Chapter 17: Problem 9
Find parametric equations for the line. The line parallel to the \(z\) -axis passing through the point (1,0,0).
Short Answer
Expert verified
The parametric equations are \(x = 1\), \(y = 0\), \(z = t\).
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Direction Vector
Since the line is parallel to the z-axis, its direction vector is along the z-axis. This can be represented as \( \langle 0, 0, 1 \rangle \). This vector shows movement exclusively in the z-direction, without changes in the x or y directions.
02
Write the General Parametric Form
The general parametric equations for a line through a point \( (x_0, y_0, z_0) \) with direction vector \( \langle a, b, c \rangle \) are:\[x = x_0 + at, \y = y_0 + bt, \z = z_0 + ct.\]Here, \(t\) is a parameter.
03
Substitute the Point and Direction Vector
The line passes through the point \((1,0,0)\) and has the direction vector \( \langle 0, 0, 1 \rangle \). Substituting these into the parametric equations, we have:\[x = 1 + 0t, \y = 0 + 0t, \z = 0 + 1t.\]
04
Simplify the Parametric Equations
Simplifying the equations from Step 3 yields:\[x = 1, \y = 0, \z = t.\]These describe a line parallel to the z-axis passing through the point (1,0,0).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Direction Vector
In the context of parametric equations, a direction vector is a key concept. It defines the trajectory or path of a line in three-dimensional space. When a line is said to be parallel to an axis, its direction vector will represent movement solely in that direction.
For example, consider a line parallel to the z-axis. Its direction vector will be \( \langle 0, 0, 1 \rangle \). This vector indicates that there is no movement along the x or y-axis, only along the z-axis.
For example, consider a line parallel to the z-axis. Its direction vector will be \( \langle 0, 0, 1 \rangle \). This vector indicates that there is no movement along the x or y-axis, only along the z-axis.
- The first component (0) signifies no change in the x-direction.
- The second component (0) signifies no change in the y-direction.
- The third component (1) signifies a change in the z-direction.
Line Parallel to Axis
When discussing a line that is parallel to one of the coordinate axes, it is essential to understand how this affects its parametric equations. A line parallel to the z-axis behaves distinctively.
- For a line to be parallel to the z-axis, it must have a direction vector like \( \langle 0, 0, 1 \rangle \).
- This indicates that there is no deviation along the x and y axes; the line extends infinitely only in the z-direction.
Z-Axis
The z-axis is one of the three axes in a 3D coordinate system, along with the x-axis and y-axis. It typically represents the vertical direction. When dealing with lines and their parametric equations, understanding the z-axis is fundamental.
- A line parallel to the z-axis means it will only vary in the z-direction while maintaining a constant position in the x and y directions.
- This scenario is common in problems where vertical movement is the focus, such as in this exercise.
Parametric Form
The parametric form is a mathematical way of expressing the equations of a line as a set of equations. These equations describe a line's points based on a single parameter, often denoted as \( t \). Here’s a breakdown:
- The general parametric equations for a line passing through a point \( (x_0, y_0, z_0) \) with a direction vector \( \langle a, b, c \rangle \) are:
- \( x = x_0 + at \)
- \( y = y_0 + bt \)
- \( z = z_0 + ct \)