B When are two vectors collinear and coplanar?

AI Thread Summary
Vectors are collinear if they can be expressed as linear combinations that equal zero, specifically when the sum of their coefficients is also zero. For three points A, B, and C, the condition αa + βb + γc = 0 and α + β + γ = 0 indicates that these points lie on a straight line. In contrast, for four points A, B, C, and D, the condition αa + βb + γc + δd = 0 with α + β + γ + δ = 0 shows that they are coplanar, meaning they lie within the same plane. The discussion emphasizes the importance of linear dependence among vectors to establish collinearity and coplanarity. Understanding these relationships is crucial for proving the geometric properties of points in vector spaces.
PLAGUE
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Why should, αa + βb + γc=0,and α + β + γ = 0,

mean A,B,C are collinear, and why should αa+βb+γc+δd=0, and α+β+γ+δ=0,

mean A,B,C,D are coplanar?
My book says, If the position vectors a, b, c of three points A,B,C and the scalars α, β, γ are such that

αa + βb + γc=0,and α + β + γ = 0,
then the three points A,B,C are collinear.

On the other hand,
If the position vectors a, b, c, d of the four points A,B,C,D (no three of which are collinear) and the non-zero scalars α,β,γ,δ are such that

αabcd=0, and α+β+γ+δ=0,
then the four points A,B,C,D are coplanar.

But this book doesn't provide any reason why so. I tried a lot to prove these conditions, but failed. Why should, αa + βb + γc=0,and α + β + γ = 0,
mean A,B,C are collinear, and why should αabcd=0, and α+β+γ+δ=0,
mean A,B,C,D are coplanar?
 
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Can you express both your questions as inner products <, ,>*<, , >=0?
 
Please try to make your problem statements complete. There must be more in the problem statement, otherwise ##\alpha = \beta = \gamma = 0## would always work no matter what A, B, and C were.
 
@PLAGUE: given three points A,B,C, the vector B-A is the arrow pointing from A to B. hence C lies on the line through the points A,B if and only if C can be written as C = A + t(B-A) where t is a real number. Do your equations permit that? (as fact-checker says, assume gamma ≠0.)
 
Last edited:
\begin{align}
\alpha\vec A+\beta\vec B+\gamma\vec C=0&\nonumber\\
-\frac\alpha\beta\vec A+(-1)\vec B+(-\frac{\gamma}{\beta})\vec C=0&\nonumber\\
\frac{\beta+\gamma}\beta\vec A+(-1)\vec B+(-\frac{\gamma}{\beta})\vec C=0&\nonumber\\
\vec A-\vec B=(-\frac{\gamma}{\beta})(\vec A-\vec C)&\text{(condition of collinearity of three points}\nonumber\\
&\text{ with position vectors }\vec{A}\text{, }\vec{B}\text{ and }\vec{C}\text{)}\nonumber
\end{align}
\begin{align}
\alpha\vec A+\beta\vec B+\gamma\vec C+\delta\vec D=0&\nonumber\\
-\frac\alpha\gamma\vec A+(-\frac{\beta}{\gamma})\vec B+(-1)\vec C+(-\frac{\delta}{\gamma})\vec D=0&\nonumber\\
\frac{\beta+\gamma+\delta}\gamma\vec A+(-\frac{\beta}{\gamma})\vec B+(-1)\vec C+(-\frac{\delta}{\gamma})\vec D=0&\nonumber\\
\vec A-\vec C=(-\frac{\beta}{\gamma})(\vec A-\vec B)+(-\frac{\delta}{\gamma})(\vec A-\vec D)&\text{(condition of coplanarity of four points}\nonumber\\
&\text{ with position vectors }\vec{A}\text{, }\vec{B}\text{, }\vec{C}\text{ and }\vec{D}\text{)}\nonumber
\end{align}
 
Vectors are collinear when they are parallel (which means they are coplanar) and share one end point.
 
Curious Kev said:
Vectors are collinear when they are parallel (which means they are coplanar)
yes, you can construct a plane from two parallel vectors
Curious Kev said:
and share one end point.
HUH ?
 
phinds said:
yes, you can construct a plane from two parallel vectors

HUH ?
AI?
 
fresh_42 said:
AI?
I'm doubtful that even AI would put out something that far off base, but maybe ...
 
  • #10
phinds said:
I'm doubtful that even AI would put out something that far off base, but maybe ...
If you start with parallel vectors and end up spanning a plane, then things like that may happen. But I admit I have read several noisy and necro-posts like this one by the OP.
 
  • #11
An additional explanation:
$$ \vec A-\vec B=(-\frac{\gamma}{\beta})(\vec A-\vec C) $$ Two vectors ## \vec A-\vec B ## and ## \vec A-\vec C ## are linearly dependent and that means the initial point and the terminal point of the vector ## \vec A-\vec B ## are in the same line as the initial point and the terminal point of the vector ## \vec A-\vec C ##.
The initial point and the terminal point of the vector ## \vec A-\vec B ## are two points with the position vectors ## \vec B ## and ## \vec A ## and the initial point and the terminal point of the vector ## \vec A-\vec C ## are two points with the position vectors ## \vec C ## and ## \vec A ##. So, three points with the position vectors ## \vec A ##, ## \vec B ## and ## \vec C ## are in the same line or they are collinear.
$$ \vec A-\vec C=(-\frac{\beta}{\gamma})(\vec A-\vec B)+(-\frac{\delta}{\gamma})(\vec A-\vec D) $$ Three vectors ## \vec A-\vec C ##, ## \vec A-\vec B ## and ## \vec A-\vec D ## are linearly dependent and that means their initial and terminal points are in the same plane.
The initial point and the terminal point of the vector ## \vec A-\vec C ## are two points with the position vectors ## \vec C ## and ## \vec A ##, the initial point and the terminal point of the vector ## \vec A-\vec B ## are two points with the position vectors ## \vec B ## and ## \vec A ## and the initial point and the terminal point of the vector ## \vec A-\vec D ## are two points with the position vectors ## \vec D ## and ## \vec A ##. So, four points with the position vectors ## \vec A ##, ## \vec B ##, ## \vec C ## and ## \vec D ## are in the same plane or they are coplanar.
 

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