MHB Calculating Straight Line Distance from A to B

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The discussion focuses on calculating the straight-line distance and motion equations for a camera moving from position A (20, 22, 20) to position B (117, 90, 15) over 5 seconds. The 3D distance formula was correctly applied, yielding a distance of approximately 118.57. Participants clarified that to find the motion equations x(t), y(t), and z(t), one must consider the change in position over time with constant speed. The derived formulas are x(t) = (97/5)t + 20, y(t) = (68/5)t + 22, and z(t) = -t + 20. These equations describe the camera's trajectory in three-dimensional space.
wonder1
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Hi all,

for the below questions i used the 3D distance formula

$$\sqrt{((117t-20)^2+((117−20)^2+(90−22)^2+(15−20))}$$

$$d=(97)^2+(68)^2+(−5)^2$$

$$AB=118.566437$$

to give me an answer of 118.566437

i don't understand what it means by finding formulas for x(t), y(t), and z(t)

is it $$97x^2+68y^2−5z^2$$ ?4. The camera needs to move from position A = (20,22,20) to position B = (117,90,15), on a straight line, with constant speed, in 5 seconds. Find formulas for x(t), y(t), and z(t), assuming that the movement starts at time t = 0.
 
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wonder said:
Hi all,

for the below questions i used the 3D distance formula

$$\sqrt{((117t-20)^2+((117−20)^2+(90−22)^2+(15−20))}$$

$$d=(97)^2+(68)^2+(−5)^2$$

$$AB=118.566437$$

to give me an answer of 118.566437

i don't understand what it means by finding formulas for x(t), y(t), and z(t)

is it $$97x^2+68y^2−5z^2$$ ?4. The camera needs to move from position A = (20,22,20) to position B = (117,90,15), on a straight line, with constant speed, in 5 seconds. Find formulas for x(t), y(t), and z(t), assuming that the movement starts at time t = 0.

Let's look at motion in one dimension...suppose the initial coordinate is $x_0$ and the final coordinate is $x_1$, and we want this change in position to occur in $t$ units of time, with a constant speed $v_x$, which means we can write:

$$\d{x}{t}=v_x$$ where $x\left(t_0\right)=x_0$ and $x\left(t_1\right)=x_1$.

Can you now solve this IVP?
 
MarkFL said:
Let's look at motion in one dimension...suppose the initial coordinate is $x_0$ and the final coordinate is $x_1$, and we want this change in position to occur in $t$ units of time, with a constant speed $v_x$, which means we can write:

$$\d{x}{t}=v_x$$ where $x\left(t_0\right)=x_0$ and $x\left(t_1\right)=x_1$.

Can you now solve this IVP?
First distance vector
(117,90,15) - (20,22,20) = (97,68,-5)

Equation

AB(t) = (20+97t, 22+68t, 20-5t)

X=20+97t
Y=22+68t
Z=20-5t
 
Solving the IVP I posted, we would obtain:

$$x(t)=\frac{x_1-x_0}{t_1-t_0}\left(t-t_0\right)+x_0$$

Now, applying this to all 3 dimensions, using the given values, we get

$$x(t)=\frac{97}{5}t+20$$

$$y(t)=\frac{68}{5}t+22$$

$$z(t)=-t+20$$
 

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