VC.

02: Day 1

3D Vectors, Planes, and the

Cross Product
 Example 1: Equation for a Plane
Let P  (2,3, 1) be a point in space and let V  (4, 2,5) be a vector. Find the xyz-equation
of the plane containing P that is perpendicular to vector V (that is, V is a normal vector to
the plane).
The main idea here is that the vector V is perpendicular
to the plane at ANY point on the plane.
Therefore, any vector with its tail at (2,3,-1) and tip at
(x,y,z) on the plane will be perpendicular to V. This
vector is:
(x, y, z)  (2,3, 1)
Since (x, y, z)  (2,3, 1) and V  (4, 2,5) are  , their dot
product is zero :
 (x, y, z)  (2,3, 1)  (4, 2,5)  0
4(x  2)  2(y  3)  5(z  1)  0

4x  2y  5z  3 Created by Christopher Grattoni. All rights reservered.

 Summary: Equation for a Plane
Let P  (a,b, c) be a point on the plane and let
V=(v 1 ,v 2 ,v 3 ) be a normal vector to the plane.
Then:
 (x, y, z)  P   V  0
v 1 (x  a)  v 2 (y  b)  v 3 (z  c)  0

(We usually like to rewrite

in the form Ax+By+Cz=D)
Created by Christopher Grattoni. All rights reservered.
 Summary: Equation for a Plane
Given an equation for a plane, you can generate a
vector normal to the plane very easily:
v 1 (x  a)  v 2 (y  b)  v 3 (z  c)  0
 (v 1 , v 2 , v 3 ) is a normal
vector to the plane

Ax  By  Cz  D
 (A,B, C) is a normal
vector to the plane

Created by Christopher Grattoni. All rights reservered.

 Example 2: Perpendicular Planes
Given the following two planes, show that they are perpendicular:
A: 6(x  2)  5(y  11)  2(z  1)  0
Ideas ?? B: 3(x  4)  2(y  1)  4(z  8)  0

Yes, their normal vectors should be  :

(6, 5,2)  (3,2, 4)  18  10  8

0
Since the dot product of their normal vectors
is 0, Plane A and Plane B are perpendicular.

Created by Christopher Grattoni. All rights reservered.

 Example 3: Parallel Planes
Given the following two planes, show that they are parallel:
B: 3(x  4)  2(y  1)  4(z  8)  0

Ideas ?? C:  6(x  3)  4(y  1)  8(z  7)  0

First, show their normal vectors are

multiples of each other:

( 6, 4,8)  2(3,2, 4)

Next, make sure they aren't the same plane:

(4,1, 8) should not satisfy C : 6(x  3)  4(y  1)  8(z  7)  0 :

6(4  3)  4(1  1)  8( 8  7)  170
Therefore Plane B and Plane C are parallel planes.
Created by Christopher Grattoni. All rights reservered.
 Summary: Parallel and
Perpendicular Planes
 Ax  By  Cz  D
Given two planes with equations  , we
 Ex  Fy  Gz  H
can determine if they are parallel or perpendicular as follows:

Perpendicular : (A,B,C)  (E,F,G)  0

Parallel :  k  ¡ s. t. (A,B, C)  k(E,F, G)

and  P  Plane1 s.t. P  Plane 2

Same Plane :  k  ¡ s. t. (A,B, C)  k(E,F,G)

and  P  Plane1 s.t. P  Plane 2
Created by Christopher Grattoni. All rights reservered.
Warning: Lines and Planes
Behave Differently!
• Describing the intersection between two
planes is a lot easier than the intersection
between two lines in 3 dimensions!
• Here’s the main hiccup to watch out for: two
lines in three dimensions do NOT necessarily
intersect (they can be skew)
• Let’s look at a few different examples!

Created by Christopher Grattoni. All rights reservered.

