PAPERS VECTOR ANALYSIS EQUATION OF STRAIGHT LINE AND EQUATION OF PLANE

Compiled by: Yotam Agung Pratama A410102005

TEACHER AND SCIENCE EDUCATION FACULTY MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY OF SURAKARTA 2011

Finding the vector equation of a line Using vectors gives us a very neat way of writing down an equation which gives the position vector of any point on a given straight line. This method works equally well in two or three dimensions. Suppose we 've got a straight line like the one I show in the drawing below. (You have to imagine that it extends infinitely far in either direction.)

In order to write down the vector equation of this line, we need to know two things.

We have to know the position vector of some point which lies on the line, like a on my diagram. We have to know a vector which gives the direction of the line, like b in my diagram. This is called a direction vector.

Then the position vector r of any general point P on the line is given by the equation r = a + tb where t tells us how much of b we need to take in order to get from A to P. (t = 3 for the particular P I have shown in my drawing.) DANGER Notice that writing r = ta + b would give you a completely different line! Here's the drawing again to make it easier to refer to.

It's important to realise that there are many possible ways of writing the vector equation of any given line. So, in my example above, any point A on the line would work equally well provided we knew its position vector, and any vector lying parallel to b would work equally well as a direction vector. (For example, I could have used 3b or - b. Here are some examples of equations of particular lines so we can look in more detail at how they actually work. Suppose that Line A has the equation r = i + 3k + t(2i + j + k) so that the a in my drawing is i + 3k and my b is 2i + j + k. Different values of t give the position vectors of different points on this line.

Putting t = 0 gives r = i + 3k. Putting t = 1 gives r = 3i + j + 4k. Putting t = -1 gives r = -i - j + 2k. Suppose there are two more lines B and C so that now we have line A with equation r = i + 3k + t(2i + j + k) line B with equation r = i + 3k + s(i + 4j - k) and line C with equation r = i + j + k + u(4i + 2j + 2k). The letters s and u work in exactly the same way for their lines as t does for line A. Both the lines B and C have special relationships with line A. Can you spot what they are?

Using the a and b of my drawing to refer to, we see that lines A and B both have a = i + 3k but they have different direction vectors. Therefore they cut each other at point A with r = i + 3k. Line C has the same direction as line A, (its direction vector is just scaled up by a factor of 2), so either lines A and C are parallel or they are really the same line. Putting t = 0 for line A gives r = i + 3k but there is no value we can give to u in line C which would make r = i + 3k so therefore A and C are distinct parallel lines. Now we'll consider these two lines. Line D has equation r = i - j + 4k + s(i - j + k). Line E has equation r = 2i + 4j + 7k + t(2i + j + 3k). They are not parallel since their direction vectors aren't parallel but do they cut each other? (If not, they are what are called skew lines.) If they cut each other then the point P where they cut must lie on both lines. We'll call its position vector p. The point P can only exist if there are values of s and t so that p = i - j + 4k + s(i - j + k) = 2i + 4j + 7k + t(2i + j + 3k). For this equation to have a solution, the components in the i, j and k directions must each seperately be equal. This would mean that i + si = 2i + 2ti so giving 1 + s = 2 + 2t -j - sj = 4j + tj so giving -1 - s = 4 + t 4k + sk = 7k + 3tk so giving 4 + s = 7 + 3t. Is this possible? Adding (1) and (2) gives 0 = 6 + 3t so t = -2 and 1 + s = 2 - 4 so s = -3. THE LINES ONLY MEET if these values of s and t also fit equation (3). Putting s = -3 and t = -2 in 4 + s = 7 + 3t gives LHS = 4 - 3 =1 and RHS = 7 - 6 =1 so the 3 equations are consistent (that is, there is a solution which fits all 3 of them) and the lines do

cut each other. Putting s = -3 in line D's equation gives the position vector of this point of intersection as p = i - j + 4k - 3(i - j + k) = - 2i + 2j + k. You will see that putting t = -2 in line E's equation gives exactly the same result.

Finding vector equations of planes One way of doing this is to use a very similar method to the one for finding the vector equation of a line. The difference is that now we want an equation which gives the position vector of any point in a flat surface or plane. It's easiest to explain how this works by starting with the case where the origin lies in the plane. The drawing below shows part of a plane like this.

