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A- LEVEL – MATHEMATICS P3 VECTORS IN 3D (Notes)

Position Vector of Points A , B are OA and OB

OA = , OB = b

i) AB = ( b - a )

ii) Position Vector of the Mid point of AB , M

OM = ∵ OM = a + AM
= a +

= a + =

Components of Vectors in 3D :

Unit Vectors along the axes OX , OY, OZ are denoted by i , j , k

respectively.

OP = OA + AN + NP

or OP = ( x i + y j + z k )

is the position vector of variable point P .

r or OP = where OA = x , AN = OB = y , NP = OC = z

Distance OP = | r | = √(x2 + y2 + z2)

Position vectors of given points :

A ( a1 , a2 , a3 ) ; OA = a1 i + a2 j + a3 k = = a

and B ( b1 , b2 , b3 ) ; OB = b1 i + b2 j + b3 k = = b
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and AB = ( b - a ) =

Magnitude of a

OA = |a | = √(a12 + a22 + a32)

Unit Vector along

= i + j + k
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Parallel Vectors

a or a ǁ b a = kb , k ϵ R
b k ≠ 0

or = = k a ǁ b

Scalar Product of Vectors B

Defn a . b = | a | | b | cos θ b

Or cos θ = --------------------- (ii) θ A

O a
where , , are unit vectors along axes ( are mutually perpendicular )

i . i = i 2 = 1 x 1 x cos 00 = 1 = j . j = k . k

i 2 = j 2 = k 2 = 1 --------------------- (iii) also a . a = ( a )2 = | a |2

and i . j = j . k = k . j = 0 -------------------- (iv)

and a  b a . b = 0 , a ≠ 0 , b≠ 0

Now given a = a1 i + a2 j + a3 k = , b = b1 i + b2 j + b3 k =

a.b = ( a1 b1 + a2 b2 + a3 b3 ) ----------------------------- (v)

. = ( a1 b1 + a2 b2 + a3 b3 )

cos θ = ------------------------- vi)

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Equation of a line ‘ l ‘ passing through a point A whose position

vector a and direction of line is u

r = a + λμ --- (i) as OP = OA + AP

a = a1 i + a 2 j + a 3 k =

r = xi + yj + zk =

Director of line ‘ l ’

u = pi + qj +rk =

Equation of line l

r = = + λ ------------------- ( ii )

2. Equation of line passing through two points a and b

r = a + λ ( b – a ) --------- (iii)

Direction AB = ( b - a )

u =
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3. To verify that two given line l1 and l2 (May be PARALLEL / COINCIDENT /

INTERSECTING / SKEW LINES ) :

l1 : r = a + λ u ------- (i) where u = pi+qj+rk=

l2 : r = b + λv -------(ii) and v = l i + m j + nk =

Case (a) : l1 ǁ l2 u = kv : kϵ R ,k≠ 0

Case (b) : l1 ǁ l2 are coincident lines if

i) u = k1 v

(ii) ( b – a ) = k2 u

Case (c) : Intersecting u ≠ k v ; l1 ǁ l2

To find the point of intersection l1 : r = ------------ (iii)

l2 : r = --------------- (iv)

For a Common point :

or a1 + λ p = b1+ μ l ⇛ λ p - μ l = b1 - a1 ------------ (v)

a2 + λ q = b2+ μ m ⇛ λ q - μ m = b2 - a2 ------------ (vi)
a3 + λ r = b3 + μ n ⇛ λ r - μ n = b3 - a3 ------------ (vii)
Solve (v) and ( vi) for λ and μ
And verify that these values of λ and μ satisfies the equation (vii) ; and to
find the point of intersection, put the value of λ in equation(iii) (or μ in (iv) )

3. d) Pair of lines l1 and l2 are Skew :

l1 ǁ l2 and l1 and l2 are non intersecting.
It happens when in [3] (c) we solve two equations for λ and μ but
these values of λ and μ does not satisfy the third equation.
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PLANE IN 3D

Direction of a Plane is expressed in terms of its Normal n to the Plane :

Normal to the Plane is perpendicular to every line lying in the plane,

through the point of intersection of Plane and normal.

n  l1 and n  l2

1. Vector Equation of a Plane :

i) Passing through a point a and given n is the normal to the plane , r
is any point (variable ) on the plane.

( r - a ) . n = 0 ------(i) [ ∵ AP  Normal ]

General Equation of Plane ( Vector form )

r . n = d --------- (ii)

2. Cartesian Equation of a Plane :

i) Passing through a point A ( x1 ,y1 ,z1 ) and components of normal are

a ( x - x1 ) + b ( y - y1 ) + c ( z - z1 ) = 0 ----- (iii) [ n = ai + bj + c k]

General Equation of Plane in Cartesian form:

a x + b y + c z = d ----------------- (iv )
here a , b , c are Components of Normal
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3. i) Length of perpendicular from a point to a Plane :

Given a point A (x1 , y1 , z1 )

and a plane a x + b y + c z = d

Length of Perpendicular AN =

ii) Length of perpendicular from origin to the Plane :

ON =

4. i) Parallel Planes

Two Planes are parallel iff they have the same

normal .i.e either the components of normal are
same or proportional.

P1 : = d1
P2 : = d2

n1 = a1 i + b1 j + c1 k
n2 = a2 i + b2 j + c2 k

P1 ǁ P2 ⇛ = k : k ϵ R and k ≠ 0

Parallel Planes 2x - 3y + z = 7 or 3x - 5y + 2 z = 6
6 x – 9 y + 3 z = 10 3x -5y +2z = 9
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ii) Distance between two Parallel Planes

a) P1 : = d1 Make the coefficient of x , y , z in

P2 : = d2 both the equations equal.

