CHAPTER

13 Three Dimensional Geometry

1. Vector Representation of a Point : Position vector of point The line will be perpendicular if a1a2 + b1b2 + c1c2 = 0,
P ( x, y, z ) is xiˆ + yjˆ + zkˆ . a1 b1 c1
parallel if = = .
a2 b2 c2
2. Distance Formula
  7. Projection of a Line Segment on a Line : If P(x1, y1, z1) and
 x1  x2    y1  y2    z1  z2  , AB  OB  OA
2 2 2
Q(x2, y2, z2) then the projection of PQ on
3. Distance of P from Coordinate Axes a line having direction cosines , m, n is
  x2  x1   m  y2  y1   n  z2  z1  .
 PA  y  z , PB  z  x , PC  x  y
2 2 2 2 2 2

8. Equation of a Plane : General form : ax + by + cz + d = 0,

mx2 + nx1 my2 + ny1 mz2 + nz1 where a, b, c are not all zero, a, b, c, d ∈ R.
4. Section Formula
= : x = ,y = ,z
m+n m+n m+n
(i) Normal form : x + my + nz = p
x x y  y2 z z (ii) Plane through the point (x1, y1, z1) :
Mid Point :     
x 1 2 ,y 1 ,z  1 2
2 2 2
a (x – x1) + b(y – y1) + c (z – z1) = 0.
5. Direction Cosines and Direction Ratios
x y z
(i) Direction cosines : Let a, b, g be angles which a (iii) Intercept Form:   1.
directed line makes with the positive directions of a b c
      
the axes of x, y and z respectively, then cos a, cosb, (iv) Vector form:  r  a   n  0 or r  n  a  n
cos g are called the direction cosines of the line. The (v) Any plane parallel to the given plane
direction cosines are usually denoted by (, m, n).

ax + by + cz + d = 0 is ax + by + cz + l = 0.
Thus  = cos a, m = cos b, n = cos g.
Distance between ax + by + cz + d1 = 0 and
(ii) If , m, n be the direction cosines of a line, then
d1  d 2
2 + m2 + n2 = 1. ax + by + cz + d2 = 0 is  .
(iii) Direction ratios: Let a, b, c be proportional to the a  b2  c2
2

direction cosines , m, n then a, b, c are called the (vi) Equation of a plane passing through a given point
   
direction ratios. and parallel to the given vectors: r  a  b  c
(iv) If , m, n be the direction cosines and a, b, c be the (parametric form) where l & m are scalars.
direction ratios of a vector, then      
or r . (b  c )  a . (b  c ) (non parametric form)
a b c 9. A Plane and a Point
 ,m   ,n  
a b c
2 2 2
a b c
2 2 2
a  b2  c2
2
(i) Distance of the point (x′, y′, z′) from the plane
(v) If the coordinates P and Q are (x1, y1, z1) and (x2, y2, z2) ax '+ by '+ cz '+ d
ax + by + cz + d = 0 is given by .
then the direction ratios of line PQ are, a = x2 – x1, a 2 + b2 + c2
b = y2 – y1 & c = z2 – z1 and the direction cosines of 
(ii) Length of the perpendicular from a point  a  to plane
x x y y z z  
line PQ are   2 1 , m  2 1 and n  2 1 .   a n  d
PQ PQ PQ r . n = d is given by p   .
n
6. Angle between Two Line Segments (iii) Foot (x′, y′, z′) of perpendicular drawn from the point
(x1, y1, z1) to the plane ax + by + cz + d = 0 is given
a1a2  b1b2  c1c2 x ' x1 y ' y1 z ' z1  ax  by  cz  d 

cos   . by     1 2 1 2 12 .
a  b12  c12 a22  b22  c22
2
1 a b c a b c
 (iv) To find image of a point w.r.t. a plane: Let P(x1, y1, z1)   
(iii) Vector equation: r  a  b .
is a given point and ax + by + cz + d = 0 is given plane.
Let (x′, y′, z′) is the image point then (iv) Reduction of cartesion form of equation of a line to
vector form and vice versa
x ' x1 y ' y1 z ' z1

 ax  by  cz  d  .
   2 1 2 1 2 12 x − x1 y − y1 z − z1
a b c a b c ⇒
a
=
b
=
c

⇔ r= ( x iˆ + y ˆj + z kˆ )
1 1 1

aa ' bb ' cc '

