Calculate Angle Between 2 Lines in 3D - Easy Formula

In summary: I am glad you found that helpful. In summary, to find the angle between two lines in 3D, you can represent the lines as vectors and use the dot product formula to calculate the angle. This method can be used instead of relying on CAD software.
  • #1
ikeoe
3
0

Homework Statement



Can someone help me to find angle between 2 lines in 3D? I have 2 lines from (-x, 0, -y) to (0, 0, 0) to (0, x, y). I can use CAD to get the answer. But my shop guys will need some kind of formula. The easier way please, thank all.

Homework Equations



Example: (-10, 0, -6) to (0, 0, 0) to (0, 10, 6) is 105.3 degree.

The Attempt at a Solution

 
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  • #2
Welcome to PF!

ikeoe said:
Can someone help me to find angle between 2 lines in 3D? I have 2 lines from (-x, 0, -y) to (0, 0, 0) to (0, x, y). I can use CAD to get the answer. But my shop guys will need some kind of formula. The easier way please, thank all.

Hi ikeoe! Welcome to PF!:smile:

(what's CAD? :confused:)

Hint: a.b = |a| |b| cos θ,

so cos θ = a.b/√(a.a)√(b.b) :smile:
 
  • #3
Say you have three points, A, B, C. You want to find the angle between lines AB and BC.

You can represent lines by vectors. Line AB would be the vector A - B and BC would be the line B - C. Then, to get the angle, you just need to use the dot product formula:

x * y = |x| |y| cos(theta)

Where * is the dot product, |x| is the length of the vector x, and theta is the smallest positive angle between the two vectors.

I'll leave the algebra to you.
 
  • #4
Thank you, tiny-tim. CAD is Computer Aided Design mostly used from AutoDesk AutoCAD.
 
  • #5
Great, thanks to Tac-Tics.
 

1. What is the formula for calculating the angle between two lines in 3D?

The formula for calculating the angle between two lines in 3D is:

θ = cos⁻¹((a1b1 + a2b2 + a3b3) / √(a1² + a2² + a3²) * √(b1² + b2² + b3²))

Where a1, a2, a3 and b1, b2, b3 are the directional vectors of the two lines.

2. Can this formula be used to calculate the angle between any two lines in 3D space?

Yes, this formula can be used to calculate the angle between any two lines in 3D space as long as the directional vectors of the lines are known.

3. What is the range of values for the calculated angle between two lines?

The range of values for the calculated angle between two lines is 0° to 180°. This represents the maximum possible angle between two lines in 3D space.

4. How accurate is this formula in calculating the angle between two lines?

This formula is highly accurate in calculating the angle between two lines in 3D space as it takes into account the directional vectors of the lines, which fully define their orientation in space.

5. Are there any other methods for calculating the angle between two lines in 3D?

Yes, there are other methods for calculating the angle between two lines in 3D such as using the dot product or cross product of the two directional vectors. However, the formula mentioned above is considered the easiest and most straightforward method.

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