The Plane Through Three Points: R Such That M

The plane through three points
Let us consider M0 , M1 , M2 2 E3 three non collinear points and π the

plane generated by these points.
Then
M2π
if and only if
M0 M 2 L(M0 M1 , M0 M2 )
if and only if
there exist λ, µ 2 R such that M0 M = λM0 M1 + µM0 M2 .
R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 1 / 70

The vectorial equation of the plane generated by three non collinear
points
If R = (O, i, j, k ) is the Cartesian frame, r = OM, r0 = OM0 , r1 = OM1

and r2 = OM2 , then
M2π
if and only if
there exist λ, µ 2 R such that r = r0 + λ(r1 r0 ) + µ(r2 r0 ).
Hence
r = r0 + λ(r1 r0 ) + µ(r2 r0 ), λ, µ 2 R
represents the vectorial equation of the plane generated by the non
collinear points M0 , M1 , M2 2 E3 .

The parametric Cartesian equation of the plane generated by three
non collinear points
If (x, y , z ) are the coordinates of M, (x0 , y0 , z0 ) are the coordinates of M0 ,

(x1 , y1 , z1 ) are the coordinates of M1 and (x2 , y2 , z2 ) are the coordinates
of M2 , we get
x = x0 + λ(x1 x0 ) + µ(x2 x0 )
y = y0 + λ(y1 y0 ) + µ(y2 y0 )
z = x0 + λ(z1 z0 ) + µ(z2 z0 )
where λ, µ 2 R, i.e. we get the parametric Cartesian equation of the plane
generated by the non collinear points M0 , M1 , M2 2 E3 .

The Cartesian equation of the plane generated by three non
collinear points
M2π
if and only if
M0 M, M0 M1 and M0 M2 are coplanar
if and only if
(M0 M, M0 M1 , M0 M2 ) = 0
if and only if
(r r0 , r1 r0 , r2 r0 ) = 0.

The last equality takes the form
x x0 y y0 z z0
x1 x0 y1 y0 z1 z0 = 0,
x2 x0 y2 y0 z2 z0
i.e.
x y z 1
x0 y0 z0 1
=0
x1 y1 z1 1
x2 y2 z2 1
which represents the Cartesian equation of the plane generated by the non
collinear points M0 , M1 , M2 2 E3 .

The equation of the plane generated by A(a, 0, 0), B (0, b, 0) and
C (0, 0, c )
In particular, for the equation of the plane generated by
A(a, 0, 0), B (0, b, 0) and C (0, 0, c ),
where a, b, c 6= 0, we have
x a y z
a b 0 = 0,
a 0 c
i.e.
x y z
+ + 1 = 0,
a b c
which is called the intercept equation of the plane π.

The necessary and su¢ cient condition for four points to be coplanar
The points
M1 (x1 , y1 , z1 )
M2 (x2 , y2 , z2 )
M3 (x3 , y3 , z3 )
and
M4 (x4 , y4 , z4 )
are coplanar if and only if
x1 y1 z1 1
x2 y2 z2 1
= 0.
x3 y3 z3 1
x4 y4 z4 1

Example
Determine the equation of the plane generated by the points
M1 (3, 1, 0),
M2 (0, 7, 2)
and
M3 (4, 1, 5).

The required equation is
x y z 1
3 1 0 1
= 0,
0 7 2 1
4 1 5 1

i.e.
30x + 17y 6z 107 = 0.

Example
Determine the equation of the plane generated by the points
M1 (2, 0, 0),
M2 (0, 3, 0)
and
M3 (0, 0, 4).

x y z
+ 1 = 0,
2 3 4
i.e.
6x 4y + 3z 12 = 0.

Example
Determine if the points

M1 (1, 1, 1),
M2 (0, 2, 4),
M3 (1, 3, 3)
and
M4 (4, 0, 3)
are coplanar.

Since
1 1 1 1
0 2 4 1
= 0,
1 3 3 1
4 0 3 1
we infer that the points are coplanar.

Homework
1. Determine the equation of the plane generated by the points

M1 (1, 1, 1), M2 (1, 3, 3) and M3 (4, 0, 3).
2. Determine the equation of the plane generated by the points

M1 ( 1, 0, 0), M2 (0, 2, 0) and M3 (0, 0, 3).
3. Determine if the points M1 (3, 1, 0), M2 (0, 7, 2), M3 ( 1, 0, 5) and

M4 ( 1, 1, 2) are coplanar.

