Assignment 5, Solutions

Problem 8/ p. 838. Find parametric and symmetric equations of the line trough the
points (6, 1, −3) and (2, 4, 5).
Solution. The line is parallel to the vector v = (4, −3, −8). Then a vector equation of the
line with r0 = (2, 4, 5) is
(x, y, z) = (2, 4, 5) + t(4, −3, −8)
that gives parametric equations of the line with P0 = (2, 4, 5) and v = (4, −3, −8)

x = 2 + 4t, y = 4 − 3t, z = 5 − 8t.

The corresponding symmetric equations of the line are

x−2 y−4 z−5
= = .
4 −3 −8
Parametric equations of a line and symmetric equations of a line are not uniquely deter-
mined. For example, the vector v = (−4, 3, 8) belongs also to the line and if we take the
point P0 = (6, 1, −3) then another parametric equations of the line are

x = 6 − 4t, y = 1 + 3t, z = −3 + 8t.

The corresponding symmetric equations of the line are

x−6 y−1 z+3
= = .
−4 3 8
Remark. In general, one curve (including the most simple curves, the lines) has many
parametric equations.
Problem 52/ p. 839. Determine whether the planes 2x − 3y + 4z = 5 and x + 6y + 4z = 3
are parallel, perpendicular, or neither. If neither, find the angle between them.
Solution. The vector n1 = (2, −3, 4) is perpendicular to the first plane, i.e., normal to the
first plane; and the vector n2 = (1, 6, 4) is perpendicular to the second plane, i.e., normal
to the second plane. We compute the dot product of n1 and n2 :

n1 · n2 = 2 − 18 + 16 = 0

to conclude that the normal vectors n1 and n2 are orthogonal and from here, according
to the definition of an angle between planes we conclude that the two given planes are
orthogonal.
Here are the plots of the two planes:

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Problem 56/ p. 839. (a) Find parametric equations for the line of intersection of the
planes
3x − 2y + z = 1, 2x + y − 3z = 3.
(b) Find the angle between the given planes.
Solution 1. Let z = t. Then we solve the linear system
3x-2y=1-t
2x+y=3+3t
to obtain 7x = 7 + 5t ⇒ x = 1 + (5/7)t and 7y = 7 + 11t ⇒ y = 1 + (11/7)t and from here
5 11
x = 1 + t, y = 1 + t, z = t
7 7
are parametric equations of the intersecting line depending on the parameter t.
We can get more simple parametric equations substituting t = 7s, i.e., by using another
parameter:
x = 1 + 5s, y = 1 + 11s, z = 7s
are also parametric equations of the intersecting line depending on the parameter s.
Solution 2. The vector n1 = (3, −2, 1) is normal to the first plane and the vector n2 =
(2, 1, −3) is normal to the second plane. Then, the vector
 
 i j k 
 
n1 × n2 =  3 -2 1  = 5i + 11j + 7k = h5, 11, 7i
 
 
 2 1 -3 

2
is parallel to the intersecting line. With z = 0 we obtain that the point (1, 1, 0) belongs to
both planes hence, to the intersecting line. From here

x = 1 + 5s, y = 1 + 11s, z = 7s

are parametric equations of the intersecting line depending on the parameter s.

Here are the graphs of both planes and the line of intersection of the both planes.

(b)
n1 · n2 1 1
cos(θ) = =√ √ = ⇒ θ = arccos(1/14) ≈ 85.904◦ .
|n1 ||n2 | 14 14 14
Problem 43, page 829. Let P be a point in the space and the line L passes through the
points Q and R. Show that the distance d from P to the line L is
|a × b|
d= ,
|a|
−−→ −−→
where a = QR and b = QP .
Obviously, d = 0 if P belongs to the line L.
Problem 68, page 839. Use the formula in Exercise 43, Section 13.4 to find the distance
d from the point to the given line:

(0, 1, 3); x = 2t, y = 6 − 2t, z = 3 + t.

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 Solution 1 by using the prescribed formula with cross product. With t = 0
we obtain Q = (0, 6, 3) and with t = 1 we obtain R = (2, 4, 4). Then, P = (0, 1, 3),
−−→ −−→
a = QR = (2, −2, 1) and b = QP = (0, −5, 0) and
 
 i j k 
 
a×b= 2 -2 1  = 5i − 10k = h5, 0, −10i
 
 
 0 -5 0 
√ √
|a × b| 125 5 5
d= = √ = ≈ 3.727.
|a| 9 3
Solution 2 by using dot product. We have
a·b 10 2
cos(θ) = =√ √ =
|a||b| 9 25 3

and
θ = arccos(2/3) = 48.1897◦ .
From here,
d = ||b| sin(θ)| = 5 sin(48.1897◦ ) = 3.727.
Problem 76, page 840. Find the distance D between the skew lines with parametric
equations

x = 1 + t, y = 1 + 6t, z = 2t; x = 1 + 2s, y = 5 + 15s, z = −2 + 6s.