Distance AB =

b) Alternate Method : Take any point on plane P1 and find the distance
(length of perpendicular ) of this point to second plane.

5. Equation of a Plane passing through the intersection of two given planes:

P1 : = d1
P2 : = d2

is given by :
( - d1 ) + λ ( - d2 ) = 0

6. To find the equation of a plane passing through

May be given :
three points A (x1 , y1 , z1 ) , B (x2 , y2 , z2 ) ,
C ( x3 , y3 , z3 ) OA = x1 i + y1 j + z1 k
OB = x2 i + y2 j + z2 k
Equation of any plane through point A (x1 , y1 , z1 ) is OC = x3 i + y3 j + z3 k
a ( x - x1 ) + b ( y - y1 ) + c ( z - z1 ) = 0 ------------------ (i) Position Vector of A,B, C
B (x2 , y2 , z2 ) lies on (i) a ( x2- x1 ) + ----+--- = 0 ---------(ii)
C (x3 , y3 , z3 ) lies on (i) a ( x3- x1 ) + ---+-- - = 0 ---------- (iii)

Solve (ii) and (iii ) by cross –multiplication method and put the values of a, b ,
c in (i)
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7. To find the Equation of Plane passing through line ‘ l ‘ and point

B (x2 , y2 , z2 )

l : r = a + λu

or l : r = ( ) + λ ( p i + q j + r k)

Now Point A ( ) on line ‘l’ lies on Plane

a ( x - x1 ) + b ( y - y1 ) + c ( z - z1 ) = 0 ------------------ (i)
and the given point B ( lies on required Plane
Put in (i)

a ( x2 - x1 ) + b ( y2 - y1 ) + c ( z2 - z1 ) = 0 ------------------ (ii)
as line ‘ l ‘ lies in plane.
l  Normal

u . n = 0

. = 0

⇛ a p + b q + c r = 0 --------------------------------- (iii)
Solve equations (ii) and (iii) for a , b and c by cross multiplication and put
the values of a , b ,c in (i)

8. To find the equation of the Line ‘ l ‘ of intersection of two planes:

Given Two Planes

P1 : = d1 ------------------ (i)
P2 : = d2 ------------------- (ii)

Put x = 0 in equation (i) and (ii) , we get

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= d1
= d2

Solve for y and z

Get the coordinate of a common point A ( 0 , y1 , z1 )

Again put y = 0 ( or may z = 0 ) and get

= d1
= d2

Solve for x and z to get B ( x2 , 0 , z2 )

As A, B lies on Required line ‘ l ‘

Find the equation of line through two points A and B.

9. To find the distance of a point B ( x2 , y2 , z2 ) from a line :

Given B (x2 , y2 , z2 )

Line l : r = a + λ u

Or r = + λ

Find AB = ( x2 - x1 ) i + (y2 – y2) j + ( z2 – z1 ) k

Now AN = Projection of AB on line l

= AB . u

Required length of perpendicular distance

BN = √ ( AB2 - AN2 )
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GENERAL RESULTS :

i) Any line ǁ to x-axis has Direction V = ai= or

ii) A Plane ǁ x-axis Normal to Plane

n  x- axis

. = 0

a = 0

iii) Line l : r = a + λ u = + λ

Plane P : r . n = d ax + by+cz = d

then (a) line l ǁ Plane P l  normal

u . n = 0

or ap + b q + cr = 0

(b) l  Plane l ǁ Normal

Direction of normal is same as direction of line.

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10. To find the angle ‘ θ ‘ between line ‘ l ‘ ( AQ ) and plane ‘ P ‘ .

n is normal to the Plane.

line l : r = a + λ u ----------- (i)

Plane P : r . n = d -------------- (ii)

Now - θ

Cos ( - θ) = = k ( let)

Or sin θ = k

θ = sin-1 ( k )

Case I : Let line ‘ l ‘ intersects plane ‘P’ at a point A.

And Let the plane containing the line ‘ l ‘ and normal n intersects
the plane ‘ P ‘ in the line

Then the required angle ‘ θ ‘ is between ‘ l ‘ and line AB.

θ = QAB

Hence , the angle between Normal and line ‘ l ‘ = (

Case II : If the angle between Normal and the line is obtuse.

Take + θ)

Cos ( + θ) = = - k ( let)

θ = sin-1 ( k)
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SOME IMPORTANT CONCEPTS

1. Projection of a segment of a line :

Projection of AB on l = PQ

2. Projection of AB on line l = AN

A N l

3. Let AB = a

AN = Projection of AB on b

In right
∵ = cos θ =

⇛ AN =
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To Solve two equation in three variables ( CROSS MULTIPLICATION

METHOD)

a1 x + b1 y + c1z = 0 Note : A = a b = ad -bc

a2 x + b2 y + c2 z = 0 c d

a1 x + b1 y + c1z = 0 a1 x + b1 y + c1z = 0 a1 x + b1 y + c1z = 0

a2 x + b2 y + c 2 z = 0 a2 x + b2 y + c2 z = 0 a2 x + b2 y + c2 z = 0

= =

= = = λ

ALTERNATE METHOD
a1 x + b1 y + c1z = 0
a2 x + b2 y + c2 z = 0

a1 x + b1 y + c1z = 0 a1 x + b1 y + c1z = 0 a1 x + b1 y + c1z = 0

a2 x + b2 y + c 2 z = 0 a2 x + b2 y + c2 z = 0 a2 x + b2 y + c2 z = 0

= =

= = = λ
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APPLICATION :

To Solve for a, b , c

Q6. a + 2b + 3c = 0
2a + b - 2c= 0

= =

Or = = = k

a = -7 k

b = 8k or k

c = -3 k

Q9. Solve :
3a + b - c = 0
-a + 2b - c = 0

= = –

= =

a: b : c = 1 : 4 : 7