Finding Slopes of Warped Plane: A,B,C,D,X

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In summary, the conversation discusses finding the equations for points A, B, C, and D on a slightly warped 3D plane. The speaker explains that using plane formulas may only provide approximations and suggests expressing z as a function of x and y. They also ask for clarification on whether the plane is infinite or a quadrilateral. The person seeking help clarifies that they are talking about a 3D rectangular object with slightly bent sides. The speaker concludes that without more information about the warping, it is impossible to accurately calculate anything.
  • #1
laminatedevildoll
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Suppose that there's a flat 3-d plane with points A,B,C,D. The midpoint is X. How do I find the equations for each of the points if the plane is slightly warped (meaning, that its sort slightly of bent). If I were to find the slopes on each side of the plane, would it matter that it's slightly warped?

Thnx
 
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  • #2
What do you mean by 'warped'? If it's not flat then it's not a mathematical plane, and using plane formulas will give you at best approximations.

The general equation for planes is ax + by + cz = d; if it's not a purely vertical plane then you can express z as a function of x and y, z(x , y) = ux + vy + w, with u = - a/c, v = - b/c, w = d/c.

edit: A question, are you talking about an infinite (unbounded) plane, or a quadrilateral with corners A,B,C,D?
 
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  • #3
rachmaninoff said:
What do you mean by 'warped'? If it's not flat then it's not a mathematical plane, and using plane formulas will give you at best approximations.

The general equation for planes is ax + by + cz = d; if it's not a purely vertical plane then you can express z as a function of x and y, z(x , y) = ux + vy + w, with u = - a/c, v = - b/c, w = d/c.

edit: A question, are you talking about an infinite (unbounded) plane, or a quadrilateral with corners A,B,C,D?

Just a 3d rectangular shaped object with sides A,B,C,D. Warped meaning that when you take a rectangular piece of paper and if you slightly bent the sides at the long ends of the paper, one corner will be higher than its opposite side, up and down.
 
  • #4
Then it is not a "flat plane"! Without being given more information about exactly how it is warped, there is no way to calculate anything.
 

1. What is the purpose of finding slopes of warped planes?

The purpose of finding slopes of warped planes is to determine the steepness or inclination of a surface at a particular point. This information is useful in various fields such as engineering, geology, and physics.

2. What are the variables A, B, C, D, and X in the equation for finding slopes of a warped plane?

In the equation for finding slopes of a warped plane, A, B, C, and D represent the coefficients of the x and y variables, while X represents the point at which the slope is being calculated.

3. How do you calculate the slope of a warped plane?

The slope of a warped plane can be calculated by first determining the partial derivatives of the equation with respect to x and y. These partial derivatives are then substituted into the formula: slope = -A/C * (X/C + Y/C * dY/dX). The resulting value is the slope at the given point.

4. Are there any limitations to finding slopes of warped planes?

Yes, there are limitations to finding slopes of warped planes. This method is only applicable to continuous surfaces and may not accurately represent the slope of surfaces with abrupt changes or discontinuities. Additionally, the equation assumes that the surface is differentiable, which may not always be the case.

5. How can finding slopes of warped planes be applied in real-world situations?

Finding slopes of warped planes has various real-world applications, such as in civil engineering for designing roads and determining the stability of structures on sloped surfaces. In geology, it can be used to study the topography and surface features of a landscape. Additionally, it is also used in physics to calculate the force of gravity on different surfaces.

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