Porisma
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Chapter exploration

Vectors: planes, normals and distances

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For the plane x+2y+2z=6x+2y+2z=6, compare lines from the origin with directions (2,−1,0)(2,-1,0) and (1,0,0)(1,0,0). Use dot products to predict whether each crosses the plane before substituting. Move the base point of the first line to (6,0,0)(6,0,0) without changing its direction and predict what changes. Explain how a contradiction, an identity and a single parameter solution represent the three geometric outcomes.

Related interactive example

Explore this related example, then return to the prediction task above.

A point and its perpendicular foot

Switch parts of the scene on one at a time and read how each is found. Drag to turn the picture.

Open the interactive view to explore this geometry in 3D.

Open the full interactive problem →
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