[Math] Prove two parallel lines intersect at infinity in $\mathbb{RP}^3$

projective-geometry

I have to prove two parallel lines intersect at infinity in $\mathbb{RP}^3$. I have to use the direction vectors and that points at infinity have last coordinate $0$. I tried solving a system of equations but it didn't work.

What I wanted to do was use the fact that two parallel lines have the same direction, then solve the equations and somehow arrive at the conclusion that the point of intersection had to have last coordinate 0.

EDIT: I found this, it has a section about homogeneous coordinates, I think it is what I need but I don't quite understand it. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line%E2%80%93line_intersection#Given_the_equations_of_the_lines

Best Answer

$\newcommand{\Reals}{\mathbf{R}}$Here's a "parametric" way to think of it: When you write "last coordinate $0$", presumably you're thinking of $\Reals^{3}$ embedded in $\Reals^{4}$ as $(x, y, z, 1)$. Take a non-zero direction $v = (a, b, c)$ in $\Reals^{3}$. A pair of parallel lines in $\Reals^{3}$ can be parametrized by \begin{align*} \ell_{1}: &\quad (x_{1} + at, y_{1} + bt, z_{1} + ct, 1) \sim \tfrac{1}{t}(x_{1} + at, y_{1} + bt, z_{1} + ct, 1), \\ \ell_{2}: &\quad (x_{2} + at, y_{2} + bt, z_{2} + ct, 1) \sim \tfrac{1}{t}(x_{2} + at, y_{2} + bt, z_{2} + ct, 1). \end{align*} Distribute the division by $t$, and let $|t| \to \infty$.