Q.Three vertices of a Parallelogram ABCD are A(1,2,3), B(−1,−2,−1) and C(2,3,2). Find the fourth vertex D.
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3D Coordinate Geometry
You already know 2D coordinate geometry — the xy-plane where every point is described by two numbers (x,y). Now imagine lifting that plane into the air. That is three-dimensional geometry.
The Intuition: Three Numbers, One Point
In the real world you rarely locate something with just two numbers. To describe where a book sits on a shelf you might say: "third shelf up, fourth book from the left, and it is the one nearest the wall." That is three pieces of information — height, sideways position, and depth.
In 3D coordinate geometry we do exactly this. We keep the familiar x and y axes (which define a flat floor) and add a third axis — the z-axis — pointing straight up. Every point in space now needs three numbers: (x,y,z).
The three axes are mutually perpendicular. Picture the corner of a room: two floor edges give the x- and y-axes, and the vertical edge where the walls meet gives the z-axis.
The Precise Statement
Definition: A rectangular 3D coordinate system consists of three mutually perpendicular number lines — the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis — meeting at a common point, the origin O(0,0,0). Any point P in space is uniquely represented by an ordered triple (x,y,z), where:
- x = signed distance from the yz-plane,
- y = signed distance from the zx-plane,
- z = signed distance from the xy-plane.
P=(x,y,z)
How to Read a 3D Point
Take the point A(2,−3,4). Start at the origin. Move 2 units along the x-axis. From there move −3 units parallel to the y-axis (backward, because it is negative). From that spot move 4 units parallel to the z-axis (upward). You have reached A.
The order matters absolutely. (2,−3,4) is not the same point as (2,4,−3). Always follow the sequence: x first, then y, then z.
The Three Coordinate Planes
Each pair of axes determines a plane:
| Plane | Equation | Description |
|---|---|---|
| xy-plane | z=0 | the floor — all points with zero height |
| yz-plane | x=0 | one wall — all points with zero x |
| zx-plane | y=0 | the other wall — all points with zero y |
These three planes cut space into 8 octants (the 3D analogue of the four quadrants of the plane). The first octant is where x>0, y>0 and z>0.
Distance Between Two Points
This is the natural extension of the 2D distance formula. For P(x1,y1,z1) and Q(x2,y2,z2):
PQ=(x2−x1)2+(y2−y1)2+(z2−z1)2
It is just the diagonal of a rectangular box whose edges are the differences in x, y and z. The distance of P from the origin is the special case OP=x12+y12+z12.
Section Formula (Internal Division)
If R divides the segment joining P(x1,y1,z1) and Q(x2,y2,z2) internally in the ratio m:n, then: …
In a parallelogram ABCD, opposite sides are parallel and equal in length. This means the vector AB is equal to the vector DC.
Let the fourth vertex be D(x,y,z).
- Calculate the vector AB: AB=B−A=(−1−1,−2−2,−1−3)=(−2,−4,−4).
- Calculate the vector DC: DC=C−D=(2−x,3−y,2−z). …
The key property of a parallelogram is that its diagonals bisect each other, meaning their midpoints coincide. By equating the midpoint of diagonal AC with the midpoint of diagonal BD, we find the fourth vertex D(4,7,6).
To find the fourth vertex of a parallelogram when three are given, we rely on a fundamental property of parallelograms: their diagonals bisect each other. This means the midpoint of one diagonal is the same as the midpoint of the other diagonal.
Let the given vertices be A(1,2,3), B(−1,−2,−1), and C(2,3,2). Let the unknown fourth vertex be D(x,y,z). Since the vertices are usually given in cyclic order (A, B, C, D), the diagonals of the parallelogram ABCD are AC and BD.
Here's how we can use this property:
-
Identify the diagonals: In parallelogram ABCD, the diagonals are AC and BD.
