Related Formula
Shortest distance between r = a₁ + λ b₁ and r = a₂ + μ b₂ is d = |( a₂ - a₁) · ( b₁ × b₂)|| b₁ × b₂|$$\text{Shortest distance between } \vec{r} = \vec{a}_1 + \lambda \vec{b}_1 \text{ and } \vec{r} = \vec{a}_2 + \mu \vec{b}_2 \text{ is } d = \frac{|(\vec{a}_2 - \vec{a}_1) \cdot (\vec{b}_1 \times \vec{b}_2)|}{|\vec{b}_1 \times \vec{b}_2|}$$
Core Logic
For d₁$d_1$, rewrite L₁$L_1$ and L₂$L_2$ into standard form:
L₁: (x + 1)/(1) = (y)/(1/2) = (z)/(-1/12)$L_1: \frac{x + 1}{1} = \frac{y}{1/2} = \frac{z}{-1/12}$
a₁ = (-1, 0, 0)$\vec{a}_1 = (-1, 0, 0)$, b₁ = (1, (1)/(2), -(1)/(12)) ∝ (12, 6, -1)$\vec{b}_1 = \left(1, \frac{1}{2}, -\frac{1}{12}\right) \propto (12, 6, -1)$
L₂: x = y + 2 = 6(z - 1) ⇒ (x)/(1) = (y + 2)/(1) = (z - 1)/(1/6)$L_2: x = y + 2 = 6(z - 1) \Rightarrow \frac{x}{1} = \frac{y + 2}{1} = \frac{z - 1}{1/6}$
a₂ = (0, -2, 1)$\vec{a}_2 = (0, -2, 1)$, b₂ = (1, 1, (1)/(6)) ∝ (6, 6, 1)$\vec{b}_2 = \left(1, 1, \frac{1}{6}\right) \propto (6, 6, 1)$
Step 1: Computing d1
a₂ - a₁ = (1, -2, 1)$\vec{a}_2 - \vec{a}_1 = (1, -2, 1)$
b₁ × b₂ = vmatrix i & j & k 12 & 6 & -1 6 & 6 & 1 vmatrix = i(6 + 6) - j(12 + 6) + k(72 - 36) = 12 i - 18 j + 36 k ∝ 2 i - 3 j + 6 k$\vec{b}_1 \times \vec{b}_2 = \begin{vmatrix} \hat{i} & \hat{j} & \hat{k} \\ 12 & 6 & -1 \\ 6 & 6 & 1 \end{vmatrix} = \hat{i}(6 + 6) - \hat{j}(12 + 6) + \hat{k}(72 - 36) = 12\hat{i} - 18\hat{j} + 36\hat{k} \propto 2\hat{i} - 3\hat{j} + 6\hat{k}$
| b₁ × b₂| = √(4 + 9 + 36) = √(49) = 7$|\vec{b}_1 \times \vec{b}_2| = \sqrt{4 + 9 + 36} = \sqrt{49} = 7$
d₁ = (|(1, -2, 1) · (2, -3, 6)|)/(7) = (|2 + 6 + 6|)/(7) = (14)/(7) = 2$$d_1 = \frac{|(1, -2, 1) \cdot (2, -3, 6)|}{7} = \frac{|2 + 6 + 6|}{7} = \frac{14}{7} = 2$$
Step 2: Computing d2
L₃: (x - 1)/(2) = (y + 8)/(-7) = (z - 4)/(5)$L_3: \frac{x - 1}{2} = \frac{y + 8}{-7} = \frac{z - 4}{5}$
a₃ = (1, -8, 4)$\vec{a}_3 = (1, -8, 4)$, b₃ = (2, -7, 5)$\vec{b}_3 = (2, -7, 5)$
L₄: (x - 1)/(2) = (y - 2)/(1) = (z - 6)/(-3)$L_4: \frac{x - 1}{2} = \frac{y - 2}{1} = \frac{z - 6}{-3}$
a₄ = (1, 2, 6)$\vec{a}_4 = (1, 2, 6)$, b₄ = (2, 1, -3)$\vec{b}_4 = (2, 1, -3)$
a₄ - a₃ = (0, 10, 2)$\vec{a}_4 - \vec{a}_3 = (0, 10, 2)$
b₃ × b₄ = vmatrix i & j & k 2 & -7 & 5 2 & 1 & -3 vmatrix = i(21 - 5) - j(-6 - 10) + k(2 + 14) = 16 i + 16 j + 16 k ∝ i + j + k$\vec{b}_3 \times \vec{b}_4 = \begin{vmatrix} \hat{i} & \hat{j} & \hat{k} \\ 2 & -7 & 5 \\ 2 & 1 & -3 \end{vmatrix} = \hat{i}(21 - 5) - \hat{j}(-6 - 10) + \hat{k}(2 + 14) = 16\hat{i} + 16\hat{j} + 16\hat{k} \propto \hat{i} + \hat{j} + \hat{k}$
| b₃ × b₄| = √(1 + 1 + 1) = √(3)$|\vec{b}_3 \times \vec{b}_4| = \sqrt{1 + 1 + 1} = \sqrt{3}$
d₂ = |(0, 10, 2) · (1, 1, 1)|√(3) = |0 + 10 + 2|√(3) = 12√(3)$$d_2 = \frac{|(0, 10, 2) \cdot (1, 1, 1)|}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{|0 + 10 + 2|}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{12}{\sqrt{3}}$$
Step 3: Evaluating final expression
Target: 32√(3)d₁d₂$\frac{32\sqrt{3}d_1}{d_2}$
= 32√(3) × 212 / √(3) = 64√(3) · √(3)12 = (64 × 3)/(12) = (192)/(12) = 16$$= \frac{32\sqrt{3} \times 2}{12 / \sqrt{3}} = \frac{64\sqrt{3} \cdot \sqrt{3}}{12} = \frac{64 \times 3}{12} = \frac{192}{12} = 16$$
Pattern Recognition
Extracting direction ratios efficiently by normalizing the denominator scaling is crucial to avoid fraction arithmetic errors in cross products.
Chapter Mix
Class 12 Maths: Three Dimensional Geometry