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Section 9.7 Planes in Space

Notes to the Instructor and Dependencies.

This section expects students to have familiarity with the notation and operations of vectors from SectionΒ 9.3. We also would like to point to our earlier description of flat objects in space to motivate the difference between lines and planes as our flat objects. The examples and activities in this section are selected to highlight the broad range of ways that information about a plane can be given, including talking about parallel planes, the interaction between equations of planes and lines, and the angle between planes.
This section can be covered in a longer class period alongside PlanesΒ 9.7. Many exercises in this section include taking information from planes to get information about a related line and vice versa, so you may want to select work from the sections on lines and planes together.

Subsection 9.7.1 Introduction

In SectionΒ 9.6, we saw how to describe a line in \(\R^n\) by setting an initial point and allowing unrestricted movement in a direction given by a direction vector. In this section’s Preview Activity, we will be looking at what happens when we allow only movement that is perpendicular to a given direction. Since we will specify the given direction by a vector, we will find the perpendicular directions using orthogonal vectors.

   

Preview Activity 9.7.1.

We will consider what happens when we allow movement in \(\R^3\) with the restriction that the movement must be orthogonal to \(\vv=\langle 1,2,3 \rangle \text{.}\)
(a)
Find values for \(a_0\) and \(b_0\) such that \(\langle 0,a_0,b_0 \rangle\) is orthogonal to \(\langle 1,2,3\rangle\text{.}\)
(b)
Find values for \(c_0\) and \(d_0\) such that \(\langle c_0,d_0,0 \rangle\) is orthogonal to \(\langle 1,2,3\rangle\text{.}\)
(c)
Find values for \(c_1\) and \(d_1\) such that \(\langle c_1,d_1,1 \rangle\) is orthogonal to \(\langle 1,2,3\rangle\text{.}\)
(d)
Find two other values for each of \(c\) and \(d\) such that \(\langle c,d,1 \rangle\) is orthogonal to \(\langle 1,2,3\rangle\text{.}\)
(e)
Verify that each of the following vectors is also orthogonal to \(\langle 1,2,3 \rangle\text{.}\)
  • \(\displaystyle \langle -2,-2,2 \rangle\)
  • \(\langle c_0,a_0+d_0,b_0 \rangle\) with your values from parts a and b
  • \(\langle -2c_1,a_0-2d_1,b_0-2 \rangle\) with your values from parts a and c
(f)
Put all of the vectors you have computed into the interactive below to visually verify that each of them is orthogonal to \(\langle 1,2,3 \rangle\text{.}\) You should put the component values of each vector into this array with each vector corresponding to a row. If you do not have eight distinct vectors from the previous parts, multiply one of your repeated vectors by \(-1\) and enter that instead of entering a vector multiple times.
An interactive plot of user-input vectors that are plotting in blue. Three perpendicular axes are shown and labeled as \(x\text{,}\) \(y\text{,}\) and \(z\text{.}\) An arrow from the origin to the point \((1,2,3)\) is shown in red. Up to eight other vectors given by the user are drawn in blue and should be perpendicular to the red arrow.
Figure 9.7.1. A plot of your vectors that should be orthogonal to \(\langle 1,2,3 \rangle\)
(g)
Describe what you think the plot of the set of vectors that are orthogonal to \(\langle 1,2,3 \rangle\) will look like.

