[Math] Cartesian form of vectors calculate the angle

vectors

Two planes have equations $x + 3y − 2z = 4$ and $2x + y + 3z = 5$. The planes intersect in the straight line l.

$(i)$ Calculate the acute angle between the two planes.

How do you this, I know from the normal form of a vector line is the dot product, what about in cartesian form?

Best Answer

Given the equation of a plane $Ax + By + Cz = d$, the normal vector of the plane is (A,B,C), i.e the vector perpendicular to that plane. Using this you can obtain the two normal vectors, and then apply their escalar product:

$$A_1*A_2 + B_1*B_2+C_1*C_2=|n_1|*|n_2|*cos\alpha$$

where $n_1,n_2$ denote the normal vectors and |·| is the module of the vector.

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