STRAIGHT LINE (CONCEPTS WITH EXAMPLES)

SYMMETRICAL FORM OF A STRAIGHT:

Equation of a straight line passing through the point ( and having direction cosines

PROOF:

Let P ( x, y, z ) be any point on the line and let AP = r.

Draw AM and PN perpendiculars on x-axis.

MN = ON – OM = ………………….(1)

MN = Projection of AP on x-axis = AP ……………………(2)

From the equation (1) and (2) , we get .

Similarly

Or r = . Thus

COROLLARY1: The equation of a st. line passing through the point ( ) and having the direction

ratios

COROLLARY2: The equation of a st. line passing through two given points ( ) and ( );
Example1: Find the equation of the line passing through (1,2,3) and making angles of
with positive direction of axes.

Solution: The direction cosines of the line are

i.e.

The line passes through (1,2,3), so the equations of the line are

Or
.

Example2: Find the equation of the straight line passing through the points (3,2,1) and (6,7,8).

Solution: The equation of a line passing through the two given points ( ) and ( ) is given
by

Here and

So the required equation of the line is .

Or

Example3:Find the equations of the two straight lines through the origin each of which intersects the

straight line = = and is inclined at an angle of to it.

Solution:

= r (say) ……………(1)
Let AB be a straight line represented by (1). So the general co-ordinates of any point P on AB are
(2r+3,r+3,r).

D.Cs of the lines (1) ; and D.Rs of OP ; 2r+3 , r+3 , r

D.Cs of OP ; ,

Since the angle between the line (1) and OP is , therefore

Or

Or

Or

Or

Or

Or

Or

Or

Or

Or

Thus the co-ordinates of point P are (1 , 2 , -1 ) and that of the Q are (-1 , 1 , -2). Hence the required
equations of the lines are

Example4: Find the distance of the point ( 1 , -2 , 3 ) from the plane measured parallel to
the line .
Solution: Let P be the point whose distance from the
given plane and parallel to the given line is to be found.

Now let us draw a straight line PQ ,parallel to the given line and passing through the given point.

Since the line PQ is parallel to the given line, therefore direction ratios of PQ are the same as that of the
given line.

Thus D.Rs of the line PQ ; 2 , 3 , -6.

So the equation of the line PQ ; = k (say)


 So are the co-ordinates of any point on PQ.
If lies on the plane x – y + z = 5, then
(
Or .
.

So , ,

Thus the co-ordinates of the point Q are .

Hence the required distance of the given point under the given conditions = The distance
between the points P and Q = Distance between and

= = = 1 unit.
 Example5: Find the co-ordinates of the point where the line through (5 , 1 , 6) and (3 , 4 , 1)
crosses the yz-plane.
Solution : We know that the equation of the line passing through two points ( and
is given by

So the equation of the line passing through (5 , 1 , 6) and (3 , 4 , 1) ;

or

or = r(say)
 2r + 5 , = 1 – 3r , 5r + 6.
So (2r + 5, 1 – 3r, 5r + 6) are the co-ordinates of any point on the required line.
At yz-plane , = 0 => 2r + 5 = 0 or r = . Thus 1+ = and +6=
Hence the required point is (0 , ).
Example6: Find the co-ordinates of the image of the point (2 , 1 , - 1) in the plane

Solution:

…………………………..(1)

The direction ratios of the normal to the plane (1) ; 2 , 2 , 1.

Hence the equation of the line passing through the point A(2 , 1 , -1) and perpendicular to the plane

Thus the co-ordinates of any point M on the above line are .

If the point M lies on the plane (1) , then

Or

So , and

Thus the co-ordinates of the point M are

Now ,let B(x,y,z) be the image of the point A

Then M is the mid point of AB, therefore

Hence the image of the point A(2 , 1 , -1) in the given plane is the point B

Example7: Find the equation of the plane passing through the line of intersection of and
and parallel to the line

Solution: The equation of any plane passing through the line of intersection of the given planes is given
by

Or ……………………….(1)

So the direction ratios of the normal to the plane are

.

And D.Rs of the parallel line ; 2 , 4 , 5. Since the line is parallel to the plane , therefore normal to
the plane must be perpendicular to the given line.
Thus
Or
 Or λ=
Substituting the value of λ in the equation (1) , we get

Or
Or

HOW TO CONVERT A NON-SYMMETRICAL FORM OF A LINE INTO SYMMETRICAL FORM

Step1: Put z = 0 in the given equations and solve the resulting equations for x and y. The values of x , y
and z are the co-ordinates of a point lying on the line.

Step2: Let the D.Cs of the line be l , m , n. Then form two equation in l , m ,n since the line is
perpendicular to the normals to the given planes.

Step3: Write the equation of the line in symmetrical form with the help of the direction cosines and the
point of the line already calculated in step1 and step2.

Example8: Obtain the symmetrical form of the equations of the line

x – 2y + 3z = 4 , 2x – 3y + 4z = 5.

Solution: Putting z = 0 in the given equations , we get

x – 2y = 4 ……………..(1)

2x – 3y = 5 ………………(2)

Multiplying the equation (1) by 2 , we get

2x – 4y = 8 ………………..(3)

Subtracting the equation (3) from the equation (2) , we get

y=

Substituting the value of y in the equation (1) ,we get

x=

Thus is a point on the line.

Now let l , m , n are D.Cs of the line. The D.Cs of the normals to the planes are and
Thus by the condition of perpendicularity ,we get

l – 2m + 3n = 0

2l – 3m + 4n = 0

Solving the above two equations by cross-multiplication method , we get

l :m: n= 1: 2: 1

Thus the equation of the line passing through and having direction cosines 1 , 2 , 1 ;

Or