T

hree-Dimensional Geometry

THREEDIMENSIONALGEOMETRY
RectangularCoordinateSysteminSpace
Let O be any point in space and
suuuuur suuuuur
suuuuu
r
be three lines
X OX, Y OY and Z OZ
perpendiculartoeachother.Theselinesareknown
ascoordinateaxesandOiscalledorigin.Theplanes
XY,YZ,ZXareknownasthecoordinateplanes.

YZplane

ZXplane

y
XYplane

CoordinatesofaPointinSpace:
ConsiderapointPinspace.ThepositionofthepointPisgiven
bytriad(x,y,z)wherex,y,zareperpendiculardistancefrom
YZplane,ZXplaneandXYplanerespectively.

z
z
(x,0,2)
N

C (0,0,2)

P(x,y,z)

O
A (x,0,0)

If We assume i, j, k unit vectors along OX, OY, OZ

respectively, then position vector of point P is xi yj zk or
simply(x,y,z).

Note:

xaxis={(x,y,z)|y=z=0}

yaxis={(x,y,z)|x=z=0}

zaxis={(x,y,z)|x=y=0}

xyplane={(x,y,z)|z=0}

yzplane={(x,y,z)|x=0}

zxplane={(x,y,z)|y=0}

OP= x 2 y 2 z2

M(0,y,z)

Y
B(0,y,0)
L (x,y,0)

DIRECTIONCOSINESOFALINE
If , , be the angles which a given directed line makes with the positive
directionsofthecoordinateaxes,thencos,cos,cos arecalledthedirection
cosinesofthegivenlineandaregenerallydenotedbyl,m,nrespectively.
Thus,l=cos,m=cosandn=cos
By the definition it follows that the direction cosine of the axis of x are
respectivelycos0,cos90,cos90i.e.(1,0,0).
Similarlydirectioncosinesoftheaxesofyandzarerespectively(0,1,0)and(0,0,
1).

RelationbetweentheDirectionCosines:
LetOPbeanylinethroughtheoriginOwhichhasdirectioncosinesl,m,n.
LetP(x,y,z)andOP=r
ThenOP2=x2+y2+z2=r2

.(1)

FromPdrawPA,PB,PCperpendicularonthecoordinateaxes,sothat
OA=x,OB=y,OC=z.
Also,POA=,POB=andPOC=.
FromtriangleAOP,l=cos=

x
x=lr
r

Similarlyy=mrandz=nr
Hencefrom(1),
r2(l2+m2+n2)=x2+y2+z2=r2l2+m2+n2=1

A
X

Note:

IfthecoordinatesofanypointPbe(x,y,z)andl,m,nbethedirectioncosinesofthelineOP,O
beingtheorigin,then(lr,mr,nr)willgiveusthecoordinatesofapointonthelineOPwhichis
atadistancerfrom(0,0,0).

DirectionRatios:
Ifa,b,carethreenumbersproportionaltothedirectioncosinel,m,nofastraightline,thena,b,care
calleditsdirectionratios.Theyarealsocalleddirectionnumbersordirectioncomponents.
Hencebydefinition,wehave
l m n
k (say)
a b c
l=ak,m=bk,n=ckk2(a2+b2+c2)=l2+m2+n2=1
1
1
k= 2
=
a2
a b2 c2

l=

.Similarlym=

andn=

wherethesamesigneitherpositiveornegativeistobechosenthroughout.

2 3 6
Example:If2,3,6bethedirectionratios,thentheactualdirectioncosinesare ,
.
,
7
7
7

Note:

Directioncosinesofalineareuniquebutdirectionratiosofalineinnowayuniquebutcanbe
infinite.

ParallelLines
Sinceparallellineshavethesamedirection,itfollowsthatthedirectioncosinesoftwoormoreparallel
straightlinesarethesame.Soincaseoflines,whichdonotpassthroughtheorigin,wecandrawa
parallellinepassingthroughtheoriginanddirectioncosinesofthatlinecanbefound.

