Chapter 22: Problem 31
\(P\) is any point on the plane \(l x+m y+n z=p ;\) a point \(Q\) is taken on the line \(O P\) such that \(O P \cdot O Q=p^{2}\), then the locus of \(Q\) is
Short Answer
Expert verified
The locus of Q is the plane equation \(lx + my + nz = p\).
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Problem
We have a plane with the equation \(l x + m y + n z = p\). A point \(P\) lies on this plane, and a point \(Q\) is on the line \(OP\), where \(O\) is the origin. We want to find the locus of \(Q\) such that \(OP \cdot OQ = p^2\).
02
Define the Vectors
Let \(\vec{OP} = \vec{r}\) and \(\vec{OQ} = \lambda \vec{r}\) where \(\lambda\) is a scalar that defines the position of \(Q\) along the line \(OP\). Thus, \(OQ\) is a scaled version of \(OP\).
03
Express the Dot Product Condition
The condition \(OP \cdot OQ = p^2\) can be rewritten as \(\vec{r} \cdot (\lambda \vec{r}) = p^2\). This simplifies to \(\lambda (\vec{r} \cdot \vec{r}) = p^2\).
04
Use Plane Equation for Vector \(\vec{r}\)
Since \(P\) is on the plane \(lx + my + nz = p\), we have \((l, m, n) \cdot (x, y, z) = p\). But, \(\vec{r} = (x, y, z)\), meaning \(\vec{n} \cdot \vec{r} = p\) where \(\vec{n} = (l, m, n)\) is the normal to the plane.
05
Relate \(\lambda\) to Plane Equation
Substitute the plane condition in the dot product equation: \(\lambda (p^2) = p^2\). Solve for \(\lambda\): \(\lambda = 1\).
06
Determine Locus of \(Q\)
Since \(\lambda = 1\), \(Q\) coincides with \(P\), meaning the locus of \(Q\) is simply the plane itself. Therefore, the locus of \(Q\) is given by the plane equation \(lx + my + nz = p\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Plane Equation
The equation of a plane in three-dimensional space can be described as \( l x + m y + n z = p \), where \( l, m, \) and \( n \) are the coefficients that form the normal vector \( \vec{n} = (l, m, n) \). The plane is defined as the set of all points \((x, y, z)\) such that their dot product with the normal vector equals \(p\), which is a constant.
This equation is useful because it directly tells us how the plane is oriented in three-dimensional space.
This equation is useful because it directly tells us how the plane is oriented in three-dimensional space.
- The coefficients \( l, m, \) and \( n \) determine the tilt and direction of the plane.
- The value \(p\) is essentially the distance from the plane to the origin along the normal vector, assuming \( \vec{n} \) is a unit vector.
Dot Product
The dot product, also known as the scalar product, is an operation that takes two equal-length sequences of numbers (usually coordinate vectors), and returns a single number. The dot product of vectors \(\vec{a} = (a_1, a_2, a_3)\) and \(\vec{b} = (b_1, b_2, b_3)\) is calculated as:\[\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b} = a_1 b_1 + a_2 b_2 + a_3 b_3\]This operation has several qualities:
- It provides a measure of how parallel two vectors are. If the dot product is zero, the vectors are orthogonal.
- It gives the projection of one vector onto another.
- This product results in a scalar rather than a vector.
Vector Algebra
Vector algebra is the branch of mathematics that combines elements of algebra and geometry to study vectors. Vectors are quantities defined by both a magnitude and a direction. In this exercise, understanding vector algebra is essential in manipulating vectors to express positions and equations.
Vectors are usually represented in component form such as \(\vec{r} = (x, y, z)\), where each component is its respective coordinate in space.
Vectors are usually represented in component form such as \(\vec{r} = (x, y, z)\), where each component is its respective coordinate in space.
- Vector addition and subtraction are performed by adding or subtracting corresponding components.
- Scaling a vector involves multiplying each component by a scalar, which stretches or shrinks the vector.
- The dot product and cross product are crucial operations in vector algebra that help in solving geometric problems and understanding spatial relationships.