Subsection 9.7.2 Planes in Space

Now that we have a way of describing lines, we would like to develop a means of describing planes in three dimensions. In SectionΒ 9.2, we studied the coordinate planes and planes parallel to them. In particular, \(x=1\text{,}\) \(y=-2\text{,}\) and \(z=\sqrt{3}\) are examples of fundamental planes. In general, the equations of fundamental planes have the form \(coordinate = constant\text{.}\)
A plot of the planes given by \(x=1\) in red, \(y=-2\) in blue, and \(z=\sqrt{3}\) in green with a vector plotted perpendicular to each of the planes is drawn in the same color as the appropriate plane.
Figure 9.7.2. A plot of \(x=1\) in red, \(y=-2\) in blue, and \(z=\sqrt{3}\) in green with a normal vector plotted for each fundamental plane
As shown in FigureΒ 9.7.2, any vector in a plane with \(x= \text{constant}\) will be orthogonal to the vector \(\langle 1,0,0 \rangle\text{,}\) any vector in a plane with \(y= \text{constant}\) will be orthogonal to the vector \(\langle 0,1,0 \rangle\text{,}\) and any vector in a plane with \(z= \text{constant}\) will be orthogonal to the vector \(\langle 0,0,1 \rangle\text{.}\) We will use this idea to define a plane in general.

Definition 9.7.3.

A plane \(p\) in space is the set of all terminal points of vectors emanating from a given point \(P_0\) perpendicular to a fixed vector \(\vn\text{,}\) as shown in FigureΒ 9.7.4. We call \(\vn\) the normal vector of the plane.
A three dimensional plot of a tilted plane drawn in green. The plane is parallel to the y-axis and increases in the z coordinate when the x coordinate is decreased. A red arrow is drawn perpendicular to the green plane, starting at the point on the plane labeled \(P_0\text{.}\) An orange arrow on the plane goes from the point labeled \(P_0\) to another point on the plane that is labeled \(Q\text{.}\)
Figure 9.7.4. A plot of a plane with normal vector \(\vn\) in red and vector on the plane \(\overrightarrow{P_0Q}\) in orange
Like the definition of a line, the definition of a plane given above uses a starting point and a vector as the critical pieces of information. For a line, you begin at the starting point and move as much as you want parallel to the given vector (the direction vector). For a plane, you begin at the starting point and move as much as you want orthogonal to the given vector (the normal vector). For a line, you move only in the direction of the given vector whereas on a plane you cannot move at all in the direction of the given vector.
This description of a plane allows us to find the equation of a plane. Assume that \(\vn=\langle a,b,c\rangle\text{,}\) \(P_0 = (x_0, y_0, z_0)\text{,}\) and that \(Q=(x,y,z)\) is an arbitrary point on the plane. Since the vector \(\overrightarrow{P_0 Q}\) lies in the plane, it must be perpendicular to \(\vn\text{.}\) This means that
\begin{align*} 0 =\mathstrut \amp \vn\cdot\overrightarrow{P_0 Q}\\ =\mathstrut \amp \vn\cdot \big(\langle x,y,z \rangle - \langle x_0, y_0, z_0\rangle\big)\\ =\mathstrut \amp \vn \cdot \langle x-x_0, y-y_0, z-z_0 \rangle\\ =\mathstrut \amp a(x-x_0) + b(y-y_0) + c(z-z_0). \end{align*}
We may now summarize our new equation for a plane.

Equations of a plane.

