Mathematics

Session

Three Dimensional Geometry–2(The Plane)

Plane
A plane can be defined as a surface
such that if any two points A, B are
taken on it, the line segment AB
lies on the surface i.e., everypoint
on the line segment AB lies on the
plane.
Video - 1
Standard Equation of a Plane
through a given point
a ( x  x )  b( y  y )  c( z  z )  0

Where a, b, c are the direction ratios of the

normals of that Plane and (x0 , y0 ,z0 ) is a
given point.
General Equation of a Plane

ax +by + cz + d = 0
Where a, b, c, d are the constants such that
a, b, c are the direction ratios of the normals of
that Plane
Video - 2
Intercept Form of a Plane
The equation of a plane intersecting
lengths a, b and c with x-axis,
y–axis and z-axis respectively is

x y z
+ + =1
a b c
Related Questions.

Exercise 2(A)
Q.No. 1, 4
Distance of a Point From a Plane
A  x1, y1, z1 

The line AB intersects

the plane at B B
ax +by + cz + d = 0

ax1 +by1 + cz1 + d

AB =
2 2 2
a +b + c
Normal Form of the Equation of a Plane

Let P  x, y, z  be any point on the plane, then its

 
position vector r is r = xiˆ + yj+ ˆ
ˆ zk.

ˆ then
Let l, m, n be the direction cosines of n, P (x ,y,z )

nˆ = liˆ +mj+nk
ˆ ˆ
N

r . nˆ = d d nˆ
r

n̂

O
Normal Form of the Equation of a Plane


r . nˆ = d P (x ,y,z )


 x ˆi + yj+ 
ˆ zkˆ . l ˆi +mj+nk
ˆ ˆ =d
 N

r
 lx +my +nz = d d nˆ
n̂
Note: If the plane passes through the origin, then
 O
r . nˆ = 0 and lx +my +nz = 0
Note:

If the plane passes through

the origin, then

r . nˆ = 0 and lx +my +nz = 0
Reduction of the Cartesian
Equation to Normal Form

ax +by + cz + d = 0
 -ax - by - cz = d
ax by cz d
- - - =
a2 +b2 + c2 a2 +b2 + c2 a2 +b2 + c2 a2 +b2 + c2
Example -1
Write the normal form of the equation of the plane
2x - 3y +6z +14 = 0.

Solution: The given equation of the plane is

2x - 3y +6z +14 = 0

 -2x +3y - 6z =14

2x 3y 6z 14
- + - =
4+ 9+36 4+ 9+36 4+ 9+36 4+ 9+36

2 3 6
 - x+ y- z =2
7 7 7
Related Questions.

Exercise 2(A)
Q.No. 3
Angle Between Two Planes
If  be the angle between the planes a1x +b1y + c1z + d1 = 0
and a2 x +b2 y + c2z + d2 = 0, then
a1a2  b1b2  c1c 2
cos =
a12  a22  a22 b12  b22  b22
Perpendicular if a1a2 +b1b2 + c1c2 = 0
a1 b1 c1
Parallel if = =
a2 b2 c2
Parallel to ax  by  cz  d  0.......(i )
is ax  by  cz  k  0.
Example -1

Find the angle between the planes 2x - 3y + 4z =1 and - x + y = 4.

Solution: If  is the angle between the planes. Then,

2×  -1 +  -3 ×1+ 4×0

cos =
4+9+16 1+1+0
 
cos = a1a2  b1b2  c1c 2 
 a12  a22  a22 b12  b22  b22 
 
-5
 cos =
58

-1 -5 
  = cos  
 58 
Related Questions.

Exercise 2(A)
Q.No. 5
 Solution
Let the equation of the plane passing
through the origin be
ax  by  cz  0.......(i )
Now, acc. to question; the plane (i)
contains the lines with the direction co-
sines proportional to 2, 1, -2 and 5, 2, -3.
Then the normal to the plane will be
perpendicular to these lines.
So we use the condition of
perpendicularity ;a1b1  a2b2  a3b3  0.......(i )
 Solution…..
2a + 1b – 2c = 0……….(ii)
5a + 2b – 3c = 0……….(iii)
Now, we solve the equations (ii) and (iii)
by the method of cross multiplication for
a, b, c ; we get
a b c
 
1 2 2 2 2 1
2 3 3 5 5 2
 Solution…..
a b c
 
1 2 2 2 2 1
2 3 3 5 5 2
a b c
or  
 3  4  10  6 4  5
a b c
    k ( say )
1  4 1
Hence a = 1k, b = -4k and c = -1k
 Solution…..
Hence a = 1k, b = -4k and c = -1k
Putting these values in eqn(i);
1k.x - 4k.y - 1k.z = 0
x – 4y – z = 0 is the required
equation.
Plane Passing Through Three Points

Let A, B and C be the three points on the plane with position vectors
    
a, b and c respectively. The vector AB×AC is perpendicular to the plane
containing points A, B and C. The equation of the plane passing through
 
A and perpendicular to the vector AB  AC is

  
   
r - a . AB×AC = 0

     
     
 r -a . b-a × c-a  =0

 
Cartesian Form

Let A   x1, y1, z1 

B   x2 , y2 , z2 
C   x3 , y3 , z3 

Let  x, y, z  be the coordinates of any point P with position vector r.
  
P lies on the plane if AP, AB and AC are coplanar, i.e.
 
  
AP. AB×AC = 0

x - x1 y - y1 z - z1
 x2 - x1 y2 - y1 z2 - z1 = 0
x3 - x1 y3 - y1 z3 - z1
Example –1
Find the equation of the plane through the three points
A  1, 1, 1 , B  1, -1, 1 and C  -7, - 3, - 5  .

Let  x, y, z  be the coordinates of any point P with position vector r.
Let A   x1, y1, z1   (1, 1, 1)
B   x2 , y2 , z2   (1,  1, 1)
C   x3 , y3 , z3   ( 7,3,5)
Now we use
x - x1 y - y1 z - z1
 x2 - x1 y2 - y1 z2 - z1 = 0
x3 - x1 y3 - y1 z3 - z1
Solution:…….
x 1 y 1 z 1
11 11 11  0
 7 1  31  5 1
x 1 y 1 z 1
or 0 2 0 0
8 4 6
x 1 z 1
or  2 0
8 6

or  6( x  1)  8( z  1)  0
or  6 x  6  8 z  8  0
or  6 x  8 z  2  0
or  2(3 x  4 z  1)  0
 3x  4 z  1  0
Passing Through the intersection of Two Planes
   
r . n1 = d1 and r . n2 = d2

   
   
r . n1 - d1 +  r . n2 - d2 = 0  Vector form

a1x +b1y +c1z + d1 = 0 and a2x +b2y + c2z + d2 = 0

 a1x +b1y + c1z + d1  +   a2x +b2y + c2z + d2  = 0  Cartesian form

Example –2
Find the equation of the plane containing the line of intersection
of the plane x + y + z - 6 = 0 and 2x +3y + 4z +5 = 0 and passing
through the point  1, 1, 1 .

Solution: The equation of the plane through the line of

intersection of the given planes is

 x + y + z - 6 +   2x +3y + 4z +5  = 0 ...  i 

If (i) passes through (1, 1, 1), then

3
-3+14 = 0   =
14
Solution Cont.
3
 x + y + z - 6 +  2x +3y + 4z +5 = 0
14

 20x +23y +26z - 69 = 0

Thank you