Chapter 11

THREE DIMENSIONAL GEOMETRY

1.

2.
3.

Equation of a line through a point

x1 ,y1 ,z1 and having directions cosines

Direction cosines of a line are the

cosines of the angles made by the line
with positive directions of the coordinate axes.
If l , m, n are the direction cosines of a
line, then l 2 m2 n2 1
Direction cosines of a line joining two
points P x1 ,y1 ,z1 and Q x2 ,y2 ,z2 are

l , m, n (or, direction ratios a, b and c) is

x x1 y y1 z z1

l
m
n
x x1 y y1 z z1

b
c
a
12.

x2 x1 y2 y1 z2 z1
,
,
,
PQ
PQ
PQ
where PQ
4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

x1 y2 y1 z2 z1
2
2

13.

Direction ratios of a lien are the

numbers which are proportional to the
direction cosines of the line
If l , m, n are the direction cosines and
a,b,c are the direction ratios of a line,
a
b
c
then l 2 2 2 ;m 2 2 2 ;n 2 2 2
abc
abc
abc

10.

Cartesian equation of a line that passes

through two points x1 ,y1 ,z1
and

x ,y ,z
2

is

x x1
y y1
z z1

x2 x1 y2 y1 z2 z1

Skew lines are lines in the space which

are neither parallel nor intersecting.
They lie in the different planes.
Angle between skew lines is the angle
between two intersecting lines drawn
from any point (preferably through the
origin) parallel to each of the skew lines

14.

If is the acute angle between the lines

r
r
r r
r r
is
r a1 b1 and r a2 b2 , then
r r
r r
b1.b2
b1.b2
1
given by cos r r or cos r r
b1 b2
b1 b2

15.

If

x x1 y y1 z z1

l1
m1
n1

and

x x2 y y2 z z2

are equations of two

l1
m2
n2

If l 1 ,m1 ,n1 and l 2 ,m2 ,n2 are the direction

cosines of two lines and is the acute
angle between the two lines, then

lines, then the acute angle between

the
two
lines
is
given
by
cos l 1l 2 m1m2 n1n2 .

If a1 ,b1 ,c1 and a2 ,b2 ,c2 are the directions

ratios of two lines and is the acute
angle between the two lines, then
cos

or

The vector equation of a line that

passes through two points whose
r
r
positions vectors are a and b is
r r
r r
r a b a .

cos l 1l 2 m1m2 n1n2

9.

11.

16.

17.

a1a2 b1b2 c1c2

a12 a22 a32. b12 b22 b32

Vector equation of a line that passes

through the given point whose position
r
vector is a and parallel to a given
r
r r r
vector b is r a b .
[23]

The shortest distance between two

skew lines is the length of the line
segment perpendicular to both the
lines
The shortest distance between the lines
r
r
r r
r r
r a1 b1 and r a2 b2 is
r r r r
b1 b2.a2 a1
r r
|b1 b2

18.

Shortest distance between the lines:

Notes
x x
y y1 z z1
1

and
a1
b1
c1
x x2 y y2 z z2

is
a2
b2
c2
25.

x2 x1 y2 y1 z2 z1
a1
b1
c1
a2
b2
c2

bc

1 2

19.

b2c1 c1a2 c2a1 a1b2 a2b1

2

Distance
between
parallel
r
r
r r
r r
r a1 b and r a2 b is

26.

lines

21.

22.

23.

24.

27.

The vector equation of a plane which is

at a distance p from the origin, where n
is the unit vector normal to the plane, is
r
r.n p,.

28.

Equation of a plane which is at a

distance p from the origin with direction
cosines of the normal to the plane is l ,
m, n is l x my nz p .

x x1
x2 x1
x2 x1

Vector equation of any plane that

passes through the intersection fo
rr
rr
r.n1 d1
r.n2 d2
planes
and
is
rr
rr
r.n1 d1 r.n2 d2 0, where is any
non-zero constant.
Cartesian equation of any plane that
passes through the intersection of two
given planes A1x B1y C1z D1 0 and

29.

30.

is

r
r r
r r r
Two lines r a1 b1 and r a2 b2 are
r r
r r
coplanar if a2 a1 . b1 b2 0

Two

lines

x x2 y y2 z z2

a2
b2
c2

x x1 y y1 z z1
a1
b1
c1
are

coplanar

and
if

x2 x1 y2 y1 z2 z1
a1
b1
c1 0
a2
b2
c2

= 0.
Equation of a plane passing through
three non-collinear points x1 ,y1 ,z1 ,
2

x y z
1
a b c

A x B y C z D A x B y C z D 0

Equation of a plane perpendicular to a

given line with direction ratios a,b,c
and passing through a given point
x1 ,y1 ,z1 is a x x1 b y y1 c z z1

is

A2x B2y C2z D2 0

The equation of a plane through a point

r
whose position vector is a and
r
perpendicular to the vector n is
r r r
rr
rr
.
r a .n 0 or r.n d, where d a.n

x ,y ,z

Equation of a plane that cuts the coordinates axes at a,0,0, , 0,b,0 and

0,0,c

rr r
b.a2 b1
r
| b|
20.

Vector equation of a plane that contains

three
non-collinear
points
having
r r r
position
vectors
is
a,b,c
r r r r
r r
r a . b a c a 0

and x3 ,y3 ,z3 is

31.

y y1 z z1
y2 y1 z2 z1 0 .
y3 y1 z3 z1

[24]

In vector form, if is the acute angle

rr
between the two planes, r.n1 d1 and
r r
n1.n2
rr
1
r.n2 d2 , then cos r r
n1 .n2

32.

The acute angle between the line

r
rr
r r
r a b and plane r.n d is given by
rr
b.n
sin r r
|b|.|n|

[25]