DirectionCosineofaLinejoiningtwogivenPoints
ThedirectionratiosoflinePQjoiningP(x1,y1,z1)andQ(x2,y2,z2)
arex2x1=a(say),y2y1=b(say)andz2z1=c(say).
Thendirectioncosinesare
(x 2 x1 )
(y 2 y1 )
(z 2 z1 )
l=
2 ,m=
2 ,n=
2
x 2 x1
x 2 x1
x 2 x1

Q(x2,y2,z2)

P(x1,y1,z1)
X

AnglebetweentwoLines
LetbetheanglebetweentwostraightlinesABandACwhosedirectioncosinesare
givenwhosedirectioncosinesarel1,m1,n1andl2,m2,n2respectively,isgivenbycos
=l1l2+m1m2+n1n2
If direction ratios of two lines are a 1, b1, c1 and a2, b2, c2 are given, then angle
betweentwolinesisgivenby
a1a 2 b1 b2 c1c2
cos= 2
a1 b12 c12 a 22 b22 c 22

ParticularResults:

Wehave,sin2=1cos2
= (l12 m 12 n12 )(l 22 m 22 n 22 ) (l1l2+m1m2+n1n2)2
=(l1m2l2m1)2+(m1n2m2n1)2+(n1l2n2l1)2
sin=

l m
1

l 2 m 1 .
2

Conditionofperpendicularity:
Ifthegivenlinesareperpendicular,then=900i.e.cos=0
l1l2+m1m2+n1n2=0ora1a2+b1b2+c1c2=0.

Conditionofparallelism:
Ifthegivenlinesareparallel,then=00i.e.sin=0
(l1m2l2m1)2+(m1n2m2n1)2+(n1l2n2l1)2=0
whichistrue,onlywhen
l1m2l2m1=0,m1n2m2n1=0andn1l2n2l1=0
Similarly,

a1 b1 c1

.
a 2 b2 c 2

l1 m 1 n1

l2 m 2 n 2

C
B

ProjectionofaLine
ProjectionofthelinejoiningtwopointP(x 1,y1,z1)andQ(x2,
y2,z2)onanotherlinewhosedirectioncosinesarel,m,nis
AB=l(x2x1)+m(y2y1)+n(z2z1)

PerpendicularDistanceofaPointfromaLine:
LetABisstraightlinepassingthroughpointA(a,b,c)
andhavingdirectioncosinesl,m,n.
AN=projectionoflineAPonstraightlineAB
=l(xa)+m(yb)+n(zc)
andAP= (x a) 2 (y b) 2 (z c) 2
perpendiculardistanceofpointP
PN= AP 2 AN 2

THE PLANE
Definition
Consider the locus of a point P(x, y, z). If x, y, z are allowed to vary without any
restriction for their different combinations, we have a set of points like P. The
surface on which these points lie, is called the locus of P. It may be a plane or
any curved surface. If Q be any other point on its locus and all points of the
straight line PQ lie on it, it is a plane. In other words if the straight line PQ,
however small and in whatever direction it may be, lies completely on the
locus, it is a plane, otherwise any curved surface.
EquationofPlaneinDifferentForms:

Generalequationofaplaneisax+by+cz+d=0

EquationoftheplaneinNormalformislx+my+nz=pwherepisthelengthofthenormal
fromtheorigintotheplaneand(l,m,n)bethedirectioncosinesofthenormal.

The equation to the plane passing through P(x 1, y1, z1) and having direction ratios
(a,b,c)foritsnormalisa(xx1)+b(yy1)+c(zz1)=0

The equation of the plane passing through three noncollinear points (x 1, y1, z1),

x x1

(x2,y2,z2)and(x3,y3,z3)is x 2 x1
x 3 x1

y y1

z z1

y 2 y1 z2 z1
y3 y1 z3 z1

=0

The equation of the plane whose intercepts are a, b, c on the x, y, z axes respectively is
x y z
=1(abc0)
a b c
EquationofYZplaneisx=0,equationofplaneparalleltoYZplaneisx=d.
EquationofZXplaneisy=0,equationofplaneparalleltoZXplaneisy=d.
EquationofXYplaneisz=0,equationofplaneparalleltoXYplaneisz=d.

FourpointsnamelyA(x1,y1,z1),B(x2,y2,z2),C(x3,y3,z3)andD(x4,y4,z4)willbecoplanarif
onepointliesontheplanepassingthroughotherthreepoints.

AnglebetweenthePlanes:

Anglebetweentheplanesisdefinedasanglebetweennormalsoftheplanesdrawnfromanypointtothe
planes.
Anglebetweentheplanesa1x+b1y+c1z+d1=0anda2x+b2y+c2z+d2=0is

cos

a1a 2 b1 b 2 c1c 2
2
1

b12 c12

a 22 b 22 c22

Note:

Ifa1a2+b1b2+c1c2=0,thentheplanesareperpendiculartoeachother.

