Chapter

23 📘THREE-DIMENSIONAL GEOMETRY
“3D GEOMETRY: Z-DIMENSION UNLOCKED – VISUALIZE BEYOND THE PLANE!”

🎯 Why Study 3D Geometry?

 Essential for understanding line & plane equations, angles, distances, and intersections
in space.
 Builds foundation for vector geometry, coordinate systems, and engineering models.
 Frequently tested in JEE Main & Advanced through geometry + algebra blends.
 Useful in mechanics, optics, and robotics via spatial reasoning.

📊 Topicwise Weightage of JEE Main 6 Years Paper 46%

Direction Cosines, Equation of a

40% Line, Shortest distance between
Equation of a Plane .......... two lines ......
8%
Angle Between Planes, Angle
12%
Family of Planes, Distance Between 2 Lines, Angle Between
between Point and Plane .......... Line and Plane ......
40%

🧭 CONCEPT MAP/FLOW OF TOPICS

Coordinates in 3D Space Distance Between Points Direction Cosines & Ratios

Equation of Plane (Point-Normal & General Form) Equation of Line (Vector & Cartesian)

Angle Between Lines/Planes Line-Plane Intersection, Skew Lines Shortest Distance Between Lines

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Three-Dimensional Geometry
 🧠 CORE CONCEPTS EXPLAINED

Coordinates & Distance:

Z
P(x, y, z)

Y
x O

L
M
y
(x, y, 0)
X

[Link]. Octants I II III IV V VI VII VIII

Coordinates

1⃣ x + – – + + – – +

2⃣ y + + – – + + – –

3⃣ z + + + + – – – –

Distance Formulae:
Distance (d) between two points (x1, y1, z1) and (x2, y2, z2) is

d= (x2 − x1 )2 + (y2 − y1 )2 + (z2 − z1 )2

Section Formulae:
m1 m2
P Q
m1x2 + m2x1 m1y2 + m2y1 m1z2 + m2z1 (x1, y1, z1) R (x2, y2, z2)
=x = ,y = ,z
m1 + m2 m1 + m2 m1 + m2


(for external division take –ve sign)

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⭐ DIRECTION COSINES (l, m, n)
In the figure, let OP make positive angles (anticlockwise direction) a, b and g with the positive x, y
and z-axes, respectively.

Y Try yourself:
P(x, y, z) Q. What are the d.c's of the
A
lines equally inclined to the
r axes?
b
Q. Find the projections of
0 a B X the line joining the points
g
P(3, 2, 5) and Q(0, –2, 8) on
the axes.
C

● These angles are known as direction angles.

● Taking cosine of these angles we get direction consines, viz., cos a, cos b, cos g.

l2 + m2 + n2 = 1.
  

🧩 KEY DIFFERENCES

Feature Direction Ratios (a, b, c) Direction Cosines (l, m, n)

Definition Any three numbers proportional to the The consines of the angles (a, b, g) that
direction cosines of a line. a line makes with the positive x, y and
z axes, respectively.

Uniqueness A line can have infinitely many sets of A directed line has a unique set of
direction ratios, as any scalar multiple of direction cosines.
a set of ratios is also valid (e.g., (a, b, c)
and (2a, 2b, 2c)).

Mathematical No specific sum or relation, other than Their squares sum to 1:

Property being proportional to direction cosines. l2 + m2 + n2 = 1.

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Three-Dimensional Geometry
🧠 LINE IN 3D

VECTOR FORM:


 B(b)
 R(r) 
A(a)  R(r)
A(a)


b
O O
      
r= a + l(b − a ) r= a + tb

CARTESIAN FORM:
Equation of a line through A(x1, y1, z1) and having direction cosines l, m, n are

x − x1 y − y1 z − z1
= = = l
 m n

Two Point Form: The lines through (x1, y1, z1) and (x2, y2, z2)

x − x1 y − y1 z − z1
= = = l
x2 − x1 y2 − y1 z2 − z1

PARALLEL LINES
● Using Direction Ratios: Let the direction ratios of the two lines be (a1, b1, c1) and (a2, b2, c2).
The lines are parallel if:

a1 b1 c1
= =
a2 b2 c2
   
● Using Direction Vectors: If the direction vectors are d1 and d2 , the lines are parallel if d1 = kd2
for some scalar k.