  • The scalar equation of the plane with normal vector \(\vn =\langle a,b,c \rangle\) containing the point \(P_0 = (x_0, y_0, z_0)\) is
    \begin{equation} a(x-x_0) + b(y-y_0) + c(z-z_0) = 0\text{.}\tag{9.7.1} \end{equation}
  • The vector equation of the plane with normal vector \(\vn =\langle a,b,c \rangle\) containing the points \(P_0 = (x_0, y_0, z_0)\) and \(Q = (x,y,z)\) is
    \begin{equation} \vn \cdot \overrightarrow{P_0 Q} = 0\text{.}\tag{9.7.2} \end{equation}
We may take the scalar equation of a plane a little further and note that since
\begin{equation*} a(x-x_0) + b(y-y_0) + c(z-z_0) = 0\text{,} \end{equation*}
it equivalently follows that
\begin{equation*} ax + by + cz = ax_0+by_0+cz_0\text{.} \end{equation*}
That is, we may write an equation of a plane as \(ax+by+cz = d\) where \(d = \vn\cdot\langle x_0,y_0,z_0\rangle\text{.}\)
Before we look at some examples, we will mention a few ideas that relate planes (as a collection of points), equations for these planes, and normal vectors for these planes. As we saw with lines and will see for most other types of graphs, there are multiple different equations that can describe any given plane. This highlights the difference between an equation that describes a graph and the set of points that make up the graph or make the equation true. For instance, \(x+y+z=1\) and \(2x+2y+2z=2\) are different equations but describe the same graph. That is, the equations have the same set of \((x,y,z)\) points that make the equation true. You may be tempted to say β€œThose are the same equations. They just differ by a scalar multiple!”, but this difference is the same as the difference between parallel vectors.
The good news is that the orientation of a plane is encoded into the normal vector, thus we can use all the powerful tools we developed for vectors. We say that two planes are parallel if their normal vectors are parallel (as vectors). In fact, we can describe the angle between two planes using normal vectors. The angle between two planes is the acute angle between their respective normal vectors. While the angle between two vectors (as defined in SubsectionΒ 9.4.3) can be obtuse, the angle between planes will not be greater than \(\frac{\pi}{2}\text{.}\) When using normal vectors to describe the orientation of a plane, we need to consider all the vectors parallel to our choice of the normal vector because any vector parallel to our choice would give an equivalent equation for the plane. We will look at specifics of this in our next example.

Example 9.7.5.

If we would like to describe the plane passing through the point \(P=(4,-2,1)\) and perpendicular to the vector \(\vn = \langle 1, 2, 1 \rangle\text{,}\) we have
\begin{equation*} \langle 1,2,1 \rangle\cdot \langle x,y,z\rangle = \langle 1,2,1 \rangle\cdot \langle 4,-2,1\rangle \end{equation*}
or
\begin{equation*} x + 2y + z = 1\text{.} \end{equation*}
Notice that the coefficients of \(x\text{,}\) \(y\text{,}\) and \(z\) in this description give a vector perpendicular to the plane.
A plot of a plane in three dimensions is drawn in green. This plane increases in the z-coordinate when either x or y are decreased. A red vector goes from the middle of the plane and is perpendicular to the plane. The red vector is labeled \(\langle 1,2,1 \rangle \text{.}\)
Figure 9.7.6. A plot of a plane with normal vector \(\vn\) in red
For instance, if we are presented with the plane
\begin{equation*} -2x + y - 3z = 4, \end{equation*}
we know that \(\vn = \langle -2, 1, -3\rangle\) is a vector perpendicular to the plane.
Using our definition of parallel planes, we can see that our plane given by \(x+2y+z=1\) will be parallel to planes given by \(x+2y+z=-2\text{,}\) \(2x+4y+2z=1\text{,}\) and \(-\frac{3}{2}x-3y-\frac{3}{2}z=12,345\) because the respective normal vectors (\(\langle1,2,1\rangle\text{,}\) \(\langle1,2,1\rangle\text{,}\) \(\langle2,4,2\rangle\text{,}\) and \(\langle -\frac{3}{2},-3,-\frac{3}{2}\rangle\)) are all scalar multiples of each other.
A plot of three parallel planes in three dimensions are all drawn in green. These planes increase in the z-coordinate when either x or y are decreased. A red vector goes from the middle of each plane and is perpendicular to the given plane. The red vector is labeled \(\langle 1,2,1 \rangle \) for two of these planes. The third plane has a red vector with twice the length and in the opposite direction of the others and is labeled \(\langle -2,-4,-2\text{.}\)
Figure 9.7.7. A plot of three parallel planes with normal vectors
If we wanted to find the angle between \(x+2y+z=1\) and \(-2x+y-3z=4\text{,}\) we would need to consider the angle between the normal vectors \(\langle1,2,1\rangle\) and \(\langle -2,1,-3\rangle\text{.}\) The dot product of these normal vectors is \(\langle1,2,1\rangle \cdot \langle -2,1,-3\rangle=-3\text{.}\) This tells us that the angle between these vectors is obtuse. However, the (smallest) angle between the planes is not obtuse. The equation \(x-\frac{1}{2}y+\frac{3}{2}z=-2\) will describe the same set of points as \(-2x+y-3z=4\) but the normal vector for \(x-\frac{1}{2}y+\frac{3}{2}z=-2\) will be \(\langle 1,-\frac{1}{2},\frac{3}{2} \rangle\text{.}\) This vector makes an acute angle with \(\langle1,2,1\rangle \text{.}\) This allows us to conclude that the angle between \(x+2y+z=1\) and \(-2x+y-3z=4\) is
\begin{equation*} \arccos\left(\frac{\langle1,2,1\rangle \cdot \langle1,\frac{1}{2},\frac{3}{2} \rangle}{\sqrt{7} \sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}}\right)\approx 1.2373 \approx 70.89^\circ\text{.} \end{equation*}
A plot of two planes drawn in blue and green. The blue plane increases the z-coordinate with an increase in y-coordinate or decrease in the x-coordinate. The green plane increases the z-coordinate when either the x or y-coordinate decreases. Along the line where the green and blue planes intersect, there are three arrows starting at the midpoint. The blue arrow moves in the negative x, positive y, and positive z direction and is perpendicular to the blue plane. The blue arrow is labeled \(\langle -2,1,-3 \rangle\text{.}\) The green arrow moves in the positive x, y, and z directions and is perpendicular to the green plane. The green arrow is labeled \(\langle 1,2,1 \rangle\text{.}\) The red arrow moves in the positive x, negative y, and negative z direction and is perpendicular to the blue plane. The red arrow is labeled \(\langle 1,-0.5,1.5 \rangle\text{.}\)
Figure 9.7.8. A plot of planes \(x+2y+z=1\) and \(-2x+y-3z=4\) with normal vectors
Our next activity gives you an opportunity to practice with equations of planes and also to think about interactions between planes and lines.