If

a1 b1 c1

thentheplanesareparalleltoeachother.
a 2 b2 c2

PerpendicularDistance

The length of the perpendicular from the point P(x 1, y1, z1) to the plane ax + by + cz + d = 0 is

ax1 by1 cz1 d

a 2 b2 c 2

FamilyofPlanes
Equation of plane passing through the line of intersection of two planes u = 0 and v = 0 is
u+v=0.

IntersectionofaLineandPlane
Ifequationofaplaneisax+by+cz+d=0,thendirectioncosinesofnormaltothisplanearea,b,c.So
anglebetweennormaltotheplaneandastraightlinehavingdirectioncosinesl,m,nisgivenbycos=
al bm cn
.
a 2 b2 c2

.
2
Planeandstraightlinewillbeparallelifal+bm+cn=0

Planeandstraightlinewillbeperpendicularif

Thenanglebetweentheplaneandthestraightlineis

a b c
.
l m n

BisectorPlanesofAnglebetweentwoPlanes:
Theequationoftheplanesbisectingtheanglesbetweentwogivenplanesa 1x+b1y+c1z+d1=0anda2x+
b2y+c2z+d2=0is
a1x b1 y c1z d1
a x b2 y c2z d 2
2
2
2
2
a1 b1 c1
a 22 b22 c 22

THESTRAIGHTLINE
Straightlineinthreedimensionalgeometryisdefinedasintersectionoftwoplanes.Sogeneralequation
ofstraightlineisstatedastheequationsofbothplanetogetheri.e.generalequationofstraightlineis
a1x+b1y+c1z+d1=0,a2x+b2y+c2z+d2=0
(1)
So,equation(1)representsstraightlinewhichisobtainedbyintersectionoftwoplanes.

EquationofStraightLineinDifferentForms:
SymmetricalForm:

EquationofstraightlinepassingthroughpointP(x 1,y1,z1)andwhosedirectioncosinesarel,m,
x x1 y y1 z z1
nis

l
m
n
EquationofstraightlinepassingthroughtwopointsP(x1,y1,z1)andQ(x2,y2,z2)is

x x1
y y1
z z1

.
x 2 x1 y 2 y1 z2 z1

Note:

Thegeneralcoordinatesofapointonalineisgivenby(x 1 +lr,y1 +mr,z1 +nr)whereris

distancebetweenpoint(x1,y1,z1)andpointwhosecoordinatesistobewritten.

Note:

Ifequationofstraightlineisgiveningeneralform,itcanbechangedintosymmetricalform.
ThemethodisdescribedinfollowingExample.

Illustration:

Findinsymmetricalformtheequationsoftheline3x+2yz4=0=4x+y2z+3.

Solution:

Theequationofthelineingeneralformare
3x+2yz4=0,4x+y2z+3=0
(1)
Letl,m,nbethedirectioncosinesoftheline.Sincethelineiscommontoboththe
planes,itisperpendiculartothenormalstoboththeplanes.
Hence3l+2mn=0,4l+m2n=0
Solvingtheseweget,
l
m n
1
1
l
m
n

i.e.

2
2
2
3 2 5
38
(3) 2 (5)
4 1 4 6 3 8
So,directioncosinesofthelineare

38
38
38
Nowtofindthecoordinatesofapointonaline.Letusfindoutthepointwhereitmeets
theplanez=0.Puttingz=0intheequationgivenby(1),wehave
3x+2y4=0,4x+y+3=0
solvingthese,wegetx=2,y=5
So,onepointofthelineis(2,5,0)
equationofthelineinsymmetricalformis
x2 y5 z0

x2 y5 z
3
2
5 i.e.
.Shortest Distance between two non

3
2
5
38
38
38

IntersectingLine:

Twolinesarecallednonintersectinglinesiftheydonotlieinthesameplane.Thestraightlinewhichis
perpendiculartoeachofnonintersectinglinesiscalledthelineofshortestdistance.Andlengthof
shortestdistancelineinterceptedbetweentwolinesiscalledlengthofshortestdistance.
Method:Lettheequationoftwononintersectinglinesbe
x x1 y y1 z z1

=r1(say)
(1)
l1
m1
n1
x x2 y y2 z z2

And
=r2(say)
(2)
l2
m2
n2
Anypointonline(1)isP(x1+l1r1,y1+m1r1,z1+n1r1)andonline(2)isQ(x2+l2r2,y2+m2r2,z2+n2r2).
LetPQbethelineofshortestdistance.Itsdirectionratioswillbe
[(l1r1+x1x2l2r2),(m1r1+y1y2m2r2),(n1r1+z1z2n2r2)]

Thislineisperpendiculartoboththegivenlines.Byusingconditionofperpendicularityweobtain2
equationsinr1andr2.
Sobysolvingthese,valuesofr 1andr2canbefound.AndsubsequentlypointPandQcanbefound.The
distancePQisshortestdistance.
x1 x 2 y1 y 2 z1 z 2
m1
n1 .
TheshortestdistancecanbefoundbyPQ= l1
l2
m2
n2

Note:

Ifanystraightlineisgiveningeneralformthenitcanbetransformedintosymmetricalform
andwecanfurtherproceed.