PERPENDICULAR LINES

● Using Dot Product: Let the direction vectors of the two lines be d1 = (a1, b1, c1) and

d2 = (a2, b2, c2). The lines are perpendicular if their dot product is zero:
 
d2 ⋅ d2 =
0

This translates to: a1a2 + b1b2 + c1c2 = 0

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🧠 PLANE IN 3D

GENERAL FORM

ax + by + cz + d = 0

R(r )

POINT-NORMAL FORM

 n̂ d
ˆ=
r ⋅n d

NORMAL FORM OF THE EQUATION OF Origin

PLANE

x + my + nz =
d

Try yourself:
x+1 y−3 z+2
Q. The equation of the plane containing the line = = and the point
−3 2 1
(0, 7, –7) is:

   (a) x + y + z = 1 (b) x + y + z = 2  

   (c) x + y + z = 0 (d) x + y + z = 3

EQUATION OF A PLANE THROUGH THREE POINTS:

The equation of the plane through three non-collinear points (x1, y1, z1), (x2, y2, z2),
(x3, y3, z3) is:

x − x1 y − y1 z − z1
x2 − x1 y2 − y1 z2 − z1 =
0
x3 − x1 y3 − y1 z3 − z1

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Three-Dimensional Geometry
EQUATION OF PLANE IN INTERCEPT FORM:

x y z
c + + =1
a b c
b    
y
a o

Angle between two planes:

Two planes a1 x + b1y + c1z + d1 = 0 and
a2 x + b2 y + c2 z + d2 = 0 then Try yourself:
Q. Angle between the pair of
a1a2 + bb + c1c2
cos q = 1 2
; where q is x −2 y−1 z+3
lines= = and
a +b +c
2
1 1
2 2
1
a +b +c
2
2
2
2
2
2 2 5 −3
x+1 y−4 z−5
angle between their normals. = =
−1 8 4
Perpendicular if a1a2 + b1b2 + c1c2 = 0,  13   26 
(a) cos–1   (b) cos–1  
a1 b1 c  9 38   9 38 
Parallel if = = 1 and
a2 b2 c2  4  2 2 
(c) cos–1   (d) cos–1  
a1 b1 c1 d1  38   
 19 
Coincident if = = =
a2 b2 c2 d2

✅ POINTS TO REMEMBER

b
(i) Angle between a plane and a line is the
complement of the angle between the normal n̂
Line
to the plane and the line. If q
  
Line : r = a + lb 
  
Plane : r ⋅ n =d 
   Plane
b ⋅n
then cos (90° – q) = sin q =   .
|b|⋅|n|
Where q is the angle between the line and plane.

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 Try yourself:
x y z
Q. The angle between the line = = and the plane 3x + 2y – 3z = 4 is:
2 3 4
 24 
   (a) 45° (b) 0° (c) cos–1   (d) 90°

 29 22 

(ii) Length of the perpendicular from a point (x1, y1, z1)

to a plane ax + by + cz + d = 0 is Try yourself:
Q. F
 ind the length of the
ax1 + by1 + cz1 + d perpendicular from
p=
a2 + b2 + c2 P(2, –3, 1) to the line
x +1 y−3 z+2
= = .
2 3 −1

(iii) Image of a Point in a Plane

P(x1, y1, z1)

x3 − x1 y3 − y1 −2(ax1 + by1 + cz1 + d) ax + by + cz + d = 0

= =
a c a2 + b2 + c2

M(x2, y2, z3)

Try yourself:
Q. F
 ind the image of the point (1, 2, 3) in the plane Q(x3, y3, z3)
2x + 3y – 4z + 5 = 0.

(iv) Distance between two parallel planes ax + by + cz + d1 = 0 Try yourself:

Q. 
Find the distance
d1 − d2 between the planes
and ax + by + cz + d2 = 0 is
a2 + b2 + c2 2x – y + 2z = 4 and
6x – 3y + 6z = 2.
(v) Planes bisecting the angle between two planes

a1x + b1y + c1z + d1 = 0 and a2x + b2y + c2z + d2 = 0 is given by

a1x + by
1
+ c1z + d1 a2x + b2y + c2z + d2
= one bisects the acute and the other obtuse
a +b +c
2
1 1
2 2
1
a22 + b22 + c22

angle between the given planes.

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Three-Dimensional Geometry
 Try yourself:
Q. Find the planes bisecting the angles between planes 2x + y + 2z = 9 and
3x – 4y + 12z + 13 = 0. Which of the bisector planes bisects the acute angle between the
given planes. Does origin lie in the acute angle or obtuse angle between the given planes?

