Porisma

A hint to get started

Find a perpendicular foot, shortest distance and reflected point

The point is P=(1,1,−1)P=(1,1,-1) and the line is r=(1,2,3)+λ(1,2,1)\mathbf r=(1,2,3)+\lambda(1,2,1), λ∈R\lambda\in\mathbb R.

(i) Find the coordinates of the foot of the perpendicular from P to the line.

(ii) Deduce the shortest distance from P to the line.

(iii) Find the position vector of the image of P in the line.

CJC · Lecture · Example 23

Choose a point on the line and a nonzero direction; keep one parameter consistent across all components.

Read the worked solution