JEE Challenger
More from Three Dimensional Geometry

Find Unit Vector Perpendicular to Two Given Lines

Comprehension Passage

Consider the lines
L1:x+13=y+21=z+12L_1 : \frac{x+1}{3} = \frac{y+2}{1} = \frac{z+1}{2}
L2:x−21=y+22=z−33L_2 : \frac{x-2}{1} = \frac{y+2}{2} = \frac{z-3}{3}

The unit vector perpendicular to both L1L_1 and L2L_2 is

Options

A

−i^+7j^+7k^99\frac{-\hat{i}+7\hat{j}+7\hat{k}}{\sqrt{99}}

B

−i^−7j^+5k^53\frac{-\hat{i}-7\hat{j}+5\hat{k}}{5\sqrt{3}}

Correct
C

−i^+7j^+5k^53\frac{-\hat{i}+7\hat{j}+5\hat{k}}{5\sqrt{3}}

D

7i^−7j^−k^99\frac{7\hat{i}-7\hat{j}-\hat{k}}{\sqrt{99}}

Step-by-Step Solution

To find the unit vector perpendicular to both lines L1L_1 and L2L_2, we first determine the direction vectors of each line.

The given lines are:
L1:x+13=y+21=z+12L_1 : \frac{x+1}{3} = \frac{y+2}{1} = \frac{z+1}{2}
L2:x−21=y+22=z−33L_2 : \frac{x-2}{1} = \frac{y+2}{2} = \frac{z-3}{3}

From the denominators of the symmetric form of the lines, the direction vector of line L1L_1 is:
b⃗1=3i^+j^+2k^\vec{b}_1 = 3\hat{i} + \hat{j} + 2\hat{k}

And the direction vector of line L2L_2 is:
b⃗2=i^+2j^+3k^\vec{b}_2 = \hat{i} + 2\hat{j} + 3\hat{k}

A vector perpendicular to both L1L_1 and L2L_2 is given by the cross product of their direction vectors b⃗1\vec{b}_1 and b⃗2\vec{b}_2:

n⃗=b⃗1×b⃗2=∣i^j^k^312123∣\vec{n} = \vec{b}_1 \times \vec{b}_2 = \begin{vmatrix} \hat{i} & \hat{j} & \hat{k} \\ 3 & 1 & 2 \\ 1 & 2 & 3 \end{vmatrix}

Evaluating the determinant:
n⃗=i^(1⋅3−2⋅2)−j^(3⋅3−2⋅1)+k^(3⋅2−1⋅1)\vec{n} = \hat{i}(1 \cdot 3 - 2 \cdot 2) - \hat{j}(3 \cdot 3 - 2 \cdot 1) + \hat{k}(3 \cdot 2 - 1 \cdot 1)
n⃗=i^(3−4)−j^(9−2)+k^(6−1)\vec{n} = \hat{i}(3 - 4) - \hat{j}(9 - 2) + \hat{k}(6 - 1)
n⃗=−i^−7j^+5k^\vec{n} = -\hat{i} - 7\hat{j} + 5\hat{k}

Next, we find the magnitude of vector n⃗\vec{n}:
∣n⃗∣=(−1)2+(−7)2+52=1+49+25=75=53|\vec{n}| = \sqrt{(-1)^2 + (-7)^2 + 5^2} = \sqrt{1 + 49 + 25} = \sqrt{75} = 5\sqrt{3}

Thus, the unit vector perpendicular to both lines is:
n^=n⃗∣n⃗∣=−i^−7j^+5k^53\hat{n} = \frac{\vec{n}}{|\vec{n}|} = \frac{-\hat{i} - 7\hat{j} + 5\hat{k}}{5\sqrt{3}}

This corresponds to Option B.