Chapter 11: Problem 26
Find the distance between the points. \((-2,3,2), \quad(2,-5,-2)\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The distance between the points (-2,3,2) and (2,-5,-2) is \(4\sqrt{6}\)
Step by step solution
01
Write down the given points and the distance formula
The given points in the 3D space are A(-2,3,2) and B(2,-5,-2). The distance, d, between two points (x1, y1, z1) and (x2, y2, z2) in space follows this mathematical expression: \(d = \sqrt{(x2-x1)^2 + (y2-y1)^2 + (z2-z1)^2}\)
02
Substitute the values of the points in the formula
Substitute x1 = -2, y1 = 3, z1 = 2 and x2 = 2, y2 = -5, z2 = -2 into the distance formula. This gives \(d = \sqrt{(2-(-2))^2 + ((-5)-3)^2 + ((-2)-2)^2}\)
03
Simplify the expression
Simplify the equation to \(d = \sqrt{(4)^2 + (-8)^2 + (-4)^2} = \sqrt{16 + 64 + 16} = \sqrt{96}\)
04
Simplify the square root
96 is not a perfect square, but it can be simplified by finding the largest perfect square factor. The largest perfect square factor of 96 is 16, and \(96 = 16 \times 6\), so \(d = \sqrt{96} = \sqrt{16 \times 6} = 4\sqrt{6}\)
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
3D Coordinates
In a 3D space, each point is defined by three numerical values or coordinates. These coordinates represent positions along the three axes: the x-axis (horizontal), the y-axis (vertical), and the z-axis (depth). By combining these three axes, we can locate any point within the space. For example, a point could have coordinates \((-2, 3, 2)\), which correspond to:
- The x-coordinate \(-2\): How far left or right the point is located.
- The y-coordinate \(3\): How high up or down the point is.
- The z-coordinate \(2\): The depth of the point, how far forward or backward it is.
Distance Calculation
The problem of calculating the distance between two points in a 3D space requires a specific formula. This formula extends the Pythagorean theorem into three dimensions. It allows us to calculate the straight-line distance, or length of the hypotenuse, between two points. The formula is:\[d = \sqrt{(x_2-x_1)^2 + (y_2-y_1)^2 + (z_2-z_1)^2} \\]Here's how it works:
- Subtract the coordinates of the two points to find the difference along each axis.
- Square each of these differences to eliminate negative values and give them equal weight.
- Add these squared differences together.
- Finally, take the square root of this sum to determine the distance.
Euclidean Distance
Euclidean distance is a measure used to calculate the 'as-the-crow-flies' distance between points in a space, typically describing the shortest distance between them. It is commonly used in mathematics, physics, and various fields of computer science.
The Euclidean distance in 3D shares a similar process to 2D but involves an added dimension. In our example, the distance between points \((-2,3,2)\) and \(2,-5,-2)\) was calculated as follows:
The Euclidean distance in 3D shares a similar process to 2D but involves an added dimension. In our example, the distance between points \((-2,3,2)\) and \(2,-5,-2)\) was calculated as follows:
- Subtract the corresponding coordinates, then square the results: \(4^2, -8^2, -4^2\).
- Sum these squared numbers: \((16 + 64 + 16 = 96)\).
- Calculate the square root of this total to find the Euclidean distance: \(\sqrt{96} = 4\sqrt{6}\).
Problem-Solving Steps
Solving a problem like calculating Euclidean distance involves a series of logical steps. It's important to approach it systematically:
- **Identify Data:** Begin by listing the coordinates of the points involved in the calculation. Define each component clearly, like \(x_1, y_1, z_1\) and \(x_2, y_2, z_2\).
- **Apply Formula:** Substitute the identified values into the distance formula. This step directly links the problem to the equation used for calculation.
- **Simplify:** Break down each part of the equation, squaring differences first, then summing and simplifying toward a single square root expression.
- **Verify:** Double-check the results and simplification. Reassess your values to ensure no calculation errors occurred.