Chapter 1: Problem 40
Find the distance to the point (6,1,0) from the plane through the origin that is perpendicular to \(i-2 j+k.\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The distance is \(\frac{2\sqrt{6}}{3}.\)
Step by step solution
01
Find the equation of the plane
The plane is perpendicular to the vector \(\mathbf{n} = \langle 1, -2, 1 \rangle\). The equation of a plane with normal vector \(\mathbf{n} = \langle a, b, c \rangle\) passing through the origin \((0,0,0)\) is \(ax + by + cz = 0\). Substituting the components of \(\mathbf{n}\), we get the equation of the plane: \(x - 2y + z = 0\).
02
Use the point-to-plane distance formula
The distance \(d\) from a point \((x_1, y_1, z_1)\) to a plane given by \(ax + by + cz + d = 0\) is given by the formula: \[ d = \frac{|ax_1 + by_1 + cz_1 + d|}{\sqrt{a^2 + b^2 + c^2}}. \] Here, the point is \((6, 1, 0)\), \(a = 1\), \(b = -2\), \(c = 1\), and \(d = 0\).
03
Substitute the values into the formula
Substitute \(x_1 = 6\), \(y_1 = 1\), \(z_1 = 0\), \(a = 1\), \(b = -2\), \(c = 1\), and \(d = 0\) into the distance formula: \[ d = \frac{|1 \cdot 6 + (-2) \cdot 1 + 1 \cdot 0 + 0|}{\sqrt{1^2 + (-2)^2 + 1^2}}. \] The calculation inside the absolute value becomes \(|6 - 2| = 4\).
04
Solve for the distance
Continue calculating the distance: \[ d = \frac{4}{\sqrt{1 + 4 + 1}} = \frac{4}{\sqrt{6}}. \] Simplify the expression for a more exact answer: \[ d = \frac{4\sqrt{6}}{6} = \frac{2\sqrt{6}}{3}. \]
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Distance Calculation
When we talk about calculating the distance from a point to a plane, it involves using a specific formula derived from vector calculus. This distance is essentially the shortest path between a point and any point on the plane. To find this, you apply the point-to-plane distance formula:
- Distance formula: \[d = \frac{|ax_1 + by_1 + cz_1 + d|}{\sqrt{a^2 + b^2 + c^2}}\]
- Where \(a, b, c\) are the components of the plane's normal vector.
- \(x_1, y_1, z_1\) are the coordinates of the point in question.
- \(d\) is the constant from the plane equation.
Plane Equation
A plane in 3D space can be defined mathematically using a linear equation. The general equation of a plane involves a normal vector and a point on the plane. For any plane, like the one in the exercise, this can be described by the formula:
- \(ax + by + cz = 0\)
- \(a, b, c\) are coefficients representing the components of the normal vector.
- The point through which the plane passes, such as the origin \((0,0,0)\) here, helps determine the specific plane.
Vector Normal
In vector calculus, a normal vector is a vector orthogonal to a surface. It's pivotal in defining the orientation of a plane. Understanding this is crucial for computing distances, as it directly influences the form of the plane equation. Here's a closer look at its features:
- A normal vector \(\mathbf{n} = \langle a, b, c \rangle\) impacts both the direction and the steepness of the plane.
- It's used in the plane equation \(ax + by + cz = 0\) to set the plane's orientation in the coordinate system.
- Every plane has an infinite number of parallel normal vectors, but only one orthogonal to every direction inside that plane.