   

Activity 9.7.2.

(a)
Write a scalar equation of the plane \(p_1\) passing through the point \((0, 2, 4)\) and perpendicular to the vector \(\vn=\langle 2, -1, 1\rangle\text{.}\)
(c)
Write a scalar equation of the plane \(p_2\) that is parallel to \(p_1\) and passes through the point \((3, 0, 4)\text{.}\)
Hint.
Compare normal vectors of the planes.
(d)
Give parametric equations for the line \(\mathcal{L}\) passing through the point \((2,0,2)\) and perpendicular to the plane \(p_3\) described by the equation \(x+2y-2z = 7\text{.}\)
(e)
Find the point at which \(\mathcal{L}\) intersects \(p_3\text{.}\)
Just as two distinct points in space determine a line, three non-collinear points in space determine a plane. Our next example illustrates a method for finding an equation of the plane containing three non-collinear points in \(\R^3\text{.}\)

Example 9.7.9.

Consider three points \(P_0\text{,}\) \(P_1\text{,}\) and \(P_2\) in space, not all lying on the same line, as shown in FigureΒ 9.7.10.
A plane drawn in green with four points on the plane labeled \(Q\text{,}\) \(P_0\text{,}\) \(P_1\text{,}\) and \(P_2\text{.}\) Blue arrows are drawn along the plane from \(P_0\) to each of \(Q\text{,}\) \(P_1\text{,}\) and \(P_2\text{.}\) A red arrow that his perpendicular to the green plane is drawn, starting at the point \(P_0\) and is labeled \(\vec{n}\text{.}\)
Figure 9.7.10. A plane determined by three points \(P_0\text{,}\) \(P_1\text{,}\) and \(P_2\)
Notice that the vectors \(\overrightarrow{P_0P_1}\) and \(\overrightarrow{P_0P_2}\) both lie in the plane \(p\text{.}\) If we form their cross-product
\begin{equation*} \vn = \overrightarrow{P_0P_1} \times \overrightarrow{P_0P_2}\text{,} \end{equation*}
we obtain a normal vector to the plane \(p\text{.}\) Therefore, if \(Q\) is any other point on \(p\text{,}\) it then follows that \(\overrightarrow{P_0Q}\) will be perpendicular to \(\vn\text{,}\) and we have the equation:
\begin{equation} \vn \cdot \overrightarrow{P_0Q} = 0\tag{9.7.3} \end{equation}
The final activity of this section allows you to practice with finding an equation of a plane passing through three points.