Are the Following Pairs of LINES
Perpendicular?
L(t)  (1, 4,2)  t(3,1,1) L(t) and M(t) intersect at (1,4,2)
M(t)  (1, 4,2)  t(0, 1,1) and (3,1,1)  (0,  1,1)  0, so these
lines are 

L(t)  (2, 0, 1)  t(3,1,1) The lines intersect at

M(t)  (5,1, 0)  t(0, 1,1) L(1)  M(0)  (5,1, 0) and
(3,1,1)  (0,  1,1)  0, so
these lines are 

L(t)  (5,1, 0)  t(3,1,1) L(t) and M(t) do not intersect,

M(t)  ( 3,1,2)  t(0, 1,1) so these lines are not  (they
are skew)
Are the Following Pairs of LINES
Parallel?
L(t)  (1, 4,2)  t(3,1,1) (1, 4,2)  M(t) and the lines have the
M(t)  (5, 9,6)  t(3,1,1) same generating vector, so they are P

L(t)  (1, 4,2)  t(3,1,1) M(1)  (1, 4,2)  L(t) and the lines
M(t)  ( 2,3,1)  t(3,1,1) have the same generating vector,
so they are the same line twice.

L(t)  (1, 4,2)  t(3,1,1) L(3)  (10,7,5)  M(t) and the

M(t)  (10,7,5)  t(6,2,2) generating vectors of the lines
are multiples of each other, so
they are the same line twice.
 Example 4: The Line of
Intersection
Given the following two planes, find the parametric line describing
their intersection: A: 3x  4y  z  5
B: 2x  4y  2z  3
Eliminate one variable: 5x z 2
So z  5x  2. We can use this relation to find two
points, P and Q on the line of intersection:
When x  1, z  5(1)  2  3. Plug back into either
1  1 
plane to get that y  . So P   1, ,3 
4  4 
When x  1, z  5( 1)  2  7. Plug back into either
15  15 
plane to get that y   . So Q   1,  , 7 
4  4 
 Example 4: The Line of
Intersection
Given the following two planes, find the parametric line describing
their intersection: A: 3x  4y  z  5
B: 2x  4y  2z  3
 1   15 
So P   1, ,3  and Q   1,  , 7 
 4   4 
lie on BOTH planes :

L(t)  P  t(Q  P)

 1 
L(t)   1, ,3   t( 2, 4, 10)
 4 
Created by Christopher Grattoni. All rights reservered.
 Summary: The Line of
Intersection
To find the parametric line of intersection between two planes :

1) Eliminate a variable between

the two equations
2) Find two points on the line
of intersection

3) Use these in L(t)  P  t(Q  P)

Created by Christopher Grattoni. All rights reservered.

 Example 5: Plane from Three
Points
Given the following set of three noncollinear points, find the parametric
equation of the plane passing through them: P  (5,1, 6)
Q  (3, 1, 4)
Parametrically this is easy : R  (1,2, 4)
For a line, we just have a point P and a generating vector V:
L(t)  P  tV
For a plane, we just need a point P and two generating vectors, V and W,
with different directions (linearly independent vectors):
M(t)  P  tV  sW
V  Q P W  R P
 (3, 1, 4)  (5,1, 6)  (1,2, 4)  (5,1, 6)
 ( 2, 2,10)  ( 4,1,10)

M(t)  (5,1, 6)  t( 2, 2,10)  s( 4,1,10)

 Example 5: Plane from Three
Points

M(t)  (5,1, 6)  t( 2, 2,10)  s( 4,1,10)

Created by Christopher Grattoni. All rights reservered.
 Example 5: Plane from Three
Points
Given the following set of three noncollinear points, find the
xyz-equation of the plane passing through them: P  (5,1, 6)
Q  (3, 1, 4)
R  (1,2, 4)
You could plug each point into Ax+By+Cz=D and solve a system...
but that's no fun!

If we could find a normal vector to the curve, we could use:

v 1 (x  a)  v 2 (y  b)  v3 (z  c)  0
Task : Find a vector perpendicular to both
V  ( 2, 2,10) and W  ( 4,1,10)

Created by Christopher Grattoni. All rights reservered.