Math Problem Statement
find the distance from the point (-3,6,3) to the line a(t) = <1,-3,-2>t + <6,-6,-5>
Solution
To find the distance between a point and a line in 3D, we can use the following formula:
Where:
- is the given point, .
- is a point on the line, which can be taken as from the equation of the line.
- is the direction vector of the line, which is .
- is the distance from the point to the line.
Steps:
- Find the vector .
- Compute the cross product .
- Find the magnitude of the cross product and divide it by the magnitude of .
Let's solve it step by step.
-
Vector :
-
Cross product : Using the formula for the cross product:
\begin{vmatrix} \mathbf{i} & \mathbf{j} & \mathbf{k} \\ 1 & -3 & -2 \\ 9 & -12 & -8 \end{vmatrix}$$ Now, expand the determinant to get the cross product.
Let me calculate this.The cross product is .
The magnitude of the cross product is approximately , and the magnitude of the direction vector is approximately .
Thus, the distance from the point to the line is:
The distance is approximately units.
Do you need further details or have any questions?
Here are some related questions:
- How do you find the projection of a point onto a line?
- What is the equation for the shortest distance between two parallel lines?
- How do you compute the angle between two vectors?
- What is the formula for the distance between a point and a plane?
- How does the cross product relate to the area of a parallelogram?
Tip: The cross product of two vectors results in a vector perpendicular to both, making it useful in determining areas and distances in 3D geometry.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Vector Geometry
Distance in 3D
Cross Product
Magnitude of a Vector
Formulas
d = |b × (a_0 - r_0)| / |b|
Cross product: b × (a_0 - r_0)
Magnitude of a vector: |v| = √(v_x^2 + v_y^2 + v_z^2)
Theorems
Distance between a point and a line in 3D
Properties of the cross product
Suitable Grade Level
Grades 11-12 or Early College
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