   

Activity 9.7.3.

Let \(P_0 = (1,2,-1)\text{,}\) \(P_1 = (1, 0 ,-1)\text{,}\) and \(P_2 = (0,1,3)\) and let \(p\) be the plane containing \(P_0\text{,}\) \(P_1\text{,}\) and \(P_2\text{.}\)
(a)
Determine the components of the vectors \(\overrightarrow{P_0P_1}\) and \(\overrightarrow{P_0P_2}\text{.}\)
(d)
Consider a second plane \(q\) with scalar equation \(-3(x-1) + 4(y+3) + 2(z-5)=0\text{.}\) Find two different points on \(q\) as well as a vector \(\vm\) that is normal to \(q\text{.}\)

Exercises 9.7.3 Exercises

1.

Find the intercepts of the plane \(6 x+ y +7 z = 42.\) Write your answers as points \((a,b,c)\) where \(a\text{,}\) \(b\text{,}\) and \(c\) are numbers.
1. The \(x\)-axis intercept.
Answer:
2. The \(y\)-axis intercept.
Answer:
3. The \(z\)-axis intercept.
Answer:
Note: If there is no intersection, write "none".

2.

Find the linear equation of the plane through the origin and the points \((6,4,2)\) and \((3,-1,1).\)
Equation:

3.

Find the linear equation of the plane through the origin and perpendicular to the vector \(\langle -5, 2, 5\rangle.\)
Equation:

4.

Find the linear equation of the plane through the point \((3,-5,2)\) and with normal vector \(\mathbf{j}+2\mathbf{k}.\)
Equation:

5.

Find an equation of a plane containing the three points (-2, 3, 0), (-3, 5, -4), (-3, 6, -2) in which the coefficient of \(x\) is 8.
= 0.

6.

Find a linear equation for the plane that passes through the point \((1,6,10)\) and is parallel to the plane \(x+2 y+5 z+4 =0.\)
Equation:

7.

Find a vector equation with parameter \(t\) for the line through the point \((7,0,1)\) and perpendicular to the plane \(x+4 y +6 z =5.\)
Answer: \(\mathbf{r}(t) =\)

8.

Find a linear equation for the plane that passes through the point \((-2,5,5)\) and is perpendicular to the line represented by the vector equation \(\mathbf{r}(t) = \langle 1+4 t, -2-t, 6+2t\rangle\text{.}\)
Equation:

9.

Find the point at which the line \(\langle 3, -1, -3 \rangle + t \langle -2, 2, -4 \rangle\) intersects the plane \(-5 x+ 4 y - 2 z = 65\text{.}\)
(, , )

10.

Find a linear equation for the plane that passes through the point \((1,2,3)\) and contains the line represented by the vector equation \(\mathbf{r}(t) = \langle 3t, 6-2 t, 1-4 t\rangle\text{.}\)
Equation:

11.

An implicit equation for the plane passing through the points \(\left(-3,2,5\right)\text{,}\) \(\left(2,4,0\right)\text{,}\) and \(\left(0,3,1\right)\) is .

12.

(a) Find a vector \(\vec n\) perpendicular to the plane
\begin{equation*} z = 2 x + 4 y. \end{equation*}
\(\vec n =\)
(b) Find a vector \(\vec v\) parallel to the plane.
\(\vec v =\)

14.

Find a vector equation with parameter \(t\) for the line through the point \((6,0,2)\) and perpendicular to the plane \(x+3 y +6 z =5.\)
Answer: \(\mathbf{r}(t) =\)

15.

