‫وزارة التعليم العالي والبحث العلمي‬

‫جامعة المعقـــل‬
‫كلية الهندســـــة‬
‫قسم هندسة النفط‬

‫‪Lines & Planes in Space‬‬

‫‪Created by‬‬
‫‪Dr. Saib A. Yousif‬‬
 Lines
In space a line is determined by a point and a vector
giving the direction of the line. Suppose that L is a line
in space passing through a point 𝑃0(x0, y0, z0) parallel to
a vector v = v1 i + v2 j + v3 k. Then L is the set of all
points P(x, y, z) for which P0𝑃is parallel to v.

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A vector equation for the line L through 𝑃0(x0, y0, z0)
parallel to v is
𝒓 𝑡 = 𝒓0 + t v ------- (1) -∞ < t < ∞
where r is the position vector of a point P(x, y, z) on L,
r0 is the position vector of 𝑃0(x0, y0, z0) and (t) is scalar
parameter.
The standard parameters of the line through 𝑃0(x0, y0, z0)
parallel to v = v1 i + v2 j + v3 is
x = x0 + tv1, y = y0 + tv2, z = z0 + tv3, ----- (2) -∞ < t < ∞

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 Example
Graph a line passing through (-2, 0, 4) parallel to the vector v = 2i
+ 4j - 2k.
Solution: let 𝑃0 = (-2, 0, 4)
Eq. (2): x = -2 + 2t, y = 4t, z = 4 - 2t
Let t = 1 x = 0, y = 4, z = 2 𝑃1 = (0,4,2)
Let t=2 x=2, y=8, z=0 𝑃2 = (2, 8, 0)
z

𝑃0(-2, 0, 4), t=0

𝑃1(0, 4, 2), t=1

y
x 𝑃2(2, 8, 0), t=2
4 v = 2i + 4j - 2k.
 The Distance from a Point to a Line in Space

The distance from a Point (S) to a line through

(P) Parallel to (v)
𝑃𝑆 𝑋 𝐯
𝑑= -------- (3)
𝐯

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 Example
Find the distance from the point S(1, 1, 5) to the line passing
through the point P(1,3,0) and parallel to the vector v = i - j + 2k
Solution:
𝑃𝑆= (1 - 1)i + (1 - 3)j + (5 - 0)k = -2j + 5k
𝑖 𝑗 𝑘
𝑃𝑆 X v = 0 −2 5 = i + 5j + 2k
1 −1 2
𝑃𝑆 𝑋 𝐯 12 +(5)2 +(2)2 30 2𝑥5𝑥3
Eq. (3): d= =
12 +(−1)2 +(2)2
= = = 5
𝐯 6 2𝑥3

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Plane Equation in Space

The plane M through 𝑃0(x0, y0, z0) normal to n = Ai + Bj + C k has

Vector equation: n . 𝑃0𝑃 = 0 ------ (4)
Component equation: A(x - x0) + B(y - y0) + C(z - z0) = 0 ----- (5)
Component equation simplified: Ax + By + Cz = D ----- (6)
, where
D = Ax0 + By0 + Cz0 ----- (7)

P (x,y,z)

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Example:

Find an equation for the plane through P0(-3, 0,

7) perpendicular to n = 5i + 2j - k.
Solution:
A=5, B=2, C=-1, x0=-3, y0=0, z0=7
Eq. (5): A(x - x0) + B(y - y0) + C(z - z0) = 0
5(x+3) +2(y-0) + (-1)(z-7)=0
5x+15+2y-z+7=0
5x+2y-z= - 22

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Example:

Find an equation for the plane through A(0, 0, 1), B(2, 0, 0), and C(0, 3, 0).
Solution: z
𝐴𝐵 = (2-0)i+(0-0)j+(0-1)k = 2i-k
𝐴𝑐 = (0-0)i+(3-0)j+(0-1)k=3j-k A
𝑖 𝑗 𝑘
𝐴𝐵x 𝐴𝑐 = 2 0 −1 = 3i + 2j + 6k B C
0 3 −1
A=3, B=2, C=6, x0=0, y0=0, z0=1 x
Eq. (5): A(x - x0) + B(y - y0) + C(z - z0) = 0
3(x-0) +2(y-0) +6(z-1)=0
3x+2y+6z=6

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Lines of Intersection
two planes are parallel if and only if their normals are
parallel, or n1 = kn2 for some scalar k. Two planes that
are not parallel intersect in a line.

