Intersection of line and surface

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The intersection of a straight line and CAD surfaces in 3D space can be mathematically described using the equation A + Bt, where A represents a position vector, B indicates the direction vector, and t is a scalar parameter. CAD surfaces are modeled as polynomial functions of two variables, u and v, with the highest degree term being u^nv^n. The roots of a polynomial in t determine the intersection points, with established proofs showing that for n = 2 and n = 3, the polynomial degree is 8 and 18, respectively, following the formula 2n^2. The discussion raises the question of whether this relationship holds for n > 3, suggesting a potential general formula.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of vector representation in 3D space
  • Familiarity with polynomial functions and their degrees
  • Knowledge of CAD surface modeling techniques
  • Basic concepts of polynomial root finding
NEXT STEPS
  • Research polynomial root finding techniques in computational geometry
  • Explore CAD surface modeling with tools like AutoCAD or SolidWorks
  • Study the implications of polynomial degrees in intersection problems
  • Investigate advanced topics in algebraic geometry related to surface intersections
USEFUL FOR

Mathematicians, CAD designers, and engineers interested in geometric modeling and intersection analysis in three-dimensional space.

mathman
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Messages
8,130
Reaction score
575
A straight line in 3 space can be described as A + Bt, where A is a position, B a direction, and t a scalar parameter. CAD surfaces can be represented in terms of polynomial functions of two variables (u and v) with the highest degree term being [itex]u^nv^n[/itex]. The intersections can then be obtained as roots of a polynomial in t. I have seen proofs that for n = 2 or n = 3, the polynomial in t is of 8th or 18th degree respectively [itex](2n^2)[/itex].

Question: Does this relationship [itex](2n^2)[/itex] hold for n > 3?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I do not have a proof but it looks like the general formula.

It also works for n=1.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
5K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
5K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
3K
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
4K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
3K