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 M¢25  Funded By Mahalo ? |  March 02, 2009 03:26 PM

Consider the four points A = (1, 1, −1), This question was posted here. I can't find it anymore but here is the answer.

Consider the four points A = (1, 1, −1), B = (0, 1, 1), C = (1, −1, 0), and D =
( −2, 0, 3). Find the distance between the lines (AB) and (C D), that is, the distance between
the closest points on these two lines, using two different methods:
(a) Find a pair of planes that are parallel to both lines, with the first plane containing the line (AB) and the second containing the line (C D). Then find the distance between these two planes.
(b) Find parametric equations of the lines (AB) and (C D), and find the times at which the segment connecting a point P1 on (AB) to a point P2 on (C D) is perpendicular to both lines. The length of this segment is then the distance between the lines.
Important Note : since the two points P1 and P2 may be chosen independently of one another, the parameters of t1 and t2 of the two lines should be allowed to vary independently of one another. Thus there are two unknowns, and the condition that the the line segment P1P2 be perpendicular to the two lines gives you two equations, which you may solve.

---
The minimum distance between the two lines is 5/Sqrt[14]. This happens between the two points {-15/14, 1, 22/7} on the AB line and {-25/14, -1/14, 39/14} on the other line. The easiest way to get this is using calculus. Parameterize the first line using a parameter of say m. Paramaterize the second line using a different parameter, say n. The dot product of the difference in these two parameterized lines gives the square of the distance between them. Take the derivatives of this expression with respect to m and n and set each of them equal to zero of solve for m and n. Plug these values back into your parametric equations.
*THIS IS NOT A QUESTION AS MUCH AS A NOTICE TO THE PERSON WHO ASKED THIS QUESTION THAT IT WAS ANSWERED.*
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Best Answer  Chosen by Asker

 
March 02, 2009 04:00 PM
yes (now gimme a quarter)
Asker's Rating:
• ok there is your quarter. Though you were not suppose to answer.


Helpful Answer?  (0)   (0)    Tip hartwell for this answer
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