Department of Mathematics

University of Moratuwa
Mathematics(vectors and Solid Geometry)

Bsc.Eng First Year Level 1 - Problem Sheet

1. Find the equation of the line joining (1, 2, 3) and (-3, 4, 3) and show that it is
perpendicular to z axis.

2. Find the co-ordinates of the point where the line joining the points
(2, -3, 1), (3, -4, -5) cuts the plane 2x+y-z = 7

x  2 y 1 z  2
3. Find the distance of the point of intersection of the line  
3 4 12
and the plane z-y+ z = 5 from the point

4. Find the equations to the line through (-1, 3, 2) and perpendicular to the plane
z+2y+2z = 3, the length of the perpendicular and the co-ordinates of the foot.

1
5. Show that the line (x-2) = -(y+3) = z-4 intersects the planes 6x+4y-5x = 4 and
2
x – 5y + 2z = 12y in the same point and deduce that the line is co-plane with the
line of intersection of the planes.

6. Find the equations of the line bisecting the angles between the lines

x 3 y 4 z 5 x3 y  4 z 5
  ,  
2 1 2 4  12 3

7. Find the direction cosines of the line whose equations are x+y-z+1 = 0,
4x+y-2z+2 =0

8. Obtain the symmetrical form of the equations of the line x-2y+3z-4 = 0,

2x-3y+4z-5 = 0

9. Show that the planes 2y-z-1 = 0 and 10x+3y+6z-19 = 0 are perpendicular and that
x 1 y 1 z 1
their line of intersection is given by  
3 2 4
10. Find the equation of symmetrical form of the projection of the line
1 1 1
( x  1)  ( y  2)  ( z  3) on the plane x-2y+3z-4 = 0
2 3 4

11. Find the equation of the plane through the point (1, 2, 3) and perpendicular to the
line x-y+z = 0 = 3x+y+2z-6

12. Find the angle between the lines 3x+2y+z-5 = 0 = x + y-2z –3 and
 2x-y-z = 0 = 7x+10y-8z

13. Find the equation of the line drawn through the point (-4, 3, 1) parallel to the
x 1 y  5 z  2
plane x+2y-z = 5 so as to intersect the line   .
3 2 2
x 1 y  5 z  2
 
3 2 2
14. Find the length of the projection of the line joining (-1, 2, 0) and (1, -1, 2) on the
plane 2x-y-2z = 4

x2 z 3
15. Find the equation of the plane through the line  y  and parallel to
3 2
x 1 y  2 z
the line  
4 2 3
x2 1 1
16. Find the equation of the plane containing the line  ( y  3)   ( z  4)
2 3 2
and the point (0, 6, 0)

17. Show that the equation of the plane through the origin and containing the line
x  y   z 
  is (n-m)x+(l-n)+( m-l)I=0
l m n

18. Find the equation to the plane which passes through the point (1,2, -1) and which
x 1 y 1 z  2
contains the line.  
2 3 1

19. Find in symmetric form the equations of the line which lies in the plane 2x-y-3z-
4=0 and is perpendicular to the line
x 1 y 1 z  4
  and which passes through the point (1,2,3).
3 3 2

20. Find the equations in the symmetrical form, the projection of the line
x 1 z 3
  y 1  on the plane x+2y+z =12
2 4

21. Find the equations of the perpendicular from (1, 0, -3) to the line
x2 y 3 z 4
 
3 4 5
Also obtain the foot of the perpendicular and the image of the point in the line.

22. Find the co-ordinates of the foot of the perpendicular from p(1, 2, 3) to the line
x  2 y 1 z
  Find the length of the perpendicular and its equations.
1 2 3
 x 1 y 1 z  3
23. Find the equation of a plane which contains the line  
2 1 3
And is perpendicular to the plane x+2y+z = 12

24. Find the equations of the straight line which passes through the point
(2, -1, -1) , is parallel to the plane 4x+y+z+2 = 0 and is perpendicular
to the line 2x+y = 0 = x- z +5

25. Find the equation of the plane passing through the line of intersection of
2x+y-z = 3 and 5x-3y +4z +9 = 0 and parallel to the line

x 1 y  3 z  5
 
2 4 5

26. Find the equation of the line through the point (-2, 3, 4) and parallel to the planes
2x+3y+4z = 5 and 3x+4y+5z = 6

xa y b z c
27. find the equation to the plane through the line  ,
l m n
x y z
and parallel to the line  
l1 m1 n1

x 3 y5 z7
28 (I) Find the shortest distance between the lines   and
1 2 1

x 1 y 1 z 1
  .
7 6 1
(ii) Prove that the shortest distance between the diagonal of the rectangular

bc ca ab
parallelopiped and the edges not meeting it are 2 2 , 2 2 ,
b c a c b  a2
2

where a,b, and c are length of the edges.

Q(29) (i) Find Curl (F ) and div(F) for the vector function F= grad(x2+y2+z2-3xyz)
x
(ii) If   , show that div(grad(  )=0 ( or Div(grad) is called  2  =0 )
r3
1
(iii) Show that Div ( r )=3 , Curl( r )=0 , div(rn r )=(n+3)rn 2 ( )  0 ,
r
Curl(rn r )==0
(iv) Show that Curl( r  a )=-2 a , div( r  a )  0 , grad( r  a )  a
Q(30) (i) Show that div(( r  a )  b)  0 , Curl((r  a )  b)  2b  a
(a  r ) (a  r )
(ii) Expand Curl{ r} div{ r} where a is a constant vector.
r3 r3

 a  r  a 3r
(iii) Show that Curl 3   3  3 (a  r )
 r  r r

Q(31) If a and b are constant vectors and  is a scalar quantity satisfy a vector

  0
equation  x  a  x  b , solve the vector equation for x for 
  0
(ii) Find the unit tangent vector which is perpendicular to the surface of the parboiled
of revolution z  x 2  y2 at the point (1,2 ,5)
(iii) Find the equation of tangent plane and normal line to the surface z  x 2  y2

at the point (2,-1,5)

 1  2  r 
Q(32) (i) Evaluate    r( 3 )  (ii) Evaluate    ( ) (iii) Prove
 r   r2 

d 2f 2 df
that  2 f ( r )  2
 hence find f( r) such that  2 f ( r )  0 (ans: f(r )= A+
dr r dr

B/r )
Q(33) (i) Prove that Curl (Curl(A))=   2 A   (  A )
1
If v    r prove that   curl( v) where  is a constant vector.
2