Shortest distance between two lines

[Anden]

I'm a bit uncertain about this question and would like some help, as I don't have the correct answer. Have I done this correctly?

Homework Statement

What is the shortest distance between the two lines A = (1,2,3) + t(0,1,1) and B = (1,1,1) + s(2,3,1)

The Attempt at a Solution

My reasoning: The vector AB is shortest when AB is orthogonal to BOTH A and B.

Therefore the scalar product AB \circ A = AB \circ B = 0. That gives a system with two equations

AB = (2s, -1+3s-t, -2+s-t)

AB \circ A = -3+4s-2t=0
AB \circ B = 14s-5-4t=0

which when solved gives s = -1/6 and t = -11/6.

I now seek |AB|, or the LENGTH of the vector.

Substituting s and t with the corresponding values and then using Pythagoras gives:

|AB| = sqrt(1/3)

Is this correct? Is there perhaps an easier way to do this?

Danke schön!

 

[LCKurtz]

Yes, your method is correct. Another approach that doesn't involve simultaneous equations is to cross the two direction vectors and make a unit normal n from it. That gives the orthogonal direction. Then let V be a vector from a point on one line to a point on the other.

Then d = |V dot n|

 

[Anden]

Yes, your method is correct. Another approach that doesn't involve simultaneous equations is to cross the two direction vectors and make a unit normal n from it. That gives the orthogonal direction. Then let V be a vector from a point on one line to a point on the other.

Then d = |V dot n|

Worked excellent, thank you. I also noticed that I could use the normal vector without turning it into a unit vector. I used it to create a system of equations
1+2s=1-2a
1+3s=2+t+2a
1+s=3+t-2a
which gives that a = 1/6

Then I multiplied that(1/6) with (-2,2,-2) and then used Pythagoras to calculate the length of the vector, which in this case is 1/sqrt(3).

 

[Jokerhelper]

or you could use projection