[Math] Parametric equation to find distance from origin to plane

linear algebra

The equation $2x_1 – 3x_2 -6x_3 = -4$ defines a plane in $\mathbb{R}^3$

I know the normal vector $\bf a$ for this is $(2,-3,-6)$

I am trying to use the parametric equation of the line that pass through $\bf 0$ with direction vector $\bf a$.

I know how to do this with the projection. I am just using the $\frac{|c|}{||a||}$, which gave me an answer of $\frac{4}{7}$. But I do not know how to get the same answer with parametric equations.

Best Answer

Well, that line is given by $\langle x,y,z\rangle=\langle2t,-3t,-6t\rangle.$ We know the origin is a point on this line. What we need, then, is to find $t_0$ such that $2(2t_0)-3(-3t_0)-6(-6t_0)=-4$ (why?), then find the distance from the point $\langle2t_0,-3t_0,-6t_0\rangle$ to the origin.