10. Angle between Two Planes: cos   +λ ( aiˆ + bjˆ + ckˆ )
a 2 +b 2 +c 2 a '2 +b' 2 +c ' 2
2. Angle between a Plane and a Line
Planes are perpendicular if aa′ + bb′ + cc′ = 0 and planes
x  x1 y  y1 z  z1
a b c (i) If q is the angle between line  
are parallel if = = . l m n
a' b' c'
    and the plane ax + by + cz + d = 0, Then
The angle q between the planes r · n1 = d1 and r . n2 = d2 is
   
n n al  bm  cn
given by, cos    1 2 . sin    .
n1  n2  a 2  b2  c 2 l 2  m2  n2 
     
Planes are perpendicular if n1 . n2 = 0 & planes are parallel
  (ii) Vector form: If q is the angle between a line
if n1 = λn2 (l is a non zero scalar.)
    b.n 
11. Angle Bisectors  
r  a  b  = r . n = d then sin       .
(i) 
The equations of the planes bisecting the angle b n
 
between two given planes

a1x + b1y + c1z + d1 = 0 and a2x + b2y + c2z + d2 = 0 are (iii) C  ondition for perpendicularity l  m  n , b  n  0 .
a b c
a1 x  b1 y  c1 z  d1 a x  b2 y  c2 z  d 2  
 2 . (iv) Condition for parallel al + bm + cn = 0, b . n = 0 .
a1  b1  c1
2 2 2
a22  b22  c22
3. Condition for a Line to Lie in a Plane
(ii) Bisector of acute/obtuse angle: First make both the x  x1 y  y1 z  z1
constant terms positive. Then (i) C
 artesian form:   would lie in
a plane l m n
a1a2 + b1b2 + c1c2 > 0 ⇒ origin lies on obtuse angle
a1a2 + b1b2 + c1c2 < 0 ⇒ origin lies in acute angle ax + by + cz + d = 0, if ax1 + by1 + cz1 + d = 0 &
al + bm + cn = 0.
12. Family of Planes 
 
(i) Any plane through the intersection of (ii) Vector form: r  a  b would line in the plane
   
a1x + b1y + c1z + d1 = 0 & a2x + b2y + c2z + d2 = 0 is r .n = d=
if b .n 0=& a. n d .
a1x +b1y + c1z + d1 + l (a2x + b2y + c2z + d2) = 0 4. Skew Lines
(ii) The equation of plane passing through the intersection (i) The straight lines which are not parallel and non-
      
of the planes r . n1  d1 & r  n2  d 2 is r   n1  n2  coplanar i.e. non-intersecting are called skew lines. If
= d1 + ld2 where l is arbitrary scalar  '   '   ' 
 
13. Area of Triangle : From two vector AB and AC . Then l m n  0. Then lines are skew.
1   l' m' n'
area is given by AB × AC .
2      
(ii) Vector Form: For lines r  a1  b1 and r  a2  b2
14. Volume of a Tetrahedron: Volume of a tetrahedron  
with vertices A (x1, y1, z1), B(x2, y2, z2), C(x3, y3, z3) and to be skew b1  b2   a2  a1   0 .
 
     
x1 y1 z1 1 (iii) Shortest distance between line r  a1  b & r  a2  b
  
x
1 2 y2 z2 1        a2  a1   b
D (x4, y4, z4) is given by V = . r  a1  b & r  a2  b is d = .
6 x3 y3 z3 1 |b |
x4 y4 z4 1
5. Sphere: General equation of a sphere is
A Line
x2 + y2 + z2 + 2ux + 2vy + 2wz + d = 0.
1. Equation of a Line
(i) A straight line is intersection of two planes. (–u, –v, –w) is the centre and u 2  v 2  w2  d is the
It is represented by two planes a1x + b1y + c1z + d1 = 0 radius of the sphere.
and a2x + b2y + c2z + d2 = 0. 6. Volume of tetrahedron = 1/3 × height × Area of base
x  x1 y  y1 z  z1 1
(ii) Symmetric form:    r. = [Area of parallelepiped]
a b c 6

28 JEE (XII) Module-4 PW