N2021 P1 Q8

N2021 P1 Q8

14 marks
Past Year National Exams
Free

The lines \({{l}_{1}}\) and \({{l}_{2}}\) have equations

\({{\mathbf{r}}_{1}}=\left( \begin{matrix} 3 \\ 2 \\ 0 \\ \end{matrix} \right)+\lambda \left( \begin{matrix} 2 \\ -3 \\ 1 \\ \end{matrix} \right)\) and \({{\mathbf{r}}_{2}}=\left( \begin{matrix} -4 \\ 1 \\ -3 \\ \end{matrix} \right)+\mu \left( \begin{matrix} 1 \\ 2 \\ 4 \\ \end{matrix} \right)\)

respectively, where \(\lambda \) and \(\mu \) are parameters.

  1. Find a cartesian equation of the plane containing \({{l}_{1}}\) and the point \(\left( 1,-3,-1 \right)\).[4]
  2. Show that \({{l}_{1}}\) is perpendicular to \({{l}_{2}}\).[2]
    1. Find values of \(\lambda \) and \(\mu \) such that \({{\mathbf{r}}_{1}}-{{\mathbf{r}}_{2}}\) is perpendicular to both \({{l}_{1}}\) and \({{l}_{2}}\). State the position vectors of the points where the common perpendicular meets \({{l}_{1}}\) and \({{l}_{2}}\).[6]
    2. Find the length of this common perpendicular.[2]

Video Solution:

Default solution

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Answer:(a) \(x-2z=3\) (b) \((2,-3,1)\cdot(1,2,4)=0\), so \(l_1\perp l_2\) (c)(i) \(\lambda=-1\), \(\mu=1\); the position vectors are \((1,5,-1)\) and \((-3,3,1)\) (c)(ii) \(2\sqrt6\) units

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