Consider the following geometry problems in 3-space
Enter T or F depending on whether the statement is true or false. (You must enter T or F -- True and False will not work.)
  1. Two planes orthogonal to a line are parallel
  2. A plane and a line either intersect or are parallel
  3. Two lines orthogonal to a plane are parallel
  4. Two planes parallel to a third plane are parallel
  5. Two lines parallel to a third line are parallel
  6. Two lines either intersect or are parallel
  7. Two planes parallel to a line are parallel
  8. Two lines parallel to a plane are parallel
  9. Two planes orthogonal to a third plane are parallel
  10. Two lines orthogonal to a third line are parallel
  11. Two planes either intersect or are parallel

16.

Find an equation of a plane through the point (0, 5, -4) which is orthogonal to the line
\begin{equation*} x = -2 + 1t, \quad y = 1 + 2t, \quad z = 1 - 2t \end{equation*}
in which the coefficient of \(x\) is 1.
Equation: = 0.

17.

Find an equation of a plane through the point (1, 1, 0) which is parallel to the plane \(-5x - 4y + 2z = -8\) in which the coefficient of x is -5.
= 0.

18.

Find an equation of a plane containing the line \(\mathbf r = \langle 3, -3, 5\rangle + t \langle -1, -6, 3\rangle\) which is parallel to the plane \(3x + 1y + 3z = 16\) in which the coefficient of x is 3.
= 0.

19.

Find an equation of a plane through the point (4, 5, -1) which is orthogonal to the line
\begin{equation*} x = -5 - 1t, \quad y = 4 + 2t, \quad z = 5 - 4t \end{equation*}
in which the coefficient of \(x\) is -1.
Equation: = 0.

20.

Find the point at which the line \(\langle 5, 1, 3 \rangle + t \langle -3, 1, 5 \rangle\) intersects the plane \(-2 x+ 2 y - 4 z = -104\text{.}\)
(, , )

21.

Find the point P where the line x = 1 + t, y = 2t, z = -3t intersects the plane x + y - z = -5.
P = (, , )

22.

(A) Find the parametric equations for the line through the point P = (-4, 4, 1) that is perpendicular to the plane \(2 x + 0 y + 1 z = 1.\)
Use "t" as your variable, t = 0 should correspond to P, and the velocity vector of the line should be the same as the standard normal vector of the plane.
(B) At what point Q does this line intersect the yz-plane?
Q = (, , )

23.

Find the angle of intersection of the plane \(-2x - 5y - 1z = 1\) with the plane \(-5x - 3y + 1z = 0\text{.}\)
Answer in radians:
and in degrees:

24.

Find the angle of intersection of the plane \(-1x - 4y - 4z = 5\) with the plane \(-1x + 1y - 2z = 4\text{.}\)
Answer in radians:
and in degrees:

26.

Find the vector equation for the line of intersection of the planes \(4 x - 2 y+ z = 1\) and \(4 x+ 3 z = 0\)
\(\mathbf r = \langle\), ,0 \(\rangle + t \langle\)-6, , \(\rangle\text{.}\)

27.

The plane that passes through the point \(\left(0,0,-2\right)\) and is perpendicular to both \(2x+y+5z = 12\) and \(2z-\left(2x+4y\right) = 16\) has as its implicit equation.
Hint.
Hint:

29.

This exercise explores key relationships between a pair of planes. Consider the following two planes: one with scalar equation \(4x - 5y + z = -2\text{,}\) and the other which passes through the points \((1,1,1)\text{,}\) \((0,1,-1)\text{,}\) and \((4, 2, -1)\text{.}\)

(c)

Find the angle between the planes, where the angle between them is defined by the angle between their respective normal vectors.

(e)

Since these two planes do not have parallel normal vectors, the planes must intersect, and thus must intersect in a line. Observe that the line of intersection lies in both planes, and thus the direction vector of the line must be perpendicular to each of the respective normal vectors of the two planes. Find a direction vector for the line of intersection for the two planes.

