TUTORIAL 2 41

Tutorial 2
1. Find an equation for the plane passing through P and whose normal vector N , is as given.
Sketch each of the planes in R3 . e

1
(a) P(−1, 2, 3), N = −4i + 15 j − k
e e e 2e
(b) P(e, 0, e), N = 2i + j − 4k
e e e e
(c) P(2, 3, −5), N = j
e e
(d) P(9, 15, −7), N = 2i − 3k.
e e e
2. For each of the planes in Question 1, state two points on the plane other than P.

3. Find the equation of the plane containing the points P(2, −1, 4), Q(5, 3, 5), R(2, 4, 3). Derive
also a vector equation for this plane.

4. Find an equation of the plane containing the point P(1, −1, 2) and the line whose symmetric
equations are:
z+5
x+2 = y+1 = .
2
Derive also a vector equation for this plane.

5. Find an equation for the plane containing both the two lines below:
x−1 y+1 z−5 x+3 y−4 z
= = , = = .
3 2 4 3 2 4
Derive also a vector equation for this plane.

6. Find an equation of the plane containing the point P(2, 1, 1) and perpendicular to the line with
parametric equations
x = 1 + 2t, y = 2 + 5t, z = 9t.

7. Let l be the intersection of the two planes with equations

2x − 3y + 4z = 2; x − z = 1.

Find a vector equation for the line l.

8. Consider a plane 2x − y + z = 5.

(a) Find the distance from the point Q(3, −1, 4) to this plane.
(b) Find the distance from the line r(t) = t(i + 2 j) + k to this plane.
e e e e
9. Show that the distance from the origin to the plane with equation

ax + by + cz = d,

is given by
|d|
D= √ .
a + b2 + c2
2
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10. Find the distance between the two parallel planes

x − y + z = 2; 3x − 3y + 3z = 1

11. Show that the planes

a1 x + b1 y + c1 z = d1 ; a2 x + b2 y + c2 z = d2

are perpendicular to one another if and only if a1 a2 + b1 b2 + c1 c2 = 0.