To find the position vector of any point P, we have to know 2 non-parallel vectors which lie in the plane. I have called these s and t. It is then possible to get to P by adding together suitable multiples of s and t. This gives us the equation of the plane as r = as + bt. In my picture, a = 1.4 and b = 1.1 approximately. There are some more examples of vectors being described in this kind of way in the earlier section using components to describe vectors. Now suppose we have a plane which doesn't pass through the origin. The drawing below shows part of a plane like this. Again, s and t are known vectors which lie in the plane. We also now need a way of getting to the plane from the origin, so we have to know the position vector of some particular point in the plane. In my drawing, this point is M with position vector m.

Once we have reached the plane, we can find the position of any general point P relative to M in the same way that we did above by saying that p = as + bt. (For my particular P, a = 1.2 and b = 1.) Now we can get the equation of the plane in terms of the known vectors m, s and t. We have r = m + p but p = as + bt so r = m + as + bt. In the special case where the plane passes through the origin, we can leave out the m because it is the zero vector. If two planes are parallel, then the same s and t can be used for both of them, since we can move these free vectors so that they lie in either plane. The equations of the planes are different because each one must also include a position vector from the origin to a known point in that particular plane.

Finding equations of planes using normal vectors The direction perpendicular to a plane is unique to that plane (and any plane parallel to it). To see how we can use this to give us another form of the vector equation of a plane, we'll start with the case where the plane passes through the origin. (It's particularly easy to see how to do it in this case!) I've shown part of such a plane in my drawing below.

Suppose we know the vector N which is perpendicular to the plane. This means that it must be perpendicular to the position vector r of any point in the plane from the origin, so the dot product of the perpendicular vectors N and r gives us the equation N.r = 0. The vector N is called a normal vector to the plane. (Any vector parallel to the N I have drawn will also be a normal vector to this plane and will work equally well.)

Now we extend this method to find the equation of a plane which doesn't pass through the origin. I've shown part of such a plane in the drawing below. This time, we have to be able to get to the plane first from the origin, so we must know the position vector of some particular point in the plane from the origin. In my drawing, this point is M with position vector m.

If P is any general point in the plane, so that the vector MP = p, then N and p are perpendicular to each other. Therefore N.p = 0 but p = r - m. N.(r - m) = 0 or N.r = N.m = C where C is the number we get from working out the dot product of the two known vectors N and m. Now suppose we are starting with the plane below, with the 2 known vectors s and t lying in this plane.

How could we use s and t to find a vector N which would be perpendicular to this plane? Here's the plane again with s and t being known vectors which lie in it.

Working out the cross product of s and t will automatically give us a vector perpendicular to the plane in which s and t lie. This is the speediest method for finding a normal vector to this plane. As an example, suppose s = 2i + j + 3k and t = 3i + 2j + 4k. Then s x t = - 2i + j + k = N, a normal vector to the plane. (The working out of s x t is described at the end of the cross product section where I used the same vectors in an example there.) It's also possible to find a normal vector by using the dot product. If we call the normal vector N, then N must be perpendicular to both s and t. Therefore N.s = 0 and N.t = 0. Now, using algebra it is possible to find an N which fits these two equations.

THE PROBLEM AND THE SOLUTION A problem about parallel vectors. Problem If u = (-3, 2, 1) and v = (5, 0, -3) and w = (6, 1, -4) is it possible to find a scalar t such that u + tv is parallel to w? Solution If 2 vectors P and Q are parallel then there is a number or scalar k so that P = kQ. For example, (3, 6, 12) and (1, 2, 4) are parallel and (3, 6, 12) = 3 (1, 2, 4). So this question is asking us whether we can find t so that (-3, 2, 1) + t (5, 0, -3) = k (6, 1, -4). This equation can only be satisfied if each separate component matches up. So we have, in fact, 3 equations to look at. We would need

