JEE Challenger
More from Three Dimensional Geometry

Edge of Tetrahedron Formed by Two Given Planes

Let P1P_1 and P2P_2 be two planes given by

P1:10x+15y+12z60=0,P_1: 10x + 15y + 12z - 60 = 0, P2:2x+5y+4z20=0.P_2: -2x + 5y + 4z - 20 = 0.

Which of the following straight lines can be an edge of some tetrahedron whose two faces lie on P1P_1 and P2P_2 ?

Options

A

x10=y10=z15\frac{x-1}{0} = \frac{y-1}{0} = \frac{z-1}{5}

Correct
B

x65=y2=z3\frac{x-6}{-5} = \frac{y}{2} = \frac{z}{3}

Correct
C

x2=y45=z4\frac{x}{-2} = \frac{y-4}{5} = \frac{z}{4}

D

x1=y42=z3\frac{x}{1} = \frac{y-4}{-2} = \frac{z}{3}

Correct

Step-by-Step Solution

To determine which of the given lines can be an edge of a tetrahedron whose two faces lie on the planes P1P_1 and P2P_2, let us analyze the geometric configuration.

Let the four vertices of the tetrahedron be A,B,C,DA, B, C, D.
Suppose the face ABC\triangle ABC lies on the plane P1P_1 and the face ABD\triangle ABD lies on the plane P2P_2.
Then:

  • The common edge ABAB must lie on the line of intersection L=P1P2L = P_1 \cap P_2.
  • The edges ACAC and BCBC lie entirely in plane P1P_1 and intersect the line LL at AA and BB, respectively.
  • The edges ADAD and BDBD lie entirely in plane P2P_2 and intersect the line LL at AA and BB, respectively.
  • The edge CDCD connects a point CP1LC \in P_1 \setminus L and a point DP2LD \in P_2 \setminus L.

Thus, a straight line L\mathcal{L} can contain an edge of such a tetrahedron if and only if:

  1. L\mathcal{L} lies entirely in P1P_1 (or P2P_2) and intersects the line L=P1P2L = P_1 \cap P_2 at some vertex, OR
  2. L\mathcal{L} intersects P1P_1 and P2P_2 at two distinct points CC and DD with CDC \neq D (i.e., neither point lies on the line of intersection LL).

The given planes are:
P1:10x+15y+12z60=0P_1: 10x + 15y + 12z - 60 = 0
P2:2x+5y+4z20=0P_2: -2x + 5y + 4z - 20 = 0

Let us examine each option:


Option (A):

x10=y10=z15\frac{x-1}{0} = \frac{y-1}{0} = \frac{z-1}{5}

Any point on this line can be written as (1,1,z)(1, 1, z).

  • Intersection with P1P_1:
    10(1)+15(1)+12z60=0    12z=35    z=351210(1) + 15(1) + 12z - 60 = 0 \implies 12z = 35 \implies z = \frac{35}{12}
    Thus, point C=(1,1,3512)P1C = \left(1, 1, \frac{35}{12}\right) \in P_1.

  • Intersection with P2P_2:
    2(1)+5(1)+4z20=0    4z=17    z=174-2(1) + 5(1) + 4z - 20 = 0 \implies 4z = 17 \implies z = \frac{17}{4}
    Thus, point D=(1,1,174)P2D = \left(1, 1, \frac{17}{4}\right) \in P_2.

Since CDC \neq D, the segment CDCD can form the edge connecting vertex CP1C \in P_1 and vertex DP2D \in P_2. Hence, this line can be an edge.


Option (B):

x65=y2=z3\frac{x-6}{-5} = \frac{y}{2} = \frac{z}{3}

Any point on this line can be written as (65t,2t,3t)(6 - 5t, 2t, 3t).

  • Intersection with P1P_1:
    10(65t)+15(2t)+12(3t)60=0    16t=0    t=010(6-5t) + 15(2t) + 12(3t) - 60 = 0 \implies 16t = 0 \implies t = 0
    Thus, point C=(6,0,0)P1C = (6, 0, 0) \in P_1.

  • Intersection with P2P_2:
    2(65t)+5(2t)+4(3t)20=0    32t32=0    t=1-2(6-5t) + 5(2t) + 4(3t) - 20 = 0 \implies 32t - 32 = 0 \implies t = 1
    Thus, point D=(1,2,3)P2D = (1, 2, 3) \in P_2.

Since CDC \neq D, the segment CDCD can form the edge connecting vertex CP1C \in P_1 and vertex DP2D \in P_2. Hence, this line can be an edge.


Option (C):

x2=y45=z4\frac{x}{-2} = \frac{y-4}{5} = \frac{z}{4}

Any point on this line can be written as (2t,4+5t,4t)(-2t, 4 + 5t, 4t).

  • Intersection with P1P_1:
    10(2t)+15(4+5t)+12(4t)60=0    103t=0    t=010(-2t) + 15(4+5t) + 12(4t) - 60 = 0 \implies 103t = 0 \implies t = 0
    Thus, point C=(0,4,0)C = (0, 4, 0).

  • Intersection with P2P_2:
    2(2t)+5(4+5t)+4(4t)20=0    45t=0    t=0-2(-2t) + 5(4+5t) + 4(4t) - 20 = 0 \implies 45t = 0 \implies t = 0
    Thus, point D=(0,4,0)D = (0, 4, 0).

Since C=D=(0,4,0)C = D = (0, 4, 0), this line does not lie in either plane and intersects both planes at the exact same single point on the line of intersection LL. Thus, it contains only one vertex of the tetrahedron and cannot be an edge.


Option (D):

x1=y42=z3\frac{x}{1} = \frac{y-4}{-2} = \frac{z}{3}

Any point on this line can be written as (t,42t,3t)(t, 4 - 2t, 3t).

  • Substituting into P2P_2:
    2(t)+5(42t)+4(3t)20=(210+12)t+(2020)=0-2(t) + 5(4-2t) + 4(3t) - 20 = (-2 - 10 + 12)t + (20 - 20) = 0
    This holds for all tRt \in \mathbb{R}, which means the line lies entirely in plane P2P_2.

  • Substituting into P1P_1:
    10(t)+15(42t)+12(3t)60=16t=0    t=010(t) + 15(4-2t) + 12(3t) - 60 = 16t = 0 \implies t = 0
    The line intersects P1P_1 (and therefore the line of intersection L=P1P2L = P_1 \cap P_2) at the single point A=(0,4,0)A = (0, 4, 0).

Since the line lies entirely in face P2P_2 and passes through a vertex ALA \in L, we can choose vertex DD anywhere else on this line (DAD \neq A), making ADAD an edge of the tetrahedron lying in P2P_2. Hence, this line can be an edge.


Conclusion:

The correct options are A, B, and D.