Solution 1. For t = 0, −1 we obtain that the points (1, 1, 0) and (0, −5, −2) belongs to
the first line; and with s = 0, −1 we obtain that the points (1, 5, −2) and (−1, −10, −8)
belong to the second line. Then, the vector a = (1, 6, 2) is parallel to the first line and the
vector b = (2, 15, 6) is parallel to the second line. We compute
 
 i j k 
 
a×b= 1 6 2  = 6i − 2j + 3k = h6, −2, 3i
 
 
 2 15 6 

and from here the plane

6(x − 1) − 2(y − 1) + 3(z − 0) = 0 ⇒ 6x − 2y + 3z = 4

contains the first line and it is parallel to the second line. Analogously, the plane,

6(x − 1) − 2(y − 5) + 3(z + 2) = 0 ⇒ 6x − 2y + 3z = −10

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contains the second line and it is parallel to the first line. According to the problem 73,
page 840
14 14
D=√ = = 2.
49 7
Solution 2. Take the plane 6x − 2y + 3z − 4 = 0 that contains the first line and it is parallel
to the second line and a point from the second line (1, 5, −2). Then, the distance D is equal
to the distance from the arbitrary chosen point, say (1, 5, −2) from the second line to the
plane 6x − 2y + 3z − 4 = 0 containing the first line and parallel to the second line. Then,
by using formula 9 on page 837 we obtain

|6 − 10 − 6 − 4| 14
D= √ = = 2.
36 + 4 + 9 7

Problem 4/ page 846. Describe and sketch the surface

z = 4 − x2 .

Solution. On the zx− plane this is a parabola and there is no y in the equation. Hence,
this is a parabolic cylinder with ruling lines parallel to the y− axis. Here is the plot

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Problem 6/ page 846. Describe and sketch the surface

yz = 4.

Solution. On the yz− plane this is a hyperbola and there is no x in the equation. Hence,
this is a hyperbolic cylinder with ruling lines parallel to the x− axis. Here is the plot

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Problem 14/ page 847. Use traces to sketch and identify the surface

25x2 + 4y 2 + z 2 = 100.

Solution. All intersections with planes parallel to the the coordinate planes, i.e., all such
traces are ellipses. This is an ellipsoid. Here is the plot

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Problem 18/ page 847. Use traces to sketch and identify the surface

4x2 − 16y 2 + z 2 = 16.

Solution. On the zx− plane the trace is an ellipse and the trace is an ellipse for all
traces obtained by intersection of the surface with a plane parallel to the zx− plane. The
traces with planes parallel to the xy− plane and to the yz− plane are hyperbolas. this is a
hyperboloid of one sheet with axis, the y− axis. Here is the plot

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Problems 21-28/ page 847. Match the equations 21-28 with their graphs labeled I-VIII.
Give reasons for your choices.
Solution. Consider 21 and 22. These are equations of ellipsoids. The x− intercepts of 21
are x = ±1, the y− intercepts of 21 are y = ±1/2, and the z− intercepts of 21 are y = ±1/3
so, the x− intercepts are the largest. Concerning 22 following the analogy we see that z−
intercept here is the largest. Hence, 21 corresponds to VII, and 22 corresponds to
VI.
The equation 27 represents an elliptic cylinder with and axis, the y− axis and ruling lines
parallel to the y− axis so, 27 corresponds to VIII.
The equation 28 represents a hyperbolic paraboloid with parabola traces parallel to the
xy− and to the yz− plane; and hyperbola traces parallel to zx− plane; (a horse saddle).
Hence, 28 corresponds to V.
The equation 26 represents a cone, all traces parallel to the xz− plane are ellipses; the
traces with the yz− plane and with the xy− plane are couple of lines. From here, 26
corresponds to I.
The equation 25 represents a paraboloid with axis, the y− axis hence, 25 corresponds to
VI.
The equation 23 represents a hyperboloid of one sheet with axis, the y− axis and from here
23 corresponds to II. The equation 24 represents a hyperboloid of two sheet with axis,
the y− axis and from here 24 corresponds to I.
Problem 44/ page 847. Find an equation for the surface obtained by rotating the line
x = 3y about the x-axis.
Solution. For a fixed x0 we have y = x0 /3 and the trace of the surface with the plane
x = x0 that is parallel to the the yz− axis is the circle y 2 + z 2 = x20 /9. Hence, the surface
is a circular cone with equation

x2
y2 + z2 = .
9

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Problem 46/page 847. Find an equation for the surface consisting of all points P for
which the distance from P to the x− axis is twice the distance from P to the yz− plane.
Identify the surface.
−−→
Solution. Let P (x, y, z). Then, OP has components hx, y, zi. Let P1 (x, 0, 0) be the
−−→ −−→
orthogonal projection of P on the x− axis. Then, OP
−−→ −−→ −−→ p1 has components hx, 0, 0i and P P1 =
OP − OP1 has components h0, y, zi. Then, |P P1 | = y 2 + z 2 is the distance from P to the
x− axis. Another way to find the distance from P to the x− axis is a simple application of
Pythagoras Theorem.
Hence, q
y 2 + z 2 = 2|x| → y 2 + z 2 = 4x2 .
This is a circular cone with with an axis, the x− axis. Here is the plot

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