Answers>Further Mathematics>A Level>Article

Find the shortest distance between the lines r = (1, 5, 6) + y(-2, -1, 0) and r = (1, 7, -3) + z(2, 0, 4)

Vector joining the two lines = (1, 5, 6) - (1, 7, -3) = (0, -2, 9)Normal vector to the two lines = (-2, -1, 0) x (2, 0, 4) = (-4, 8, 2) = 2(-2, 4, 1)Hence, using the dot product, shortest distance = (0, -2, 9) "dot" (-2, 4, 1) / sqrt(2² + 4² + 1²) = -8 + 9 / sqrt(4 + 16 + 1) = 1/sqrt(21)

Answered by Abhinav H. • Further Mathematics tutor

3281 Views

Find the shortest distance between the lines r = (1, 5, 6) + y(-2, -1, 0) and r = (1, 7, -3) + z(2, 0, 4)

Related Further Mathematics A Level answers

Show that G = {1, -1} is a group under multiplication.

Prove by induction that 2^(6n)+3^(2n-2) is divsible by 5. (AS Further pure)

Find all of the roots of unity, Zn, in the case that (Zn)^6=1

A block of mass 50kg resting on a rough surface with a coefficient of friction equal to 1/3. Find the maximum angle at which the surface can be inclined to the horizontal without the block slipping. Give your answer to 3 significant figures