The plane through a point, parallel to two given directions
Let us consider M0 2 E3 and the vectors
v1 (l1 , m1 , n1 )
and
v2 (l2 , m2 , n2 ).
Let π be the plane generated by M0 and v1 , v2 .
Then
M2π
if and only if
there exist λ, µ 2 R such that M0 M = λv1 + µv2 .

The vectorial equation of the plane generated by a point and two
given directions
If r and r0 are the position vectors of M and M0 , then
M2π
if and only if
there exist λ, µ 2 R such that r = r0 + λv1 + µv2 .
Hence
r = r0 + λv1 + µv2 , λ, µ 2 R
represents the vectorial equation of the plane generated by M0 and v1 , v2 .

The parametric Cartesian equation of the plane generated by a
point and two given directions
If (x, y , z ) are the coordinates of M, we get
x = x0 + λl1 + µl2
y = y0 + λm1 + µm2
z = z0 + λn1 + µn2
where λ, µ 2 R, i.e. we get the parametric Cartesian equation of the plane
generated by M0 and v1 , v2 .

The Cartesian equation of the plane generated by a point and two
given directions
M2π
if and only if
M0 M, v1 and v2 are coplanar
if and only if
(M0 M, v1 , v2 ) = 0
if and only if
(r r0 , v1 , v2 ) = 0.

The last equality takes the form
x x0 y y0 z z0
l1 m1 n1 = 0,
l2 m2 n2
which represents the Cartesian equation of the plane generated by M0 and

v1 , v2 .

Example
Determine the equation of the plane generated by the point
M0 ( 1, 2, 3)
and by the directions

v1 (1, 2, 3)
and
v2 (0, 0, 1).

x +1 y 2 z +3
1 2 3 = 0,
0 0 1

i.e.
2x + y = 0.

The plane generated by a point and a normal vector
A vector perpendicular to a plane is called a normal vector to the plane,

or, for short, the normal of the plane.
Let M0 (x0 , y0 , z0 ) 2 E3 , N (A, B, C ) 2 V3 r f0V3 g and π the plane which

passes through M0 and which is perpendicular to N.
Then
M (x, y , z ) 2 π
if and only if
MM0 is orthogonal to N
if and only if
MM0 N = 0.
The equation of the plane generated by a point and a normal vector
Using the analytic expression of the scalar product we obtain
A(x x0 ) + B (y y0 ) + C ( z z0 ) = 0,
i.e. the equation of the plane generated by M0 (x0 , y0 , z0 ) 2 E3 and

N (A, B, C ) 2 V3 r f0V3 g.

The general Cartesian equation of a plane I
Denoting (Ax0 + By0 + Cz0 ) by D, we get
Ax + By + Cz + D = 0,
i.e. the general Cartesian equation of a plane.
Remark. In the above equation, the coe¢ cients of the unknowns

represent the coordinates of the normal vector of the plane. Consequently,
two planes whose equations only di¤er by the free term are parallel.

The general Cartesian equation of a plane II
Remark. For D = 0 we get the equation of a plane through the origin.
Remark. The equation of the plane xOy is
z = 0,
the equation of the plane xOz is
y =0
and the equation of the plane yOz is
x = 0.

The equation of a plane in the Hessian normal form
Let us consider M0 to be the projection of the origin to the plane π.
Let p be the distance from the origin to π and α, β and γ the angles
made by OM0 with the axes of coordinates.
Then
M (x, y , z ) 2 π
if and only if
OM0 and M0 M are orthogonal
if and only if
OM0 M0 M = 0.

As
OM0 = p cos αi + p cos βj + p cos γk
and
M0 M = OM OM0 = (x p cos α)i + (y p cos β)j + (z p cos γ)k,
we get
x cos α + y cos β + z cos γ p=0
which is called the normal (Hessian) equation of a plane.
In the above equation:

- p represents the distance from the origin to π
- cos α, cos β and cos γ represent the coordinates of the unit normal vector
e to π (so cos2 α + cos2 β + cos2 γ = 1) and they are called the directing
cosines of e.

If we consider the plane π given by the general equation
Ax + By + Cz + D = 0,
having the normal N (A, B, C ), dividing it by N , we get
Ax + By + Cz + D
p = 0,
ε A2 + B 2 + C 2
where ε 2 f 1, 1g is chosen such that εD < 0, which is called the

normalized equation of π (we have
A B
cos α = p , cos β = p ,
ε A2 + B 2 + C 2 ε A2 + B 2 + C 2
C D
cos γ = p and p= p ).
ε A + B2 + C 2
2 ε A + B2 + C 2
2

Example
Determine the equation of the plane passing through the point
A(1, 3, 2)
and which is perpendicular to AB, where
B (7, 4, 4).