-3 + 5t = 6k 2=k 1 - 3t = -4k From the second, k = 2. Then, from the third, we get t = 3. Now, the crucial step is to find out whether these values for k and t fit the first equation. Substituting in, we find that they do, and therefore we know that u + 3v is parallel to w. Geometrically, this means that the vectors u, v and w can all lie in the same plane in 3-D space. The vector w is called linearly dependent on u and v. If you pick any 3 vectors in 3-D space, they won't usually have this property. Generally, if you move their 3 tails to the origin then it will be possible to find some combination of them that will take you to any chosen point in 3-D space. The 3 vectors i, j and k are the most important example of this. However, if u, v and w have their tails moved to the origin, combinations of them will only take you to points in the 2-D plane in which they all lie. No combination of u, v and w will allow you to escape from this plane. Is this line parallel to this plane?
Problem Find out if the line r = (1, 3, 8) + t (-2, 5, 7) is parallel to the plane 3x + 4y - 2z = 1.

Solution The vector (3, 4, -2) is normal or perpendicular to the plane 3x + 4y - 2z = 1. Also, (-2, 5, 7) is the direction vector for the given line. If this line is parallel to the plane then its direction vector must be perpendicular to the plane's normal vector. If two vectors are perpendicular then their scalar or dot product is zero. All we have to do is to work out (3, 4, -2).(-2, 5, 7). Doing this gives -6 + 20 - 14 = 0 so therefore this line is parallel to this plane Finding where a line intersects a plane. Problem Where does the line r = (1, 2, -5) + t (2, -3, 1) meet the plane 2x + 5y - 3z = 6? Solution Letting r = (x, y, z) we have (x, y, z) = (1, 2, -5) + t (2, -3, 1). For points on this line, the components of their position vectors are given by x = 1 + 2t y = 2 - 3t z = -5 + t Also, we know that 2x + 5y - 3z = 6 for points lying in the plane. For a point in common, all these equations must be simultaneously satisfied. Substituting for x, y and z in the 4th equation gives

2 (1 + 2t) + 5 (2 - 3t) - 3 (-5 + t) = 6. This gives -14t = -21 so t = 3/2. Substituting this value of t gives x = 4, y = -5/2 and z = -7/2. The position vector of the point where the line meets the plane is ( 4, -5/2, -7/2). Check for yourself that this point does lie on the plane 2x + 5y - 3z = 6. (Doing this gives a quick check against arithmetical slips!) Finding the line where two planes meet.
Problem Find the vector equation of the line in which the 2 planes 2x - 5y + 3z = 12 and 3x + 4y - 3z = 6 meet.

Solution The vector (2, -5, 3) is normal (i.e perpendicular) to the plane 2x - 5y + 3z = 12. The vector (3, 4, -3) is normal to the plane 3x + 4y - 3z = 6. These vectors aren't parallel so the planes do meet! Now, the vector or cross product of these two normal vectors gives a vector which is perpendicular to both of them and which is therefore parallel to the line of intersection of the two planes. So this cross product will give a direction vector for the line of intersection. The cross product of (2, -5, 3) and (3, 4, -3) is (3, 15, 23). In order to find the vector equation of the line of intersection, we also need to find the position vector from the origin of some point which lies on it. So we need to find some point which lies on both the planes because then it must lie on their line of intersection. Any point which lies on both planes will do. I can see that both planes will have points for which x = 0. These points in 2x - 5y + 3z = 12 will have -5y + 3z = 12. These points in 3x + 4y - 3z = 6 will have 4y - 3z = 6. Solving these two equations simultaneously gives y = -18 and z = -26 so the point with position vector (0, -18, -26) lies on the line of intersection. Therefore the equation of the line of intersection is
r = (0, -18, -26) + t (3, 15, 23).

Check for yourself that if you choose some value for t (say t =2) that the point that you get does really lie on both planes and so on their line of intersection.

MATERIAL SOURCE
http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~jenolive/homevec.html

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/Mathematics/geomath/level2/fvec/fv34.html

http://paulbourke.net/geometry/planeeq/

http://members.tripod.com/~Paul_Kirby/vector/Vplane.html

http://members.tripod.com/~Paul_Kirby/vector/Vline.html

http://www.revisesmart.co.uk/maths/core-4/vector-equation-of-a-line.html