Checking if the following lines are coplanar

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kernul
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Lines
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on determining the mutual positions of three lines in Euclidean space, specifically lines r, s, and t. The initial calculations indicated that all lines were non-coplanar, but a correction in the directional vector of line r revealed that lines r and s intersect. The final conclusions are that lines r and s intersect, lines s and t are non-coplanar, and lines r and t are parallel.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Euclidean space and orthonormal reference systems
  • Knowledge of parametric and Cartesian forms of lines
  • Familiarity with determinants and their application in vector analysis
  • Ability to identify line relationships such as intersection, parallelism, and non-coplanarity
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the properties of determinants in vector spaces
  • Learn about the geometric interpretation of lines in three-dimensional space
  • Explore methods for determining line intersections and coplanarity
  • Review vector algebra, focusing on directional vectors and their significance
USEFUL FOR

Students studying geometry, mathematicians analyzing spatial relationships, and educators teaching concepts of line interactions in three-dimensional space.

Kernul
Messages
211
Reaction score
7

Homework Statement


Set an orthonormal reference system in the euclidean space ##E^3## and consider the following lines:
$$r: \begin{cases}
x = 3 \tau \\
y = 1 + \tau \\
z = 3 - 2 \tau
\end{cases}s: \begin{cases}
x + z - 4 = 0 \\
x - 3y + z + 2 = 0
\end{cases}t: \begin{cases}
4x - 2y + 5z - 3 = 0 \\
2y + z + 1 = 0 .
\end{cases}$$
Find the mutual position of each possible couple of lines.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


I've calculated the mutual positions of the three couple of lines(##r## and ##s##, ##s## and ##t##, and ##r## and ##t##) but I'm not sure about it so here it's how I proceeded:

Before starting, I transformed $r$ from the parametric form into the Cartesian form, so:

$$r: \begin{cases}
x - 3y + 3 = 0 \\
2y + z - 5 = 0 .
\end{cases}$$

Now, to know if the lines are parallel, orthogonal, etc, I first find out about the directional vector of each line by finding the determinant of the matrices made of the components of the lines:
##\begin{vmatrix}
\hat i & \hat j & \hat k \\
1 & -3 & 0 \\
0 & -2 & 1
\end{vmatrix} = (-3, -1, -2)

\begin{vmatrix}
\hat i & \hat j & \hat k \\
1 & 0 & 1 \\
1 & -3 & 1
\end{vmatrix} = (3, 0, -3)

\begin{vmatrix}
\hat i & \hat j & \hat k \\
4 & -2 & 5 \\
0 & 2 & 1
\end{vmatrix} = (-12, -4, 8)##

Then I find a point for each line:
##P_r (0, 1, 3), P_s (2, 2, 2), P_t (-1, -1, 1)##

After that I do the determinant with the first row as the difference between the two points of the two lines, and on the second and third raw I put the directional vectors of the two lines.
For ##r## and ##s##:
##\begin{vmatrix}
0-2 & 1-2 & 3-2 \\
-3 & -1 & -2 \\
3 & 0 & -3
\end{vmatrix} = 12##
Non-coplanar.

##\begin{vmatrix}
2-(-1) & 2-(-1) & 2-1 \\
3 & 0 & -3 \\
-12 & -4 & 8 \\
\end{vmatrix} = -10##
Non-coplanar.

##\begin{vmatrix}
0-(-1) & 1-(-1) & 3-1 \\
-3 & -1 & -2 \\
-12 & -4 & 8 \\
\end{vmatrix} = 80##
Non-coplanar.

The thing is that all three of them are askew (non-coplanar). Could someone check it out and tell me if they are really all non-coplanar or maybe I did it wrong?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hi, finding the directional vector of the first line ##r##, in the determinant the third line is ## 0 \ \ 2 \ \ 1## and not ##0 \ \ -2 \ \ 1##, this can change something later ... the procedure seems reasonable ...

Ssnow
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Kernul
Wow... that sign changed everything...
##r## and ##s## are intersecting lines.
##s## and ##t## are still non-coplanar. (because the directional vector wasn't needed here)
##r## and ##t## are parallel.
Thank you very much for noticing that mistake.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K
Replies
15
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Replies
7
Views
2K