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3D-GEOMETRY
Straight line in three dimensions A straight line in space is uniquely determined if (i) It passes through a given point and has a given direction, or (ii) It passes through two given points. Equation of a straight line through a given point A and parallel to a given vector b .Cartesian Form: Let the coordinates of A be (x1, y1, z1) and the vector b be b bi b2 b3k . Let P(x, y, i j z) be an arbitrary point on L. Then OP r xi yj zk and OA a x y z k and i j
i 1 1

hence equation (1) gives xi yj zk x1 y1 i j = (x b )i (y b

1 1 1

z1k (b1 b2 b3k) i j )j (z b )k .

1 3

i, j, Comparing the coefficients of k we get

x = x1 + b1, y = y1 + b2, z = z1 + b3. These are the parametric equations of line L. Eliminating the parameter , we get x x1 y y1 z z1 ... (2) b1 b2 b3 These are the Cartesian equations of the line. Equations (2) are also called the symmetrical form of the straight line, and represent a straight line through the given point (x1, y1, z1), whose direction ratios are b1, b2 and b3. For a = 0, (1) gives r b x y z and its Cartesian form is (3) b1 b2 b3

In (2) and (3), b1, b2, b3 are the direction ratios of the straight line. Equations of the straight line, through the point P(x1, y1, z1), with direction x a1 y y1 z z1 cosine l, m, n are . l m n The general coordinates of a point on a line are given by (x 1 + lr, y1 + mr, z1 + nr) where r is the distance between point (x1, y1, z1) and the point whose coordinates are to be written.

Equation of a straight line through two given points

Let A (x1, y1, z1) and B (x2, y2, z2) be two given points and let their position vectors be a and b respectively. That is a x1 y1 z1k, b x2 y2 z2k . i j i j Let P (x, y, z) be an arbitrary point on the line L, with position vector r xi yj zk . From the we have figure, AB OB OA b a . Hence the required line passes through A and is parallel to AB i.e. b a , and its vector equation, thus, is (r a) = (b a) (4) or, r a (b a) , (5) Cartesian Form: From (4), we have (x x1)i (y y1)j (z z1)k
(x 2

P B A

a
O

x1)i (y 2

y1)j (z2

z1)k .

i, j Comparing the coefficients of and k , we obtain (x x1) = (x2 x1), y y1 = (y2 y1), z z1 = (z2 z1) x x1 y y1 z z1 or . (6) x 2 x1 y 2 y1 z2 z1 These are the Cartesian equations of the line passing through the points (x1, y1, z1) and (x2, y2, z2).

Collinearity of three points

Let A, B, C be three given points with position vectors a, b and c respectively. The equation of the line through A and B is r a (b a) or (1 )a b r 0. If A, B, C are collinear, then C lies on AB (1 )a b c 0. (7) This represents a relation between the position vectors of the points A, B, C, which are collinear. We note that the algebraic sum of the coefficients of a, b, c is 1 + 1= 0. Let us now assume that any three vectors u, v, w satisfy the relation k1u k 2v k 3 w 0 with k1 + k2 + k3 = 0. Dividing by k3 ( 0), we get k1 k 2 k k2 u v w 0 with 1 1 0 k3 k3 k3 k3

so that

k1 u k3

k1 v w k3

k1 k1 . v u (1 )v , where = k3 k3 Hence C with position vector c is collinear with A and B. We conclude that three points are collinear if there exists a linear relation between them, such that the sum of the coefficients in it is zero. Shortest distance between two lines 1
Consider two lines L1 and L2 in space. (c d) then PQ = AB cos = | b a | |c d|
(b a) |b a|

k1 u k3

(c d) (b a) |c d|
B (b)
Q L2

Note: 1. The lines L1 and L2 will intersect if and only if the shortest distance between them is zero i.e. PQ = 0 or c d b a 0 . or b a c d 0 2. If the lines L1 and L2 are respectively x x1 y y1 z z1 x x2 y y2 and l1 m1 n1 l2 m2

A (a)

L2

z z2 , n2

the condition above for intersecting lines becomes x1 x 2 y1 y 2 z1 z2 l1 m1 n1 0. l2 m2 n2

x1 x 2 y1 y 2 m1 m2 z1 z2 n1 n2 0.

3. The lines L1 and L2 are skew if

l1 l2

and then the shortest distance between L 1 and L2 is x 2 x1 y 2 y1 z2 z1 l1 m1 n1 l2 m2 n2 . 2 2 2 (l1m2 m1l2 ) (m1n2 n1m2 ) (l1n2 l2n1) 4. If any straight line is given in general form then it can be transformed into symmetrical form and we can proceed further.