(f)

Determine parametric equations for the line of intersection of the two planes.

30.

(a)

Find the plane that goes through the points \((1,2,3)\text{,}\) \((4,5,6)\text{,}\) and \((7,8,9)\) or explain why there is not one plane that satisfies this condition.

(b)

Find all planes in \(\mathbb{R}^3\) whose line of intersection with the \(xz\)-plane is given by \(\pi x +e z=\sqrt{5}\text{.}\)

(c)

Give two vectors that are in the plane given by \(3x+4y=6z-20\) and are orthogonal to each other.
Hint.
What geometric information do you have about vectors in the given plane?

(d)

Give the equations of two planes that make a \(90^\circ\) angle with \(3x+4y=6z-20\) and have an angle of \(90^\circ\) between them as well.

(e)

Give the parametric form of the line of intersection for the planes given by \(x+y+z=10\) and \(-2x-4y+2z=7\text{.}\)

31. Determining a plane that contains two lines.

Find an equation for the plane containing the line in the \(xy\)-plane where \(x = 6\text{,}\) and the line in the \(y z\)-plane where \(z = 12\text{.}\)
equation:

32.

(a) Find a vector parallel to the line of intersection of the planes \(5 x - y + 3 z = -1\) and \(-5 x - y - 3 z = 3\text{.}\)
\(\vec v =\)
(b) Show that the point \(\left(-1,-1,1\right)\) lies on both planes. Then find a vector parametric equation for the line of intersection.
\(\vec r(t) =\)

33.

Find the vector equation for the line of intersection of the planes \(x - 5 y+ 5 z = -1\) and \(x+ 3 z = 1\)
\(\mathbf r = \langle\), ,0 \(\rangle + t \langle\)-15, , \(\rangle\text{.}\)

34.

Find a vector equation with parameter \(t\) for the line of intersection of the planes \(x+y+z=3\) and \(x+z=0.\)
Answer: \(\mathbf{r}(t) =\)

35.

Determine whether the following planes below are parallel, perpendicular, or neither.
1. \(x+2y-6z=0\) and \(-3 x-6 y +18 z = -3\text{.}\)
2. \(x-3y+z=0\) and \(-x-4 y +z = 5\text{.}\)
3. \(x+7 z=0\) and \(7 x- z = 3\text{.}\)
Note: You only have two attempts at this problem.

36.

Find the cosine of the angle between the planes \(x+y+z=0\) and \(3 x + 2 y + z = 1.\)
Answer: \(\cos \theta =\)

37.

Find the angle in radians between the planes \(1 x + z = 1\) and \(-1 y + z = 1.\)

38.

Suppose that the line \(\ell\) is represented by \(\mathbf{r}(t) = \langle 9+2 t, 12+4 t, 5+ 2 t \rangle\) and the plane \(P\) is represented by \(3x-2y+5z = 8.\)
1. Find the intersection of the line \(\ell\) and the plane \(P.\) Write your answer as a point \((a,b,c)\) where \(a\text{,}\) \(b\text{,}\) and \(c\) are numbers.
Answer:
2. Find the cosine of the angle \(\theta\) between the line \(\ell\) and the normal vector of the plane \(P\text{.}\)
Answer: \(\cos \theta =\)
Note: If there is no intersection, write "none" for both answers.

39.

In this problem, we explore how we can use what we know about vectors and projections to find the distance from a point to a plane.
Let \(p\) be the plane with equation \(z=-4x+3y+4\text{,}\) and let \(Q = (4,-1,8)\text{.}\)

(d)

Find the components of \(\overrightarrow{PQ}\text{.}\) Draw a picture to illustrate the objects found so far.

(e)

Explain why \(|\comp_{\vn} \overrightarrow{PQ}|\) gives the distance from the point \(Q\) to the plane \(p\text{.}\) Find this distance.