-
Recall the Midpoint Formula: For any two points P(x1,y1,z1) and Q(x2,y2,z2), the midpoint M is given by:
M=(2x1+x2,2y1+y2,2z1+z2)
-
Calculate the midpoint of diagonal AC:
Using A(1,2,3) and C(2,3,2):
MAC=(21+2,22+3,23+2)
MAC=(23,25,25)
- Calculate the midpoint of diagonal BD: Using B(−1,−2,−1) and D(x,y,z):
MBD=(2−1+x,2−2+y,2−1+z)
- Equate the midpoints: Since the diagonals bisect each other, MAC must be equal to MBD. We equate their corresponding coordinates:
- For the x-coordinate:
2−1+x=23
−1+x=3
x=4
* For the y-coordinate:
2−2+y=25
−2+y=5
y=7
* For the z-coordinate:
$$\frac{-1+z}{2} = \frac{5}{2}$$ …
Showing the 12 most recent of 44 on this concept.
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-12-AN1 markMCQQ.If the equation of the plane making equal intercepts on the coordinate axes and which is at a distance of 53 units from origin is x+y+z=k (k>0), then k= (A) 15 (B) 5 (C) 35 (D) 153
›Reveal solutionSolution
Using the point-to-plane distance formula on x+y+z=k directly gives k=15.
Concept and Intuition
A plane making equal intercepts k on all three axes is kx+ky+kz=1, i.e. x+y+z=k. The perpendicular distance from the origin to Ax+By+Cz=D is A2+B2+C2∣D∣.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Plane: x+y+z=k, so A=B=C=1, D=k.
- Distance from origin =1+1+1∣k∣=3k (taking k>0 as given). …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-14-FN1 markMCQQ.If A(1,1,1),B(2,3,4) and C(2,5,7) are the vertices of △ABC, then the length of the altitude drawn through the vertex A is (A) 2 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 3
›Reveal solutionSolution
Using the cross-product to get the triangle's area and dividing by ∣BC∣ gives an altitude of exactly 1. Answer: (B).
Concept and Intuition
The altitude from a vertex to the opposite side is simply twice the triangle's area divided by the length of that side — a direct consequence of the area formula Area=21×base×height. In 3D, the area is most efficiently computed via the cross product of two side vectors.
Step-by-Step Solution
- AB=B−A=(1,2,3), AC=C−A=(1,4,6).
- AB×AC=i11j24k36=i(12−12)−j(6−3)+k(4−2)=(0,−3,2)
- ∣AB×AC∣=0+9+4=13, so Area =2113.
- BC=C−B=(0,2,3), ∣BC∣=0+4+9=13. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-14-AN1 markMCQQ.A(3,1,2), B(−1,6,2) and C(1,1,−2) are three points. A plane is passing through A and is perpendicular to the line joining B and C. If (α,β,γ) is the image of C with respect to the plane, then 3α−γ+2β= (A) 0 (B) 6 (C) 7 (D) 5
›Reveal solutionSolution
The plane's normal is along BC; reflecting C in that plane and combining coordinates as asked gives 3α−γ+2β=7.
Concept and Intuition
"A plane perpendicular to line BC" means the direction vector of BC is the plane's normal vector. Once we have the plane equation, the reflection (image) of any point in it is found by moving the point along the normal direction by twice its signed distance to the plane.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Normal direction: n=C−B=(1−(−1),1−6,−2−2)=(2,−5,−4).
- Plane through A(3,1,2) with this normal: 2(x−3)−5(y−1)−4(z−2)=0.
- Expand: 2x−6−5y+5−4z+8=0⇒2x−5y−4z+7=0. (So d=7.)
- Reflect C(1,1,−2): compute n⋅C+d=2(1)−5(1)−4(−2)+7=2−5+8+7=12.
- ∣n∣2=4+25+16=45.
- Scale factor t=452(12)=4524=158.
- Image =C−tn=(1,1,−2)−158(2,−5,−4).
