[Math] Lines and planes – general concepts

analytic geometrygeometry

I've come across a book that has this general questions about lines and planes. I can't agree with some of the answers it presents, for the reasons that I'll state below:

True or False:

  • Three distinct points form a plane – BOOK ANSWER: True – MY ANSWER: False, they cannot belong to the same line

  • Two intersecting lines form a plane – BOOK ANSWER: True – MY ANSWER: False, they can be parallel and coincident lines.

  • Two lines that don't belong to a same plane are skew – BOOK ANSWER: True – MY ANSWER: True

  • If three lines are parallel, there is a plane that contains them – BOOK ANSWER: True – MY ANSWER: False, they can be parallel and
    coincident lines.

  • If three distinct lines are intersecting two by two, then they form only one plane – For this last one there's no answer and I'm not sure
    about the conclusion.

If you could help me, I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Best Answer

Assuming 3D Euclidean geometry:

  • On point 1 if the three points are collinear there is more than one plane

  • I would agree with the book and disagree with you on point 2 for a suitable definition of intersecting (at exactly one point).

  • I would disagree with the book on point 4 (consider the three parallel edges of a triangular prism).

  • I would say True for point 5, again for a suitable definition of intersecting two-by-two (the plane is defined by the three points of intersection, which do not lie on a single line and all three lines lie on it)

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