the direction 0

is 2/ = ./ + λ 31/
= = Where
 ,  ,   is the
  
* , -
b) Cartesian equation of a line: .
given point and a, b, c are direction ratios of the line.

1/ is
Two Point Form :
a) Vector equation of a line passing through two points, with position vectors 1a/ and b
1/ - 1a/ 
r/ = 11/a + λ
b
b) Cartesian equation of a line through two points A(x1,y1, z1) and B (x2,y2, z2) is
= =
  
    
      
 111/ and 2/ = 1111/ 1111/
Angle between two intersecting lines
a) Let the vector equations of two intersecting lines are 2/ = 1111/
. + 93 . + :3
1111/.11111/
If ; is the angle between two lines then cos ; = =,1111/=.=11111/
 , ,
, =  

= =
>> ?? @@
$ & (
x − x y − y z − z
b) Let the Cartesian equations of two intersecting lines are : ,

= =
a b c
If ; is the angle between two lines then cos ; =
* * , , - -

D*  &  -  D*  ,  - 

i) If two lines are perpendicular, then 31/ . 31/ = 0, i.e. . . + 3 3 + F F = 0

Condition for perpendicular and parallel lines

ii) If two lines are parallel, then 31/ = 9 31/ , where 9 is a scalar. 31/ × 31/ = 0
= , = -
* , -
*
OR
 
If ; is the angle between two lines with direction cosines l1, m1, n1 and l2, m2, n2 then
cos ; =l1l2 + m1m2 + n1n2
(v)
(a)
=  = 
L  
L
(b) if the lines are parallel, then
 
(c) if the lines are perpendicular, then l1l2 + m1m2 + n1n2=0

Shortest distance between two skew- lines:

111/ , and: : 2/=. 1111/, d=M  1111/

*
11111/*
 11111/.N, 1111/
O
(i) Vector equations: 2/=.
1111/ + 93 1111/ + :3 1111/
 ×,
1111/
=, ×, =
M.

111/ 1111/
If shortest distance is zero, then lines intersect and line intersects in space if they are coplanar.
Hence, if above lines are coplanar if
. 1111/ − .
1111/.
 N3 × 3 O = 0
= = , = =
      
* , - * , -
(ii) Cartesian equations:
 −   −   − 
Hence, if above lines are coplanar if P . 3 F P = 0
. 3 F
Shortest distance between two parallel lines: If two lines are parallel, then they are coplanar.
1111/ + 931/, and: 2/=.
1111/ + :31/,
1/×
*
Let the lines be : 2/=. D=M M
, 11111/*
 11111/

=,/=
1

PLANE
General equation of a plane in vector form :- It is given by r/. 1n/ = d , 1n/ is a vector
normal to plane.

General equation of a plane in Cartesian form :- ax + by + cz = d , Where a, b, c are

direction ratios of normal to the plane.

General equation of a plane passing through a point :- if position vector of given point is ./
then equation is given by
2/ − ./. 1/ = 0, 1/ is a vector perpendicular to the plane.

General equation of a plane passing through a point :- if coordinates of point are ( ,  , )
then equation is .
 −   + 3
 −   + F
 −   = 0, where a,b,c are direction ratios of
the normal to the plane.
Intercept form of equation of a plane :-General equation of a plane which cuts off intercepts
a, b and c on x-axis, y-axis, z-axis respectively is + + = 1.
  
* , -

Equation of a plane in normal form:- 2/. R = p, where R is a unit vector along perpendicular
from origin and ‛p’ is distance of plane from origin ‘p’ is always positive.
Cartesian form : It is given by S + T +  = U, where S, T,  are direction cosines of the
normal from origin to the plane and ‛p’ is distance of plane from origin. ‘p’ is always

Equation of a plane passing through three non-collinear points :- If ./, 31/, F/ are the position
positive.

2/ − ./. V
31/ − ./ ×
F/ − ./W = 0.

vectors of three non-collinear points, then equation of a plane through three points is given by

plane passing through points (XY , ZY , [Y  , (X\ , Z\ , [\  and (X] , Z] , []  then equation is
Equation of a plane passing through three non-collinear points(Cartesian system) :- If

 −  
 − 
 − 
^
 −  
 −  
 −  ^ = 0

_ −  
_ −  
_ −  

Angle Between two intersecting Planes:

If ; is angle between two planes 2/. 1111/
 = ` and 2/. 1111/
 = ` then cos ; =
11111/.
 11111/

|
11111/||
 11111/|


(i) If planes are perpendicular, then  

1111/. 1111/ =0

(ii) If planes are parallel, then 1111/

 × 1111/ = 0 or 1111/
 = b 1111/
 , b is a scalar.

If ; is angle between two planes .  + 3  + F  + ` = 0 .` .  + 3  + F  + ` = 0

Then cos ; =
* * , , - -

D
*  ,  -  
*  ,  -  

(i) If planes are perpendicular ,then . . + 3 3 + F F = 0

= , = -
* , -
*
(ii) If planes are parallel , then
 

If ; is angle between line 2/ = ./ + bT

11/ and the plane 2/. 1/ = `, then sin ; =
111/.
 1/
|
111/|.|1/|

(i) If line is parallel to plane, then T

11/. 1/ =0 and

(ii) If line is perpendicular to plane, then T

11/ × 1/ = 0 or T
11/ = b1/, b is a scalar.

Angle Between a line and a Plane:

If ; is angle between line = = and the plane . + 3 + F + ` = 0, then

  
* , -

ggY 00Y hhY

cde f =
D
gY \ 0Y \ hY \ 
g\ 0\ h\ 

(i) If line is parallel to the plane, then .. + 33 + FF = 0

=, =-
* , -
*
(ii) If line is perpendicular to the plane, then
 
Equation of a plane parallel to another plane

General equation of a plane parallel to the plane 2/. 1/ = ` is 2/. 1/ + b = 0, where b is a
constant and can be calculated from given condition.

General equation of a plane parallel to the plane ax + by + cz + d = 0 is ax + by + cz + b = 0,

where b is a constant and can be calculated from given condition.

Equation of a plane passing through intersection of two planes:

General equation of a plane (vector form) passing through the line of the intersection of planes

2/. 1111/  = ` is 2/.
1/ + b1/  =
` + b` , where b is a constant and can be
 = ` and 2/. 1111/
calculated from given condition.

planes a1x+b1y+c1z+d1=0 and a2x+b2y+c2z+d2=0 is( a1x+b1y+c1z+d1)+ b (a2x+b2y+c2z+d2 )=0

General equation of a plane(Cartesian form) passing through the line of the intersection of

where b is a constant and can be calculated from given condition.

Distance of a point from a plane

Distance of a plane
vector form 2/. 1/ = `, from a point with position vector ./ , is l l.
*1/.1/m
|1/|

Distance of a plane
Cartesian form ax+by+cz+d=0, , from a point (x1,y1,z1)

is l l.
* , - m
√* ,  - 

Distance between two parallel planes

Let two parallel planes are . + 3 + F + ` = 0 and . + 3 + F + ` = 0, distance

|m m |
between them is given by √$ 
& (

|m m |
Let two parallel planes are 2/. 1/ = ` and 2/. 1/ = `, distance between them is |
1/|

Condition for a line to lie on a plane

= = will lie on the plane . + 3 + F + ` = 0, if

  
* , -
The line

1) .. + 33 + FF = 0

2) . + 3 + F + ` = 0

Prepared by

DR. KANAN KUMAR PATRO

PGT MATHS, K V RAYAGADA