- x: 1−1516=−151; y: 1+1540=1555=311; z: −2+1532=152. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-15-AN1 markMCQQ.If the feet of the perpendiculars drawn from the point (3,4,5) to the X, Y, Z – coordinate axes are A,B,C respectively and the angle between AB and AC is Cos−1(a9), then a= (A) 534 (B) 334 (C) 234 (D) 34
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests finding the angle between two vectors formed from projections onto coordinate axes. Computing the dot product and magnitudes gives a=534.
Concept and Intuition
The foot of the perpendicular from a point to a coordinate axis simply keeps that axis's coordinate and zeroes the other two. Once A,B,C are known, the angle at A in triangle ABC is found by the standard dot-product formula applied to AB and AC.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Foot on X-axis: A=(3,0,0). Foot on Y-axis: B=(0,4,0). Foot on Z-axis: C=(0,0,5).
- AB=B−A=(−3,4,0), AC=C−A=(−3,0,5).
- AB⋅AC=(−3)(−3)+4(0)+0(5)=9.
- ∣AB∣=9+16+0=5, ∣AC∣=9+0+25=34.
- cosθ=5349. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-18-FN1 markMCQQ.If the equation of the plane containing the line rˉ=iˉ+2jˉ+kˉ+t(iˉ−jˉ+2kˉ) and parallel to the line rˉ=−iˉ+2jˉ+s(−iˉ+2jˉ+kˉ) in Cartesian coordinates is ax+by+cz=1, then a+3b+c= (A) 2 (B) 10 (C) −5 (D) 12
›Reveal solutionSolution
Build the plane from a point + two directions (the line's own direction and the parallel line's direction), then read off intercepts.
Concept and Intuition
A plane containing a given line and parallel to another given line is fully determined: its normal must be perpendicular to both direction vectors, so it's their cross product; any point on the first line then fixes the plane's position.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Line 1: point (1,2,1), direction dˉ1=(1,−1,2). Line 2 direction: dˉ2=(−1,2,1).
- Normal nˉ=dˉ1×dˉ2=iˉ1−1jˉ−12kˉ21.
- iˉ-component: (−1)(1)−(2)(2)=−1−4=−5. jˉ-component: −[(1)(1)−(2)(−1)]=−(1+2)=−3. kˉ-component: (1)(2)−(−1)(−1)=2−1=1.
- So nˉ=(−5,−3,1).
- Plane through (1,2,1): −5(x−1)−3(y−2)+1(z−1)=0⇒−5x−3y+z+10=0⇒5x+3y−z=10. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-18-FN1 markMCQQ.A=(−2,2,3),B=(13,−3,13) are two points and P is a variable point such that PA:PB=2:3. If P lies on the curve x2+y2+z2+ux+vy+wz−247=0, then u+v+w= (A) 24 (B) 25 (C) 26 (D) 27
›Reveal solutionSolution
The Apollonius locus for PA:PB=2:3 is the sphere 9PA2=4PB2; expanding gives
x2+y2+z2+28x−12y+10z−247=0, so u+v+w=28−12+10=26.
Concept and Intuition
For a fixed ratio k=PA:PB with k=1, the locus of P is a sphere (the 3D Apollonius
circle), obtained by squaring the ratio: PA2/PB2=k2, i.e. (here) 9PA2=4PB2. Expanding
this always produces a genuine sphere equation (coefficients of x2,y2,z2 equal), which we
can directly compare to the given form to read off u,v,w.
Step-by-Step Solution
- PA:PB=2:3⇒3PA=2PB⇒9PA2=4PB2.
- PA2=(x+2)2+(y−2)2+(z−3)2, PB2=(x−13)2+(y+3)2+(z−13)2.
