Overview

Yesterday we introduced equations to describe lines and planes in R3 :

r = r0 + tv
The vector equation for a line describes arbitrary points r in terms of
a specific point r0 and the direction vector v.
n · (r − r0 ) = 0
The vector equation for a plane describes arbitrary points r in terms
of a specific point r0 and the normal vector n.

Question
How can we find the distance between a point and a plane in R3 ? Between
two lines in R3 ? Between two planes? Between a plane and a line?

(From Stewart §10.5)

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 1 / 17

Distances in R3
The distance between two points is the length of the line segment
connecting them. However, there’s more than one line segment from a
point P to a line L, so what do we mean by the distance between them?

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 2 / 17

Distances in R3
The distance between two points is the length of the line segment
connecting them. However, there’s more than one line segment from a
point P to a line L, so what do we mean by the distance between them?

The distance between any two subsets A, B of R3 is the smallest distance

between points a and b, where a is in A and b is in B.

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 2 / 17

Distances in R3
The distance between two points is the length of the line segment
connecting them. However, there’s more than one line segment from a
point P to a line L, so what do we mean by the distance between them?

The distance between any two subsets A, B of R3 is the smallest distance

between points a and b, where a is in A and b is in B.

To determine the distance between a point P and a line L, we need to

find the point Q on L which is closest to P, and then measure the
length of the line segment PQ.
This line segment is orthogonal to L.
To determine the distance between a point P and a plane S, we need
to find the point Q on S which is closest to P, and then measture the
length of the line segment PQ.
Again, this line segment is orthogonal to S.

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 2 / 17

Distances in R3
The distance between two points is the length of the line segment
connecting them. However, there’s more than one line segment from a
point P to a line L, so what do we mean by the distance between them?

The distance between any two subsets A, B of R3 is the smallest distance

between points a and b, where a is in A and b is in B.

To determine the distance between a point P and a line L, we need to

find the point Q on L which is closest to P, and then measure the
length of the line segment PQ.
This line segment is orthogonal to L.
To determine the distance between a point P and a plane S, we need
to find the point Q on S which is closest to P, and then measture the
length of the line segment PQ.
Again, this line segment is orthogonal to S.
In both cases, the key to computing these distances is drawing a picture
and using one of the vector product identitites.
Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 2 / 17
Distance from a point to a plane
We find a formula for the distance s from a point P1 = (x1 , y1 , z1 ) to the
plane Ax + By + Cz + D = 0.
P1

z
s
n
b

P0
r

x y

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 3 / 17

Distance from a point to a plane
We find a formula for the distance s from a point P1 = (x1 , y1 , z1 ) to the
plane Ax + By + Cz + D = 0.
P1

z
s
n
b

P0
r

x y

Let P0 = (x0 , y0 , z0 ) be any point in the given plane and let b be the
vector corresponding to P0~P1 . Then
b = hx1 − x0 , y1 − y0 , z1 − z0 i.
The distance s from P1 to the plane is equal to the absolute value of the
scalar projection of b onto the normal vector n = hA, B, C i.
Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 3 / 17
The distance s from P1 to the plane is equal to the absolute value of the
scalar projection of b = hx1 − x0 , y1 − y0 , z1 − z0 i onto the normal vector
n = hA, B, C i.

s = | compn b |
| n·b |
=
||n||
|A(x1 − x0 ) + B(y1 − y0 ) + C (z1 − z0 )|
= √
A2 + B 2 + C 2
|Ax1 + By1 + Cz1 − (Ax0 + By0 + Cz0 )|
= √
A2 + B 2 + C 2
Since P0 is on the plane, its coordinates satisfy the equation of the plane
and so we have Ax0 + By0 + Cz0 + D = 0. Thus the formula for s can be
written

|Ax1 + By1 + Cz1 + D|

s= √
A2 + B 2 + C 2
Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 4 / 17
Example 1
We find the distance from the point (1, 2, 0) to the plane
3x − 4y − 5z − 2 = 0.

From the result above, the distance s is given by

|Ax0 + By0 + Cz0 + D|
s= √
A2 + B 2 + C 2
where (x0 , y0 , z0 ) = (1, 2, 0),

A = 3, B = −4, C = −5 and D = −2.

This gives
|3 · 1 + (−4) · 2 + (−5) · 0 − 2|
s = q
32 + (−4)2 + (−5)2
√
7 7 7 2
= √ = √ = .
50 5 2 10
Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 5 / 17
Distance from a point to a line

Question
Given a point P0 = (x0 , y0 , z0 ) and a line L in R3 , what is the distance
from P0 to L?