NAME________________________

____

BATCH____________________

FIITJ
EE
Enrollment No.:__________________________
Faculty ID:_MAS_____
Mathematics

1.

2.

3.
4.

5.

6.

3-D

Dept. of

Suppose p , q, r 0 and system of equations. ( p + a)x + by + cz = 0 , ax + ( q + b) y +

cz = 0 , ax + by + (r +c) z = 0 has a non trivial solutions, then the value of
a b c
is
p q r
(A) -1
(B) 0
(C) 1
(D) 2
The distance between the point (-1, -5, -10) and the point of intersection of the line
x 2 y 1 z 2

with the plane x y + z = 5 is

3
4
12
13
2
(A) 26
(B) 13
(C)
(D)
2
13
If 2ax- 2y + 3z =0, x + ay + 2z = 0 and 2x + az = 0 have a non-trivial solution then
(A) a = 2
(B) a = 1
(C) a = 0
(D) a = -1
The equation of a plane passing through the line of intersection of the planes x + y +
z = 5 , 2x y + 3z = 1 and parallel to the line y = z = 0 is
(A) 3x z = 9
(B) 3y z = 9
(C) x 3z = 9
(D) y 3z = 9
A point moves so that the sum of the squares of its distance from the six faces of a
cube given by x = 1 , y =1, z = 1 is 10 units , the locus of the point is
(A) x2 + y2 + z2 = 1
(B) x2 + y2 + z2 = 2
(C) x + y + z = 2
(D) None of these
If

x 1 y 2 z 3
x2 y 3 z4

and
lies in the same plane then for equation
2
x1
x2
3
4
5

x1t 2 x 2 2 t a 0

(A) 2x1 x 2 1
(C) Sum of roots = -2
7.

DATE_____/_____/

Statement 1

(B) 2x1 x 2 2
(D) Sum of roots = 0

The shortest distance between a line and plane is zero if the line makes an angle 0
with the plane.
Statement 2
If a line is parallel to a plane then it is perpendicular to normal to the plane.
(A) both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are true and Statement 2 is correct explanation
of
Statement 1
(B) both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are true and Statement 2 is not correct
explanation
of Statement 1
(C) Statement 1 is true, Statement 2 is false
(D) Statement 1 is false, Statement 2 is true
8.

9.

10.
11.

12.

13.

The shortest distance of the (a,b,c) from x axis is

(A) a2 b2
(B) b2 c 2
(C) c 2 a2
(D) a2 b2 c 2
x 2 y 1 z 1

The line
intersects xy c 2 , z 0 if c
3
2
1
1
(A) 1
(B)
3
(C) 5
(D) none of these
x y z 1
The shortest distance between the lines
and yaxis is
1 0
0
(A) 0
(B) 1
(C) 2
(D) 3
Statement -1
The equation of a straight line through the point (a, b, c,) and parallel to x-axis are
x a y b z c

1
0
0
Statement -2
The direction ratio of y-axis are <0,1, 0>.
(A) both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are true and Statement 2 is correct explanation
of
Statement 1
(B) both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are true and Statement 2 is not correct
explanation
of Statement 1
(C) Statement 1 is true, Statement 2 is false
(D) Statement 1 is false, Statement 2 is true
A variable plane, at a constant distance of 3 units from the origin, intersects the
coordinate axes at A, B, C. The locus of the centroid of triangle ABC is
1
1
1
(A) x2 + y2 + z2 = 9
(B) 2 2 2 1
x
y
z
1
1
1
(C) x2 + y2 + z2 = 1
(D) 2 2 2 9
x
y
z
Statement -1
A straight line passes through the point (2, 3 ,-5) and equally inclined to the axis be
x2=y-3=z+5
Statement- 2
Direction ratios of the line which is equally inclined to the axis are 1,1,1.
(A) both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are true and Statement 2 is correct explanation
of
Statement 1