The normal to the plane is N (6, 7, 6), so the equation of the required
plane is
6(x 1) 7(y 3) + 6(z + 2) = 0,
i.e.
6x 7y + 6z + 27 = 0.

Example
Determine the equation of a plane passing through the point
( 2, 7, 3)
which is parallel to the plane
x 4y + 5z 1 = 0.

The required plane has the same normal with the plane
x 4y + 5z 1 = 0,
i.e.
(1, 4, 5),

so it has the equation
(x + 2) 4(y 7) + 5(z 3) = 0,
i.e.
x 4y + 5z + 15 = 0.

Example
Determine the normal form of the plane
10x + 2y 11z + 60 = 0.

We have
10x + 2y 11z + 60
p = 0,
102 + 22 + ( 11)2
i.e.
2 2 11
x y+ z 4=0
3 15 15

Homework
1. Determine the equation of the plane passing through the point

A(1, 1, 0) and which is perpendicular to AB, where B (2, 0, 3).
2. Determine the normal form of the plane 2x 9y + 6z 22 = 0.

The relative positions of two planes I
The study of the geometric position of the planes
π 1 : A1 x + B1 y + C1 z + D1 = 0
and
π 2 : A2 x + B2 y + C2 z + D2 = 0
(i.e. intersecting planes, strictly parallel planes or confounded planes)
reduces to the study of the system
A1 x + B1 y + C1 z + D1 = 0
f .
A2 x + B2 y + C2 z + D2 = 0
Let
A1 B1 C1
M=( )
A2 B2 C2
be the matrix of the system.
The relative positions of two planes II
If rank (M ) = 2, then the system is consistent and it has one degree of

freedom, so the planes intersect over a line.
If rank (M ) = 1, then there exists only one characteristic determinant

denoted by ∆c and we have the following situations:
i)
∆c = 0;
ii)
∆c 6= 0.
In case i), the system is consistent and it has two degrees of freedom, so
π1 = π2 .
In case ii), the system is not consistent, so π 1 and π 2 do not have any
common points i.e. they are (strictly) parallel.
Example
Let us study of the geometric position of the planes
π 1 : 2x 3y + z 1=0
and
π2 : 4x + 6y 2z + 2 = 0.

We have
2 3 1
M=( )
4 6 2
and
rank (M ) = 1.
Since
2 1
∆c = = 0,
4 2
we conclude that
π1 = π2 ,

Example
π 1 : 2x 3y + z 1=0
and
π2 : 4x + 6y 2z + 7 = 0.

We have
2 3 1
M=( )
4 6 2
and
rank (M ) = 1.
Since
2 1
∆c = = 10 6= 0,
4 7
we conclude that π 1 and π 2 do not have any common points i.e. they are
(strictly) parallel.

Example
π 1 : 2x 3y + z 1=0
and
π2 : x +y 2z + 2 = 0.

We have
2 3 1
M=( )
1 1 2
and
rank (M ) = 2.
Hence the planes intersect over a line.

Homework
Study of the geometric position of the planes:
i)
π 1 : x + 2y z 4 = 0 and π 2 : 2x + y 5z 2 = 0.
ii)
π 1 : x + 2y z 4 = 0 and π 2 : 3x 6y + 3z 2 = 0.
iii)
π 1 : 2x + y 5z 3 = 0 and π 2 : 10x + 5y 25z 15 = 0.

JUST IN CASE WE HAVE TIME

The relative positions of three planes I
The study of the geometric position of the planes

π 1 : A1 x + B1 y + C1 z + D1 = 0,
π 2 : A2 x + B2 y + C2 z + D2 = 0
and
π 3 : A3 x + B3 y + C3 z + D3 = 0
reduces to the study of the system
A1 x + B1 y + C1 z + D1 = 0
f A2 x + B2 y + C2 z + D2 = 0 .
A3 x + B3 y + C3 z + D3 = 0
Let
A1 B1 C1
M = ( A2 B2 C2 )
A3 B3 C3
be the matrix of the system.
The relative positions of three planes II
If rank (M ) = 3, then the system is consistent and has a unique solution.
It represents the coordinates of the common point of the three planes.
In this case we say that the three planes are concurrent (or that they form
a bundle of planes)

The relative positions of three planes III
If rank (M ) = 2, then there exists only one characteristic determinant

denoted by ∆c and we have the following situations:
i)
∆c = 0;
ii)
∆c 6= 0.

The relative positions of three planes IV
In the …rst situation, the system is consistent and it has one degree of
freedom.
Its solutions represent the coordinates of the points situated on a line

which is included in each of the three planes.
We say that the three planes yield a sheaf of planes.