(vi) Equation of a plane through the intersection of two planes P1 and P2 is given by

P1 + lP2 = = 0.

x−a y−b z−g Try yourself:

● Skew Lines: The straight lines = =
 m n
x − a′ y − b′ z − g ′ Q. 
Find the equation of the plane
and = = ; which are not parallel
′ m′ n′ through the line of intersection
and non-coplanar i.e., non-intersecting are called 3x — 4y + 5z = 10,
2x + 2y – 3z = 4 and parallel
skew lines.
to the line x = 2y = 3z.
a′ − a b′ − b g ′ − g
If ∆  m n ≠ 0, then lines are skew.
 ′ m ′ n′

🧠 SHORTEST DISTANCE
  
Vector Form: For lines r= 1
a1 + lb1 and
 A       
b1 l1 r=
2
a2 + vb2 to be skew (b1 × b2 ) ⋅ (a2 − a1 ) ≠ 0

then,

M(a1 )
d    
(a2 − a1 ) ⋅ (b1 × b2 )
 d=  
b2 l2 | b1 × b2 |

 B
N(a2 )

Try yourself:
x y z x −1 y−2 z−3 x +k y−1 z −2
Q. If the lines = = , = = and = = are concurrent
1 2 3 3 −1 4 3 2 h
then:
1 1
   (a) h = – 2, k = –6 (b) h = , k = 2 (c) h = 6, k = 2 (d) h = 2, k =
2 2

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Shortest Distance between the Two Parallel Lines

  
      (a2 − a1 ) × b
r= a1 + lb and r= a2 + µb is d =  .
|b |

📙 FLASHCARD : TABULAR FORMAT

Flashcard Question Answer

📙 Flashcard 1 📝 Cartesian form of line in 3D ✅ x= −x

a
1
y−y z−z
=
b c
1 1

📙 Flashcard 2 📝 E quation of plane in normal form ✅ r ⋅ nˆ = a ⋅ nˆ

📙 Flashcard 3 📝 Direction cosine identity ✅ l + m + n = 1
2 2 2

📙 Flashcard 4 📝 SD between skew lines ✅ A s above

📙 Flashcard 5 📝 C ondition for perpendicular planes ✅ a a + b b + c c = 0
1 2 1 2 1 2

🧠 QUICK MNEMONICS

● “D3: Distance–Direction–Dot”: → The 3 pillars of 3D geometry

● “LCD = 1” → L, C, D: → “direction cosines = 1 (square sum)”
● “R = A + λB”: → Vector equation of a line:
→ Result vector
→ A point
→ B direction

⚔PYQS (PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS)

⚖ COMPARISON TABLE
Concept Feature Line in 2D Feature Line in 3D
Equation y = mx + c Vector or symmetric form

Orientation Single slope Needs 3 direction ratios

Plane concept involved? No Yes

Projection needed? Rare Frequently in 3D geometry

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Three-Dimensional Geometry
📖 NCERT VS JEE EXTENSION

Topic NCERT Focus JEE Focus

Line equations Introduced briefly Multiple forms, skew lines, SD

Plane basics Normal and general form Intersections, angles, vector-based derivations

Direction cosines Defined Applied in SD, angles, projections

Geometry of 3D Light application Core to multi-chapter linkage

🧩 PRACTICE SNAPSHOT TABLE — IMPORTANT CONCEPTS

S. No. Concept Example Confidence (1–5)

1 Find line through 2 points A(1, 2, 3), B(4, 5, 6)

2 Angle between two planes Given plane equations

3 Shortest distance (skew lines) Use vector form equations

4 Line–Plane intersection point Solve parametric + substitution

5 Find direction cosines ˆ

For vector 2ˆi + 3jˆ + 6k

🧘
‍♀REFLECTION SPACE
🗒 Can I switch between vector and Cartesian forms of a line or plane easily?

🗒
Do I understand the geometric meaning of direction ratios and cosines?
🗒
Which concept feels weakest: SD, angle, or intersections?

📚 For Curious Minds

🔍 Applications of 3D Geometry:
● Physics: Motion in space, force components
● Engineering: Structural modeling, 3D CAD design
● Astronomy: Planetary trajectories in 3D
● Robotics: Path planning in spatial environments
● Game Development: Object motion and camera perspective

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📚Additional Reference Materials & Videos
Three-Dimensional Geometry: One shot JEE    [Link]

Three-Dimensional Geometry: One Shot NCERT    [Link]

🚀 SUMMARY
3D Geometry equips you to move from flat diagrams to real-world spatial thinking.
🎯 What you MUST master:
● Equations of lines & planes (in all forms)

● Use of direction cosines/ratios

● Solving for angles, intersections, and distances

● Applying vector logic in geometry and algebra

📌 2D socha, 3D samjha – that’s the JEE mindset upgrade.

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Three-Dimensional Geometry