GET 103/MTH103
(ENGINEERING APPLIED MATHEMATICS)
MODULE 4
VECTOR EQUATIONS OF PLANES,
DIRECTION COSINE & PROJECTIONS
(SCALAR AND VECTORS)
1
THE POINT OF INTERSECTION OF A
STRAIGHT LINE AND A PLANE
Example
THE LINE OF INTERSECTION OF TWO
PLANES
Example
THE PERPENDICULAR DISTANCE OF
A POINT FROM A PLANE
Example
DIRECTION ANGLES
• The direction angles of a nonzero vector a
are the angles α, β, and γ (in the interval
[0, π]) that a makes with the positive x-, y-,
and z-axes.
The cosines of
these direction
angles — cos α,
cos β, and cos γ —
are called the
direction cosines
of the vector a.
10
• From the diagram above, cos α can be
obtained as :
• Similarly, we also have:
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By squaring the expressions in Equations 1
and 2 and adding, we see that:
3
We can also obtain from equations 1 and 2:
a = ‹a1, a2, a3›
= ‹|a| cos α, |a| cos β, |a| cos γ›
= |a|‹cos α, cos β, cos γ›
Therefore,
4
This states that the direction cosines of a are the
components of the unit vector in the direction of a. 12
Example:
Find the direction angles of the vector
a = ‹1, 2, 3›
Solution:
So, Equations 1 and 2 gives:
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• Therefore,
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PROJECTIONS
The figures below show representations
and of two vectors a and b with the same
initial point P.
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• Let S be the foot of the perpendicular
from R to the line containing .
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VECTOR PROJECTION
• Then, the vector with representation is
called the vector projection of b onto a and is
denoted by projab.
• You can think of it as a shadow of b.
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SCALAR PROJECTION
• The scalar projection of b onto a (also called
the component of b along a) is defined to be
the signed magnitude of the vector projection.
• This is the number |b| cos θ, where θ
is the angle between a and b.
- This is denoted
by compa b.
- It is negative
if π/2 < θ ≤ π.
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• The equation
a ∙ b = |a||b| cos θ = |a|(|b| cos θ) 5
• shows that:
• The dot product of a and b can be interpreted as
the length of a times the scalar projection of b onto
a.
• Since
• 6
The component of b along a can be
computed by taking the dot product of b
with the unit vector in the direction of a.
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In summary, projection can be
define as follows:
• Scalar projection of b onto a:
7
• Vector projection of b onto a:
8
• Notice that the vector projection is the scalar
projection times the unit vector in the direction of
a.
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Example
Find the scalar and vector projections of:
b = ‹1, 1, 2› onto a = ‹–2 , 3, 1›
Solution
▪ Since
▪ The scalar projection of b onto a is:
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▪ The vector projection is that scalar projection
times the unit vector in the direction of a:
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Exercises
1.(a) Find the shortest distance between the two lines A and B. where
A = (2, 0, 7) + t(1, 1, 1), B = (1, 2, 4) + s(0, 1, 2).
Also find the angle between A and B.
(b) Find the equation of a plane through the point (4, 3, 1) and with normal (i -2j +3k).
2. (i) An engineering student of the University of Lagos is jugging at a speed of 50m/s from the
senate building to the gate i.e. from a point A to B which is 300m directly opposite the senate
building. A wind blows against the student at 20m/s. If the student always jugs in the
direction parallel to AB, find how he gets to point B. In what direction must the student jug
in order to cross directly from A to B.
(ii) Find the distance from the point (0, 1, 0) to the plane that passes through the point (4, 3,
1) and has a normal (i -2j + 3k).
Exercises
3. Obtain the equation of the line through the point A(1,-3,2) and parallel to the
vector (-12,4,3)
i.) verify that the point (-23,5,8) lies on this line.
ii.) find the co-ordinates of the point on the line with x-co-ordinates 3.
iii.) find the co-ordinates of two points on the line each distant 5 units from A.
4. Show that ax(bxc)=(a.c)b – (a.b)c
5. Solve for the vector u, if bxu +u = c
6. Obtain the vector equation of the line through the point A(-1,0,3) and parallel to
the vector u=(5,3,-4). Find the point where this line intersects the xy-plane.
7. Obtain the equation of the plane through the point (1,-1,2) and normal to
2i-3j+4k.