- Expand 9PA2:
9[x2+4x+4+y2−4y+4+z2−6z+9]=9x2+9y2+9z2+36x−36y−54z+153
- Expand 4PB2:
4[x2−26x+169+y2+6y+9+z2−26z+169]=4x2+4y2+4z2−104x+24y−104z+1388
- Set 9PA2−4PB2=0: 5x2+5y2+5z2+140x−60y+50z−1235=0 …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-18-FN1 markMCQQ.An angle between the plane x+y+z=5 and the line 0x−16=−1y−0=4z+47 is (A) Sin−1(173) (B) Sin−1(173) (C) Cos−1(173) (D) Sin−1(175)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The angle between a line and a plane uses the SINE formula with the line's direction and the
plane's normal: here sinθ=3/17, so θ=sin−13/17.
Concept and Intuition
For a line with direction ratios (l,m,n) and a plane with normal (a,b,c), the angle θ
between the LINE and the PLANE (not the normal) satisfies
sinθ=a2+b2+c2l2+m2+n2∣al+bm+cn∣
— it's a sine (not cosine) because the line-plane angle is complementary to the line-normal angle.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Line: 0x−16=−1y−0=4z+47, direction ratios (0,−1,4).
- Plane: x+y+z=5, normal (1,1,1).
- Dot product: (1)(0)+(1)(−1)+(1)(4)=0−1+4=3.
- Magnitudes: ∣n∣=1+1+1=3, ∣d∣=0+1+16=17. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-18-AN1 markMCQQ.If the angle between the planes λx−2y+3z+1=0 and 2x+3y−λz+λ=0 is cos−1(4912) and λ∈Z then the sum of the perpendicular distances from the origin to these planes is (A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4
›Reveal solutionSolution
Find the integer λ from the given angle between the two planes, then compute and add the two perpendicular distances from the origin.
Concept and Intuition
The angle between two planes is the angle between their normal vectors: cosθ=∣n1∣∣n2∣∣n1⋅n2∣. Once the planes are pinned down numerically, the distance of the origin from a plane ax+by+cz+d=0 is simply a2+b2+c2∣d∣.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Normals: n1=(λ,−2,3) and n2=(2,3,−λ).
- n1⋅n2=2λ−6−3λ=−(λ+6).
- ∣n1∣=λ2+4+9=λ2+13 and ∣n2∣=4+9+λ2=λ2+13 — equal magnitudes.
- So cosθ=λ2+13∣λ+6∣=4912, i.e. 49∣λ+6∣=12λ2+156. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-21-AN1 markMCQQ.If the four points (6,2,4), (1,3,5), (1,−2,3) and (6,k,2) are coplanar, then k= (A) −5 (B) 4 (C) −3 (D) 1
›Reveal solutionSolution
Four points are coplanar exactly when the scalar triple product of the three edge vectors from a common vertex is zero; solving gives k=−3.
Concept and Intuition
Four points P1,P2,P3,P4 are coplanar iff the vectors P1P2, P1P3, P1P4 are linearly dependent, i.e. their scalar triple product (the 3×3 determinant with these as rows) is zero — geometrically, the tetrahedron they'd otherwise form has zero volume.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Let P1=(6,2,4), P2=(1,3,5), P3=(1,−2,3), P4=(6,k,2).
- v1=P2−P1=(−5,1,1); v2=P3−P1=(−5,−4,−1); v3=P4−P1=(0,k−2,−2).
- Set up the determinant:
−5−501−4k−21−1−2=0
- Expand along row 1: −5[(−4)(−2)−(−1)(k−2)]−1[(−5)(−2)−(−1)(0)]+1[(−5)(k−2)−(−4)(0)].
- First bracket: 8−(−(k−2))=8+k−2=k+6, times −5: −5k−30.
- Second term: −1[10−0]=−10.
