Worked solution
Reflect a plane by retaining its intersection and reflecting one point
A,B have position vectors and . Line l1 goes through A parallel to . Plane Π1 is .
(i) Find the acute angle between l1 and Π1. marks
(ii) Find the position vector of the perpendicular foot N from B to Π1. Hence find the reflected point B′. marks
Plane Π2 contains B and l1.
(iii) Find Π2 in scalar-product form. marks
(iv) Find the Cartesian equation of intersection l2 of Π1,Π2. marks
(v) Π3 is the reflection of Π2 in Π1. Find an equation , with s,t real. marks
[2016/HCI/Promo/10]
CJC · Review problems · Question 9
Answer
Angle 21.9°; ; B′=(−3,2,2); Π2:; l2:; Π3:.
(i) Method 1: complement the normal angle
With normal and line direction , the absolute dot product is 5. Their acute angle is (1d.p.). The line-plane angle is (1d.p.).
(i) Method 2: use the sine directly
(1d.p.).
(ii) Method 1: intersect a normal line with Π1
. At N,. Thus , λ=1, and .
(ii) Method 2: resolve a vector from a known plane point
D=(0,1,1) lies on Π1 and . Its normal component is . Consequently again.
(ii) Reflect B through N
, hence B′=(−3,2,2).
(iii) Cross two directions in Π2
and are parallel to Π2. Their cross product is . Through B, Π2:.
(iv) Solve for the intersection
Π1: and Π2: give x=−7. Thus and its Cartesian form is , .
(v) Keep the fixed line and add the reflected point
Π3 contains l2, a fixed line of the mirror plane, and B′. With E=(−7,−4,0) on l2,. Thus , s,t real.
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Common mistakes
Reflect one off-mirror point and retain the common line; do not reflect every coefficient independently.
Solution notes
All 5 asks, both angle methods, both foot methods, reflection/intersection steps and all 3 source sketches retained through a combined independent SVG.