MEI AS Further Mathematics Vectors

Section 2: Planes

Solutions to Exercise level 2

1. The plane that is parallel to 3x + 2 y − 5z = 3 is of the form 3x + 2 y − 5z = d .

The plane contains the point (2, -1, 0), so (3  2) + (2  −1) + ( −5  0) = d
6−2+0 = d
4=d
The equation of the plane is 3x + 2 y − 5z = 4 .

1  4
   
2. The normal vectors of the planes are  −1 and  −2  .
3 k 
   
The normal vectors are perpendicular so their scalar product is zero.
(1 4) + ( −1 −2) + 3k = 0
4 + 2 + 3k = 0
3k = −6
k = −2

 3   5   −2 
     
3. AB =  0  −  −2  =  2 
2  1   1 
     
 3   −2   3 
    
AB.  4  =  2  .  4  = −6 + 8 − 2 = 0
 −2   1   −2 
    
so AB is perpendicular to 3i + 4 j − 2k
 1   3   −2 
     
BC =  −1 −  0  =  −1
 −3   2   −5 
     
 3   −2   3 
    
BC.  4  =  −1 .  4  = −6 − 4 + 10 = 0
 −2   −5   −2 
    
so BC is perpendicular to 3i + 4 j − 2k .
Since 3i + 4 j − 2k is perpendicular to two vectors in the plane, it is perpendicular
to the plane.
So the equation of the plane is of the form 3x + 4 y − 2z = d

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 MEI AS FM Vectors 2 Exercise solutions

Substituting the point B (3, 0, 2) gives (3  3) + (4  0) + ( −2  2) = d

9+0−4 = d
5=d
The equation of the plane is 3x + 4 y − 2z = 5 .

4. Let the equation of the plane be ax + by + cz = d

Substituting the three points gives
a+b=d
Instead of using matrix methods
2a − 3b − c = d you could eliminate two of the
4a + 2b + c = d variables from the three equations
This can be written in matrix form as
 1 1 0  a   d 
    
 2 −3 −1 b  =  d 
 4 2 1  c   d 
    
 1 1 1
1 
Using a calculator, the inverse of the matrix is  6 −1 −1
7 
 −16 −2 5 
a  1 1 1  d   3d 
  1   1  
b = 7  6 −1 −1 d  =  4d 
c  −16 −2 5  d  7  −13d 
      
Taking d = 7 gives a = 3, b = 4, c = −13
The equation of the plane is 3x + 4 y − 13z = 7
In vector form this is r.(3i + 4 j − 13k) = 7

3
 
5. (i) The angle between the planes is the angle between the normal vectors  −1
1
 
 1
 
and  1  .
 −3 
 
3 1
  
 −1 .  1  = 3 − 1 − 3 = −1
 1   −3 
  

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 MEI AS FM Vectors 2 Exercise solutions

3
 
 −1 = 9 + 1 + 1 = 11
1
 
1
 
 1  = 1 + 1 + 9 = 11
 −3 
 
n1.n2 −1 1
Angle between planes is given by cos = = =−
n1 n2 11 11 11
 = 95.2
The acute angle between the planes is 84.8° (3 s.f.)

 p
 
(ii) Let the normal to the new plane be  q  .
r
 
3
 
This normal is perpendicular to  −1 , so 3p − q + r = 0
1
 
 1
 
This normal is perpendicular to  1  , so p + q − 3r = 0
 −3 
 
Adding: 4 p − 2r = 0
r = 2p
Taking p = 1 gives r = 2 and q = 5
 1
 
so the normal vector is  5 
2
 
The equation of the plane is of the form x + 5 y + 2z = d
Substituting the point (2, 0, 1) gives (1 2) + (5  0) + (2  1) = d
2+0+2 = d
d=4
The equation of the plane is x + 5 y + 2z = 4

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