Are the Given Planes Parallel, Perpendicular, or Intersecting at an Angle?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around determining the relationships between pairs of planes in three-dimensional space, specifically whether they are parallel, perpendicular, or intersecting at an angle. The context includes mathematical reasoning and application of vector properties related to the normals of the planes.

Discussion Character

  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • Participants present equations for planes and calculate their normal vectors, such as for planes \(P_1: x + z = 1\) and \(P_2: y + z = 1\), leading to a cosine of the angle of intersection of \(60^\circ\).
  • One participant suggests that naming conventions for planes can vary, proposing a clearer notation for defining planes.
  • Another participant outlines a method to determine if planes are parallel or perpendicular based on the properties of their normal vectors, emphasizing that parallelism requires one normal vector to be a multiple of the other, while perpendicularity requires a dot product of zero.
  • Further examples are provided where participants calculate angles and relationships for different pairs of planes, such as determining that one pair of planes is perpendicular and another is parallel based on their normal vectors.
  • A participant inquires about using a specific input string for visualizing the planes on a graphing tool.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no consensus on a single method for determining the relationships between the planes, as participants propose different approaches and calculations. Some participants agree on the definitions of parallel and perpendicular planes, while others focus on calculating angles of intersection.

Contextual Notes

Some calculations rely on the assumption that normal vectors are correctly identified, and the discussion does not resolve the implications of using different notations or methods for defining planes.

karush
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$\tiny{{s4}.{13}.{5}.{41}}$

$\textsf{find if planes are $\parallel, \perp$ or $\angle$ of intersection }\\$
\begin{align}
\displaystyle
{P_1}&={x+z=1}\\
\therefore n_1&=\langle 1,0,1 \rangle\\
\\
{P_2}&={y+z=1}\\
\therefore n_2&=\langle 0,1,1 \rangle\\
\\
\cos(\theta)&=
\frac{n_1\cdot n_2}{|n_1||n_2|}\\
&=\frac{1(0)+0(1)+1(1)}
{\sqrt{1+1}\cdot\sqrt{1+1}}
=\frac{1}{2}\\
\cos^{-1}\left({\frac{1}{2}}\right)&=
\color{red}{60^o}
\end{align}

$\textit{there are 2 more problems like this so presume this is best method.. }\\$
$\textit{didn't know if it is
common notation to call a plane $P_1$}$
 
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karush said:
$\tiny{{s4}.{13}.{5}.{41}}$

$\textsf{find if planes are $\parallel, \perp$ or $\angle$ of intersection }\\$
\begin{align}
\displaystyle
{P_1}&={x+z=1}\\
\therefore n_1&=\langle 1,0,1 \rangle\\
\\
{P_2}&={y+z=1}\\
\therefore n_2&=\langle 0,1,1 \rangle\\
\\
\cos(\theta)&=
\frac{n_1\cdot n_2}{|n_1||n_2|}\\
&=\frac{1(0)+0(1)+1(1)}
{\sqrt{1+1}\cdot\sqrt{1+1}}
=\frac{1}{2}\\
\cos^{-1}\left({\frac{1}{2}}\right)&=
\color{red}{60^o}
\end{align}

$\textit{there are 2 more problems like this so presume this is best method.. }\\$
$\textit{didn't know if it is
common notation to call a plane $P_1$}$

Everything you've posted is fine. You can give a plane any name you like, but I would write something like this:

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} P_1 : x + z = 1 \end{align*}$

That way we can see that $\displaystyle \begin{align*} P_1 \end{align*}$ is DEFINED as the relationship "the sum of the x and z values needs to be 1", not that it is some variable that has something to do with the equation.
 
The problem asks you to do three things:
1) determine if the planes are parallel.
2) determine if the planes are perpendicular.
3) if neither of those, determine the angle of intersection of the two planes.

Yes, by using that formula to determine the angle, you can then answer all three questions but it should be simpler to determine the first two without using that formula:

The two planes are parallel if and only if the two normal vectors are parallel- if one is a multiple of the other.

The two planes are perpendicular if and only if the two normal vectors are perpendicular: if their dot product is 0.

If neither of those is true, then you can use the dot product you found as the numerator in the formula to determine the angle.
 
that's very helpful
hard to see that in their examples

the next 2 problems are probably
$$\parallel , \perp$$
 
$\tiny{s4.854.13.5.43}$
$\textsf{Determine if the 2 given planes are perpendicular, parallel or at an angle to each other}$
\begin{align}
\displaystyle
{p_1}&:{x+4y-3z=1}
\therefore n_1=\langle 1,4,-3 \rangle\\
\nonumber\\
{p_2}&:{-3x+6y+7z=0} \therefore n_2=\langle -3,6,7 \rangle
\end{align}
\begin{align}
\displaystyle
\cos(\theta)&= \frac{n_1\cdot n_2}{|n_1||n_2|}=0\\
\therefore p_1 &\perp p_2
\end{align}

$\tiny{s4.854.13.5.45}$
\begin{align}
\displaystyle
{p_1}&:{2x+4y-2z=1}
\therefore n_1=\langle 2,4,-2 \rangle\\
\nonumber\\
{p_2}&:{-3x+6y+3z=0} \therefore n_2=\langle -3,6,7 \rangle \\
n_1&=-\frac{2}{3} n_2 \\
&\therefore n_1\parallel n_2
\end{align}

$\textit{btw what is the input string to see the 2 plane on a W|A graph?}$
 
Last edited:

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