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Example:

a. Find a vector parallel to the line of intersection of the planes

3x - 6y - 2z = 15 and 2x + y - 2z = 5.
b. Find general point on the intersection line.
Solution:
a. Lines normal to 1st & 2nd planes are n1 = 3i-6j-2k, n2 = 2i+j-2k
The line parallel to the intersection line is
𝑖 𝑗 𝑘
n1x n2 = 3 −6 −2 = 14i + 2j + 15k
2 1 −2

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b. Let z=0,
planes equations become:
3x - 6y = 15 x – 2 y = 5 ----- (I)
2x + y = 5 --- (II) *2 4x+2y=10 ---- (III)
Add eq. (I) to eq. (III) 5 x =15 x=3
y = -1 (3, -1, 0)
General point on intersection line:
x = 3 + 14 t, y = -1 +2 t, z = 15 t

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Example

Find the point where the line x = (8/3)+ 2t, y = -2t, z = 1

+ t intersects the plane 3x + 2y + 6z = 6.
Solution:
The point of intersection is:
3[(8/3)+ 2t]+ 2 [- 2 t] + 6 [ 1 + t] = 6
8 +6 t – 4 t + 6 +6 t = 6
8t=-8 t=-1
Substitute in the point of the line:
X = 8/3-2, y = – 2 ( - 1), z = 1 – 1 (2/3, 2, 0 )

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The Distance from a Point to a Plane

If P is a point on a plane with normal n, then the

distance from any point S to the plane is the length of
the vector projection of 𝑃𝑆 onto n, as given in the
following formula.
𝑛
𝑑 = 𝑃𝑆 . ----------- (8)
𝑛
z
n

Plane
0 d Distance from
S to the plane

P y
x
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Example

Find the distance from S(1, 1, 3) to the plane 3x + 2y + 6z = 6.

Solution: The point P on the plane may be found:
Eq. (7): D = Ax0 + By0 + Cz0 D = 6, A = 3, B = 2, C = 6 z
n = 3i + 2j + 6k
Let x0=z0=0 S(1, 1, 3)

6= 3 (0)+ 2(y0) + 6(0) y0 = 3 P = (0, 3, 0)

3x + 2y + 6z = 6 (0, 0, 1)
𝑃𝑆 = (1-0) i + (1 – 3 )j + ( 3 – 0 ) k = i – 2 j + 3k
Distance from
n= 3 i + 2 j + 6 k, 𝑛 = √(3^2+ 2^2 + 6^2 = 7 0 S to the plane

𝑛 3i+2j+6k 3 2 6 y
= = i+ j+ k (2, 0, 0) P(0, 3, 0)
𝑛 7 7 7 7 x
3 2 6 3 4 18 17
Eq. (8): d = ( i – 2j +3 k ) . ( i + j + k) = - + =
7 7 7 7 7 7 7
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D= = 17/7
7

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Angles Between Planes
The angle between two intersecting planes is
defined to be the acute angle between their
normal vectors.

−1
𝑛1. 𝑛2
𝜃 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠
𝑛1 𝑛2

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Example
• Find the angle between the planes 3x - 6y - 2z
= 15 and 2x + y - 2z = 5.
Solution:
𝑛1 = 3 i -6j -2k, 𝑛2 = 2i+j-2k
𝑛1. 𝑛2 = (3*2)+(-6)*(1)+(-2)(-2)= 4
𝑛1 = 7, 𝑛2 = 3
−1 4
𝜃 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠 = 790
7 3

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 Homework_8
1. Find general point for the lines:
a. The line through the point P(3, -4, -1) parallel to the
vector i + j + k.
b. The line through P(-2, 0, 3) and Q(3, 5, -2).
c. The line through (0, -7, 0) perpendicular to the plane
x + 2y + 2z = 13.
2. Find equations for the planes:
a. The plane through P0(0, 2, -1) normal to n = 3i - 2j – k.
b. The plane through (1, 1, -1), (2, 0, 2), and (0, -2, 1).

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3. Find the plane containing the intersecting
lines: L1: x = -1 + t, y = 2 + t, z = 1 - t; -∞< t < ∞
L2: x = 1 - 4s, y = 1 + 2s, z = 2 - 2s; -∞< s < ∞.
4. Find a plane through P0(2, 1, -1) and perpendicular to the
line of intersection of the planes 2x + y - z = 3, x + 2y + z = 2.
5. Find the distance from the point (2, 1, 3) to the line x = 2
+ 2t, y = 1 + 6t, z = 3.
6. Find the distance from the point (2, 2, 3) to the plane 2x
+ y + 2z = 4
7. Find the angles between the planes x + y = 1, 2x + y - 2z =
2.
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