Equations of tangents are $y=m_1x+\frac{a}{m_1}$ and $y=m_2x+\frac{a}{m_2}$
I think this is correct.
and equations of normal to the parabola $x^2=4by$ is $y=m_1x-2bm_1-bm^3_1$ and $y=m_2x-2bm_2-bm^3_2$.
I don't think this is correct.
Let $(s,t)$ be a point on $x^2=4by$, i.e. $s^2=4bt$. Since $2x=4by'\Rightarrow y'=\frac{x}{2b}$, the equation of normal to the parabola at $(s,t)$ will be $y-t=-\frac{2b}{s}(x-s)\iff y=-\frac{2b}{s}x+2b+t$. Let $k=-\frac{2b}{s}$. Then, since $s=-\frac{2b}{k}$, the equation of the normal can be written as
$$y=kx+2b+\frac{s^2}{4b}=kx+2b+\frac{1}{4b}\left(-\frac{2b}{k}\right)^2=kx+2b+\frac{b}{k^2}.$$
So, in our case, we have
$$y=m_1x+2b+\frac{b}{m_1^2}\qquad\text{and}\qquad y=m_2x+2b+\frac{b}{m_2^2}.$$
Thus, since $y=m_1x+\frac{a}{m_1}$ and $y=m_1x+2b+\frac{b}{m_1^2}$ are the same lines,
$$\frac{a}{m_1}=2b+\frac{b}{m_1^2}\iff 2bm_1^2-am_1+b=0.$$
Now, the discriminant is positive, so $(-a)^2-4\cdot 2b\cdot b\gt 0$, i.e. $a^2\gt 8b^2$.
As harry pointed out in the comments, one has to consider the case where one of the tangents is the $y$-axis.
Two tangents drawn to the parabola $y^2=4ax$ from $(0,k)$ where $k\not=0$ are $x=0$ and $y=\frac akx+k$. It follows from $u^2=4bv,\frac ak=-\frac{2a}{u}$ and $k=2b+v$ that $bk^2-a^2k+2a^2b=0$. So, one has to have $a^2\geqslant 8b^2$. If $a^2=8b^2$, then two tangents drawn to the parabola $y^2=4ax$ from a point $(0,4b)$ are $x=0$ and $ax-4by+16b^2=0$ (at $(2a,8b)$) which are normals to the parabola $x^2=4by$ (at $(-a,2b)$).
In conclusion, the answer is $a^2\geqslant 8b^2$.
There are two possibilities: either the lines are parallel or they intersect.[Since the question says"THE plane..."we can assume that the lines are distinct.] First we calculate the cross-product $$v=[l_1,m_1,n_1] \times [l_2,m_2,n_2].$$ If $v$ is not the 0 vector,the lines intersect and $v$ is normal to the plane, in which case the equation of the plane can be written as
$$v \bullet [x-x_1,y-y_1,z-z_1]=0.$$ If $v$ is the 0 vector, the lines are parallel, in which case we calculate the cross-product $$w=[x_2-x_1,y_2-y_1,z_2-z_1] \times [l_1,m_1,n_1]$$ In this case, $w$ is normal to the plane and the equation of the plane is $$w \bullet [x-x_1,y-y_1,z-z_1]=0.$$.
Best Answer
You're right. If $m_1=m_2$ the two lines are parallel, and if moreover $n_1=n_2$ the two lines are identical. On the left-hand side of your equation, you can just write $y$ instead of $y_1$ and $y_2$ (like you do with $x$).