Tools:
describe L using vectors
||u × v|| = ||u||||v|| sin θ

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 6 / 17

Distance from a point to a line
Let P0 = (x0 , y0 , z0 ) and let L be the line through P1 and parallel to the
nonzero vector v. Let r0 and r1 be the position vectors of P0 and P1
respectively. P2 on L is the point closest to P0 if and only if the vector
−−−→
P2 P0 is perpendicular to L.
vvvv

z
v P2
P1
θ
ℒ r0-r1
r1 s

P0
r0

x y

The distance from P0 to L is given by

−−−→ −−−→
s = ||P2 P0 || = ||P1 P0 || sin θ = ||r0 − r1 || sin θ
where θ is the angle between r0 − r1 and v
Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 7 / 17
 vvvv

z
v P2
P1
θ
ℒ r0-r1
r1 s

P0
r0

x y

s = ||r0 − r1 || sin θ

Since
||(r0 − r1 ) × v|| = ||r0 − r1 || ||v|| sin θ
we get the formula

s = ||r0 − r1 || sin θ
||(r0 − r1 ) × v||
=
||v||

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 8 / 17

Example 2
Find the distance from the point (1, 1, −1) to the line of intersection of
the planes
x + y + z = 1, 2x − y − 5z = 1.

The direction of the line is given by v = n1 ×n2 where n1 = i + j + k, and

n2 = 2i − j − 5k.
v = n1 ×n2 = −4i + 7j − 3k.

z P1=(1,-1/4,1/4)
v P2

r0-r1
s

P0=(1,1,-1)
x
y

In the diagram, P1 is an arbitrary point on the line. To find such a point,

put x = 1 in the first equation. This gives y = −z which can be used in
the second equation to find z = 1/4, and hence y = −1/4.
Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 9 / 17
 z P1=(1,-1/4,1/4)
v P2

−−−→ r0-r1
Here P1 P0 = r0 − r1 = 54 j − 45 k. So s

||(r0 − r1 )×v|| P0=(1,1,-1)

s = x
||v|| y

||( 45 j − 54 k)×(−4i + 7j − 3k)||

= q
(−4)2 + 72 + (−3)2

||5i + 5j + 5k||
= √
74
s
75
= .
74

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 10 / 17

Distance between two lines

Let L1 and L2 be two lines in R3 such that

- L1 passes through the point P1 and is parallel to the vector v1
- L2 passes through the point P2 and is parallel to the vector v2 .
Let r1 and r2 be the position vectors of P1 and P2 respectively.
Then parametric equation for these lines are

L1 r = r1 + tv1

L2 r̃ = r2 + sv2
−−−→
Note that r2 − r1 = P1 P2 .
We want to compute the smallest distance d (simply called the distance)
between the two lines.
If the two lines intersect, then d = 0. If the two lines do not intersect we
can distinguish two cases.

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 11 / 17

Case 1: L1 and L2 are parallel and do not intersect.
In this case the distance d is simply the distance from the point P2 to the
line L1 and is given by
−−−→
||P1 P2 × v1 || ||(r2 − r1 ) × v1 ||
d= =
||v1 || ||v1 ||

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 12 / 17

Case 2: L1 and L2 are skew lines.

If P3 and P4 (with position vectors r3 and r4 respectively) are the points

−−−→
on L1 and L2 that are closest to one another, then the vector P3 P4 is
perpendicular to both lines (i.e. to both v1 and v2 ) and therefore parallel
−−−→
to v1 × v2 . The distance d is the length of P3 P4 .
Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 13 / 17
Case 2: L1 and L2 are skew lines.

−−−→ −−−→
Now P3 P4 = r4 − r3 is the vector projection of P1 P2 = r2 − r1 along
v1 × v2 .

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 13 / 17

Case 2: L1 and L2 are skew lines.

Thus the distance d is the absolute value of the scalar projection of r2 − r1

along v1 × v2
|(r2 − r1 ) · (v1 × v2 )|
d = ||r4 − r3 || =
||v1 × v2 ||

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 13 / 17

Case 2: L1 and L2 are skew lines.

Thus the distance d is the absolute value of the scalar projection of r2 − r1

along v1 × v2
|(r2 − r1 ) · (v1 × v2 )|
d = ||r4 − r3 || =
||v1 × v2 ||

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 13 / 17

 |(r2 − r1 ) · (v1 × v2 )|
d=
||v1 × v2 ||

Observe that if the two lines are parallel then v1 and v2 are proportional
and thus v1 × v2 = 0 (the zero vector) and the above formula does not
make sense.

Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 14 / 17

Example 3
Find the distance between the skew lines
( (
x + 2y = 3 x +y +z =6
and
y + 2z = 3 x − 2z = −5

vvvv

z
v1 P1
P3
ℒ1 r2-r1

ℒ2 v2
P4 r0 P2

v1× v2
x y

We can take P1 = (1, 1, 1), a point on the first line, and P2 = (1, 2, 3) a
point on the second line. This gives r2 − r1 = j + 2k.
Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 16 / 17
Now we need to find v1 and v2 :

v1 = (i + 2j)×(j + 2k) = 4i − 2j + k,

and
v2 = (i + j + k)×(i − 2k) = −2i + 3j − k.
This gives
v1 ×v2 = −i + 2j + 8k.
The required distance d is the length of the projection of r2 − r1 in the
direction of v1 ×v2 , and is given by
|(r2 − r1 )·(v1 ×v2 )|
d =
||v1 ×v2 ||
|(j + 2k)·(−i + 2j + 8k)|
= q
(−1)2 + 22 + 82
18
= √ .
69
Dr Scott Morrison (ANU) MATH1014 Notes Second Semester 2015 17 / 17