MATH 37

Reading Assignment 11

1. Determine an equation of the plane passing through P  4, 6,1 and perpendicular to

x y2
the line   z.
5 3

Solution.

x y2
From the symmetric equations,   z,
5 3
a vector parallel to the line is 5,3,1 . Since the
line is perpendicular to the plane, the vector is
also orthogonal to the plane. Hence 5,3,1 is a
normal vector to the plane.

An equation of the plane is given by 5  x  4   3  y  6    z  1  0 .

2. Determine parametric and symmetric equations of the line passing through the origin
and parallel to the intersection of planes defined by 4 x  3 y  z  2 and
2 x  5 y  3z  4 .

Solution.

The line is perpendicular to both the normal

vectors of the two planes. Hence, the line is
parallel to the cross product of these two vectors.

4, 3,1  2,5, 3
i j k
 4 3 1
2 5 3
3 1 4 1 4 3
 i j k
5 3 2 3 2 5
 4i  14 j  26k

Hence, the parametric equations are

x  4t y  14t z  26t
where t   .

The symmetric equations are

x y z
  .
4 14 26