Vector equation of intersection between two planes

vectors

Consider two planes $\vec{r} \cdot \vec{n_{1}}=d_{1}\tag i$
$\vec{r} \cdot \vec{n_2}=d_{2}.\tag {ii}$

We know that their line of intersection's direction vector is pointing in the direction of the cross product of their normals, so we get its equation to be of the form $$\vec{r}=\vec{a}+\lambda(\vec{n_1} \times \vec{n_2}),$$ where $\vec{a}$ is a point on the intersection line.

Is it possible to get the point by using (i) and (ii)?

Best Answer

Yes, you could convert equation (i) to parametric vector form, substitute it into (ii), make one parameter the subject, substitute it back into that parametric vector equation to finally obtain the intersection line's parametric vector equation. Notice that this doesn't actually involve finding $\vec a,$ which can be determined as the next step.

A more direct method (also not requiring finding $\vec a)$ is illustrated by this example: \begin{gather}\vec{r} \cdot \begin{pmatrix} 7\cr2 \cr -3\end{pmatrix}=4 \tag{$\pi_1$}\\\vec{r} \cdot \begin{pmatrix} 2\cr1 \cr 0\end{pmatrix}=5\tag{$\pi_2$} \end{gather}

$\pi_1:\;7x+2y-3z=4\\\pi_2:\;2x+y=5$

Expressing $x$ and $y$ in terms of $z$ $(\pi_1{-}2\pi_2,\,\ldots)$ gives the intersection line of $\pi_1$ and $\pi_2: \\\vec r=\begin{pmatrix} x\cr y \cr z\end{pmatrix}\\=\begin{pmatrix} z-2\cr 9-2z \cr z\end{pmatrix}\\=\begin{pmatrix} -2\cr 9 \cr 0\end{pmatrix}+z\begin{pmatrix} 1 \cr -2 \cr 1\end{pmatrix}\quad\left(z\in\mathbb R\right).$