- Third term: 1[−5(k−2)−0]=−5k+10. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-23-FN1 markMCQQ.A plane π given by ax+by+11z+d=0 is perpendicular to the planes 2x−3y+z=4, 3x+y−z=5 and the perpendicular distance from the origin to the plane π is 6 units. If all the intercepts made by the plane π on the coordinate axes are positive, then d= (A) ab (B) −2ab (C) 4ab (D) −3ab
›Reveal solutionSolution
Two perpendicularity conditions fix a,b; the distance condition fixes ∣d∣; the positive-intercepts condition fixes the sign of d. The result matches −3ab.
Concept and Intuition
Two planes are perpendicular exactly when their normal vectors are perpendicular (dot product zero). This gives two linear equations in a,b (with the z-coefficient 11 already fixed). The distance-from-origin condition then pins down ∣d∣ using the standard point-to-plane distance formula. Finally, intercepts on the axes are found by setting two of the three coordinates to zero at a time; requiring all three intercepts positive fixes the sign of d relative to the signs of a,b,11.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Plane π:ax+by+11z+d=0, normal (a,b,11).
- Perpendicular to 2x−3y+z=4 (normal (2,−3,1)): 2a−3b+11=0.
- Perpendicular to 3x+y−z=5 (normal (3,1,−1)): 3a+b−11=0⇒b=11−3a.
- Substitute into step 2: 2a−3(11−3a)+11=0⇒2a−33+9a+11=0⇒11a−22=0⇒a=2.
- b=11−3(2)=5. So π:2x+5y+11z+d=0.
- Distance from origin: 22+52+112∣0+0+0+d∣=4+25+121∣d∣=150∣d∣=6. ∣d∣=6⋅150=900=30. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-26-AN1 markMCQQ.If the image of the point A(1, 1, 1) with respect to the plane 4x+2y+4z+1=0 is B(α,β,γ), then α+β+γ= (A) −2 (B) −928 (C) 3655 (D) 1635
›Reveal solutionSolution
Standard reflection-in-a-plane formula. Answer: α+β+γ=−928.
Concept and Intuition
The image (reflection) of a point (x1,y1,z1) in the plane ax+by+cz+d=0 lies along the normal direction (a,b,c) through the point, at twice the signed distance to the plane on the opposite side:
ax′−x1=by′−y1=cz′−z1=−a2+b2+c22(ax1+by1+cz1+d).
Step-by-Step Solution
- Here a=4, b=2, c=4, d=1 and (x1,y1,z1)=(1,1,1).
- ax1+by1+cz1+d=4+2+4+1=11.
- a2+b2+c2=16+4+16=36.
- Factor t=−362(11)=−1811.
- α=x1+at=1+4(−1811)=1−1844=1−922=−913.
- β=y1+bt=1+2(−1811)=1−1822=1−911=−92. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-26-FN1 markMCQQ.The points A(−1,2,3), B(2,−3,1), C(3,1,−2) (A) are collinear (B) form an isosceles triangle (C) form a right angled triangle (D) form a scalene triangle
›Reveal solutionSolution
Compute all three squared side lengths of triangle ABC and test them for equality (isosceles), a Pythagorean relation (right angle), and proportionality of two sides (collinearity) — none hold, so it's scalene.
Concept and Intuition
Given three points in space, the quickest classification route is via squared distances (avoiding square roots): compare all three pairwise squared distances for equality (isosceles/equilateral) and for a Pythagorean sum (right angle), and check if any two connecting vectors are parallel (collinearity).
Step-by-Step Solution
- A(−1,2,3), B(2,−3,1), C(3,1,−2).
- AB=(2−(−1),−3−2,1−3)=(3,−5,−2), so AB2=9+25+4=38.
- BC=(3−2,1−(−3),−2−1)=(1,4,−3), so BC2=1+16+9=26.
- CA=(−1−3,2−1,3−(−2))=(−4,1,5), so CA2=16+1+25=42.
- Isosceles check: 38,26,42 are all distinct, so no two sides are equal.
- Right-angle check: 38+26=64=42; 26+42=68=38; 38+42=80=26 — no pair of squared sides sums to the third, so there is no right angle. …
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