3.4 Geometry Linear Systems

Dawson College
Mathematics Department
Linear Algebra, 201-NYC-05, Winter 2020
Noushin Sabetghadam
———————————————————————————————–
3.4. The Geometry of Linear Space
Lines in 3-Space
A line L in 3-space is determined by a non-zero vector ~v = (v1 , v2 , v3 ), usually

called a direction vector of L that is parallel to it, and a point P0 (x0 , y0 , z0 )
which lies on L:
@P
t (x, y, z)
@
@
I
@
@~v = (v1 , v2 , v3 )
@@ I
@
@@
@ @ −−→
~v k L ⇐⇒ ~v k P0 P
@
@tPo (x0 , y0 , z0 )
@
@
@
@
@
@
L
−−→
Since ~v k P0 P , we have (x−x0 , y −y0 , z −z0 ) = t(v1 , v2 , v3 ), with −∞ < t < +∞
as a parameter. This leads to:
• A vector equation of a line L parallel to ~v = (v1, v2, v3) and

passing through P0(x0, y0, z0) is:
(x, y, z) = (x0, y0, z0) + t(v1, v2, v3);


 x = x0 + tv1,
• A set of parametric equations of L is: y = y0 + tv2,
z = z0 + tv3;

• A symmetric equation of L is:
x − x0 y − y0 z − z0
= = .
v1 v2 v3
Note that wherever we ask you to find a line in 3-space, we do mean the
parametric equation of the line.
Example 30) Find parametric equations of the line passing through P0 (−1, 0, 2)
and parallel to ~v = (1, 2, 3).
Example 31) Find the line passing through the points P (−1, 0, 2) and Q(1, 2, 1).
Definition.The line segment (in Rn) joining the two points

A(a1, a2, · · · , an) and B(b1, b2, · · · , bn) is the set of all points


 x1 = a1 + t(b1 − a1),
x2 = a2 + t(b2 − a2),

X(x1, x2, · · · , xn) such that: ... ... ...

 (0 ≤ t ≤ 1)
 x = a + t(b − a ),

n n n n
where the parameter t spans only the interval [0, 1].

−−→ −→ −→
This, in the language of vectors, is equivalent to OX = OA + tAB,
with the same restriction on t, namely 0 ≤ t ≤ 1.
Vector & Parametric Equations of Planes in R3

Let P be a plane passing through the point P0 (x0 , y0 , z0 ) and parallel to
the non-colinear (i.e., non-parallel) vectors ~u = (u1 , u2 , u3 ) and ~v = (v1 , v2 , v3 ).
Then the vector equation of P is given by:
(x, y, z) = (x0 , y0 , z0 ) + s(u1 , u2 , u3 ) + t(v1 , v2 , v3 )
where s and t are two independent real parameters. The parametric equations
of the plane P are also obtained by:

 x = x0 + su1 + tv1 ,
y = y0 + su2 + tv2 , − ∞ < s, t < ∞
z = z0 + su3 + tv3 ,

Note: whenever we ask you to find a plane in 3-space, we do mean the

standard equation of the plane, namely ax + by + cz + d = 0.
We will learn later that to write down standard equation of a plane passing
through the point P0 (x0 , y0 , z0 ) and parallel to the non-colinear vectors ~u =
(u1 , u2 , u3 ) and ~v = (v1 , v2 , v3 ), we can find a normal vector ~n of the plain using
the cross product of ~v and ~u.
Orthogonality of Row Vectors and Solution Vectors of

Homogeneous Systems
Theorem. If A is an m × n matrix, then the solutions of the ho-

mogeneous linear system AX = 0 consists of the vectors in n-space
perpendicular to all the row vectors of A.
Example 32) Check the orthogonality of the solution set to the row vectors
of the following homogeneous system.
 
  x 1  
1 3 −2 0 2 0  x2 
  0
 2 6 −5 −2 4 −3   x3   0 
 0 0 5 10 0 15   x4  =  0 
    
 
2 6 0 8 4 18  x5  0
x6
Relation between the solutions of AX = b and AX = 0
Theorem. Assume that the system AX = b is solvable. Then the

general solution of this system may be obtained by adding the gen-
eral solution of the homogeneous system AX = 0 to any particular
solution of AX = b.
In symbols, let XG (respectively HG) be the general solution of the
system AX = b (respectively AX = 0). Then
X G = HG + X 0 ,
where X0 is any particular solution of the non-homogeneous system.
Proof. Let X0 be a particular solution of the non-homogeneous system
(thus AX0 = b) and let W be any solution of the homogeneous system (thus
AW = 0). Then we claim that X1 = X0 + W is a solution of AX = b as the
following shows:
AX1 = (X0 + W ) = AX0 + AW = b + 0 = b.
To show the converse, now assume that X1 is another solution of AX = b. We

then claim that W = X1 − X0 is a solution of AX = 0 because
AW = A(X1 − X0 ) = AX1 − AX0 = b − b = 0.
 
0
 −1 
Example 33) Find the general solution of AX = 
 5 , where the coefficient

6
matrix A is as in Example 32).

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Dawson College

A line L in 3-space is determined by a non-zero vector ~v = (v1 , v2 , v3 ), usually

• A vector equation of a line L parallel to ~v = (v1, v2, v3) and

(x, y, z) = (x0, y0, z0) + t(v1, v2, v3);

Definition.The line segment (in Rn) joining the two points

where the parameter t spans only the interval [0, 1].

Vector & Parametric Equations of Planes in R3

Note: whenever we ask you to find a plane in 3-space, we do mean the

Orthogonality of Row Vectors and Solution Vectors of

Theorem. If A is an m × n matrix, then the solutions of the ho-

Relation between the solutions of AX = b and AX = 0

Theorem. Assume that the system AX = b is solvable. Then the

AX1 = (X0 + W ) = AX0 + AW = b + 0 = b.

To show the converse, now assume that X1 is another solution of AX = b. We

AW = A(X1 − X0 ) = AX1 − AX0 = b − b = 0.

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