(B) both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are true and Statement 2 is not correct
explanation
of Statement 1
(C) Statement 1 is true, Statement 2 is false
(D) Statement 1 is false, Statement 2 is true
14. The equation of the plane passing through the points (2, 1, 2) and (1, 3, 2) and
parallel to
x axis is
(a) x + 2y = 4
(b) 2y + x + z = 4
(c) x + y + z = 4
(d) 2y + z = 4
15. The equation of the plane passing through the point (3, 3, 1) and is normal to the
line joining the points (2, 6, 1) and (1, 3, 0) is
(a) x + 3y + z + 11 = 0
(b) x + y + 3z + 11 = 0 (c) 3x + y + z = 11
(d) None of these
16. If a point moves so that the sum of the squares of its distances from the six faces of a
cube having length of each edge 2 units is 46 units, then the distance of the point
from (1,1, 1) is
(a) a variable .
(b) a constant equal to 7 units.
(c) a constant equal to 4 units.
(d) a constant equal to 49 units.
17

Match the following pair of planes with their lines of intersections

Column A
Column B
(A)

xy0yz

(P)

(B)

x = 2, y = 3

(Q)

(C)
(D)

x = 2, y + z = 3
x = 2, x + y + z = 3

(R)
(S)

x 2 y 2007 z 2004

0
1
1
x 2 y z 1

0
1
1
x=y=z
x2 y3 z

0
0
1

x 1 y 2 z 3

are
2
4
6
(b) skew
(d) intersecting

18. The lines 6x = 3y = 2z and

(a) parallel

(d) coincident

x x1 y y1 z z1
is

0
1
2
(a) parallel to x axis
(b) perpendicular to x axis
(c) perpendicular to YOZ plane
(d) None of these
20. A plane meets the axes in P, Q and R such that centroid of the triangle PQR is (1, 2, 3).
The equation of the plane is
(a) 6x + 3y + 2z = 6 (b) 6x +3 y + 2z = 12 (c) 6x + 3y + 2z = 1 (d) 6x + 3y + 2z = 18
19. The line

21. The coordinates of the point of intersection of the line

plane x y z 3 are
(a) (2, 1, 0)
(b) (7, 1, 7)

x 6 y 1 z 3

and the
1
0
4

(c) (1, 2, 6)

22. The Cartesian equation of the plane perpendicular to the line,

passing through the origin is
(a) 2x y + 2z 7 = 0
(b) 2x + y + 2z = 0

(d) (5, 1, 1)

x 1 y 3 z 4

and
2
1
2

(c) 2x y + 2z = 0

(d) 2x y z = 0

23. The equation of the plane through the intersection of the planes x 2y + 3z 4 = 0,
2x 3y + 4z 5 = 0 and perpendicular to the plane x + y + z 1 = 0 is
(a) x y + 2 = 0
(b) x z + 2 = 0
(c) y z + 2 = 0
(d) z x + 2 = 0
24. The coordinates of the point of intersection of the line
plane
3x + 4y + 5z = 5 are
(a) (5, 15, 14)
(b) (3, 4, 5)

x 1 y 3 z 2

with the
1
3
2

(c) (1, 3, 2)

(d) (3, 12, 10)

x 1 y 1 z 2

and the plane 2x + y 3z + 4 = 0 is

3
2
4
4

(b) sin1 406

(c) 30
(d) none of these

25. The angle between the line

(a) cos1

406

26. The angle between the lines whose direction cosines satisfy the equations l + m + n =
0,
l2 + m2 n2 = 0 is given by
2

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
3
6
6
3

x 2 y 1 z 3

and the plane 3x + 6y 2z + 5 = 0 is

2
1
2
4

6
4

(b) sin1 21
(c) sin1 21
(d) sin1 21

27. The angle between the line

4

(a) cos1 21

x6 y2 z2
x 4 y z 1

and
is
1
2
2
3
2
2
(c) 27
(d) None of these

28. Shortest distance between lines

(a) 108

(b) 9

29. The acute angle between the plane 5x 4y + 7z 13 = 0 and the yaxis is given by
5

4
7
4

90
(a) sin1 90
(b) sin1
(c) sin1 90
(d) sin1 90
30. The planes x + y z = 0, y + z x = 0, z + x y = 0 meet
(a) in a line
(b) taken two at a time in parallel lines
(c) in a unique point
(d) none of these
Answers:
1.
A
8.
B
14.
D
17.
(A)
18D
24.A
30.C

3.
9.
15.
(R)

C
4.
C
10.
A
16
(B) (S)
19.B
25.B

B
5.
B
11.
.B
(C) (P)
20.D
26.D

B
B

6.
12.

(D) (Q)
21.D
27.B

B,C
B
22.C
28.B

7.
13.

D
A
23.B
29.D