The relative positions of three planes V
In the second situation, the system is not consistent.
In this case two of the three planes intersect by a straight line and the
third one in parallel to this line (the planes yield a prism).

The relative positions of three planes VI
If rank (M ) = 1, then there exist two characteristic determinants denoted

by ∆c1 , ∆c2 and we have the following situations:
i)
∆c1 = ∆c2 = 0;
ii)
there exists i 2 f1, 2g such that ∆ci 6= 0.

The relative positions of three planes VII
In the …rst situation, the system is consistent having two degrees of

freedom. The three planes coincide.
In the second situation, the system is not consistent. The planes are
parallel (strictly, or two of them coincide).

Example
Determine α, β 2 R such that the planes
π 1 : 2x y + 3z 1 = 0,
π 2 : x + 2y z+β=0
and
π 3 : x + αy βz + 10 = 0,
i) form a bundle of planes;
ii) yield a sheaf of planes;
iii) yield a prism.

i) We impose the condition
2 1 3
rank (( 1 2 1 )) = 3,
1 α β
i.e.
2 1 3
1 2 1 6= 0,
1 α β
which means
β α 6= 1.

ii) We impose the conditions
2 1 3
rank (( 1 2 1 )) = 2,
1 α β
and
2 1 1
∆c = 1 2 β =0
1 α 10
p p p p
106 2 + 106 106 2 106
and we get α = 2 , β= 2 and α = 2 , β= 2 .

iii) We impose the conditions
2 1 3
rank (( 1 2 1 )) = 2,
1 α β
and
2 1 1
∆c = 1 2 β 6= 0
1 α 10
p p
2 + 106
and we get β = α + 1 and α 2 R r f 2
2
106
, 2 g.

Homework
Determine α 2 R such that the planes
π1 : x y + z = 0,
π 2 : 3x y z +2 = 0
and
π 3 : 4x y 2z + α = 0
yield a sheaf of planes.

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The plane through three points

Let us consider M0 , M1 , M2 2 E3 three non collinear points and π the

there exist λ, µ 2 R such that M0 M = λM0 M1 + µM0 M2 .

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 1 / 70

If R = (O, i, j, k ) is the Cartesian frame, r = OM, r0 = OM0 , r1 = OM1

there exist λ, µ 2 R such that r = r0 + λ(r1 r0 ) + µ(r2 r0 ).

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 3 / 70

If (x, y , z ) are the coordinates of M, (x0 , y0 , z0 ) are the coordinates of M0 ,

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 4 / 70

M0 M, M0 M1 and M0 M2 are coplanar

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 5 / 70

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 6 / 70

In particular, for the equation of the plane generated by

A(a, 0, 0), B (0, b, 0) and C (0, 0, c ),

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 7 / 70

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 9 / 70

Determine the equation of the plane generated by the points

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 10 / 70

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 11 / 70

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 12 / 70

Determine the equation of the plane generated by the points

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 13 / 70

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 14 / 70

Determine if the points

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 15 / 70

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 16 / 70

1. Determine the equation of the plane generated by the points

2. Determine the equation of the plane generated by the points

3. Determine if the points M1 (3, 1, 0), M2 (0, 7, 2), M3 ( 1, 0, 5) and

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 17 / 70

Let us consider M0 2 E3 and the vectors

there exist λ, µ 2 R such that M0 M = λv1 + µv2 .

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 18 / 70

If r and r0 are the position vectors of M and M0 , then

there exist λ, µ 2 R such that r = r0 + λv1 + µv2 .

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 20 / 70

If (x, y , z ) are the coordinates of M, we get

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 21 / 70

M0 M, v1 and v2 are coplanar

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 22 / 70

which represents the Cartesian equation of the plane generated by M0 and

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 23 / 70

Determine the equation of the plane generated by the point

and by the directions

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 24 / 70

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 25 / 70

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 26 / 70

A vector perpendicular to a plane is called a normal vector to the plane,

Let M0 (x0 , y0 , z0 ) 2 E3 , N (A, B, C ) 2 V3 r f0V3 g and π the plane which

Using the analytic expression of the scalar product we obtain

i.e. the equation of the plane generated by M0 (x0 , y0 , z0 ) 2 E3 and

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 29 / 70

Denoting (Ax0 + By0 + Cz0 ) by D, we get

i.e. the general Cartesian equation of a plane.

Remark. In the above equation, the coe¢ cients of the unknowns

R. Miculescu () Planes november 2020 30 / 70

Remark. For D = 0 we get the equation of a plane through the origin.