[Math] Find a vector equation for the line through the point $(3,-8,-8)$ perpendicular to these vectors

vector-spacesvectors

Find a vector equation for the line through the point $(3,-8,-8)$ perpendicular to these vectors $u=\langle 2,2,-1\rangle$ and $v=\langle -9,-8,-3\rangle$.

I'm fairly new to vector equations. Would I find a component vector of $u$ and $v$ and write the parametric equation for it and then use the formula $r(t) = r_0 + tv$?

Best Answer

Here's a sketch.

The best way to approach this is by thinking about what fundamentally defines a line: a vector and a point. In this case, we have the point, but instead of a vector in the direction of the line, we have two vectors perpendicular to the line. However, if we take the cross product of these two vectors, it will by definition be perpendicular to both of them and thus be in the direction of the line itself. Taking the cross product gives $\langle -14, 15, 2\rangle$. Then, the line can be parametrized using standard techniques as

$$\langle 3,-8,-8\rangle+t\cdot \langle-14, 15, 2\rangle=\langle 3-14t, -8+15t, -8+2t\rangle.$$