Q.Find the angle between planes r⋅(i^+j^+2k^)=13 and r⋅(2i^−j^+k^)=31.
Concept understanding — Angle between Two Planes
Two planes are inclined to each other exactly as much as their normal vectors are inclined to each other, so the angle between two planes is defined through the angle between their normals rather than through anything measured inside the planes themselves. Planes r⋅n1=d1 and r⋅n2=d2 are perpendicular precisely when n1⋅n2=0; in Cartesian form, for a1x+b1y+c1z+d1=0 and a2x+b2y+c2z+d2=0, this becomes a1a2+b1b2+c1c2=0. When the planes are not perpendicular, the angle between them is, by convention, the acute angle between the normals, since two intersecting planes actually meet at a pair of supplementary angles and only the acute one is reported: cosθ=∣n1∣∣n2∣n1⋅n2. This is the same dot-product technique used earlier for the angle between two lines, now applied to the two normal vectors instead of the two direction vectors. Two planes are parallel exactly when their normals are scalar multiples of one another.
[!TLDR] Angle between two planes = acute angle between their normals, via cosθ=∣n1∣∣n2∣n1⋅n2.
n1=i^+j^+2k^, n2=2i^−j^+k^. n1⋅n2=2−1+2=3, ∣n1∣=∣n2∣=6, so cosθ=3/6=1/2.
[!ANSWER] θ=60∘=3π.
The two planes are r⋅n1=13 with n1=i^+j^+2k^, and r⋅n2=31 with n2=2i^−j^+k^.
Since the angle between two planes is the acute angle between their normals,
cosθ=∣n1∣∣n2∣n1⋅n2.
n1⋅n2=(1)(2)+(1)(−1)+(2)(1)=2−1+2=3.
∣n1∣=1+1+4=6, ∣n2∣=4+1+1=6.
cosθ=6⋅63=63=21.
So θ=cos−1(21)=60∘.
[!ANSWER] The angle between the two planes is 60∘=3π.
Read off the normal vectors of the two planes directly from the scalar-product form r⋅n=d, then apply cosθ=∣n1⋅n2∣/(∣n1∣∣n2∣); the constants d1,d2 (13 and 31 here) play no role in the angle.
Forgetting the modulus in the cosine formula (which can give an obtuse angle instead of the conventional acute one), or mistakenly including the plane's distance constants d1,d2 in the calculation.
- CBSE 2024Set D1 markMCQQ.The angle between two planes 2x+y−2z=5 and 3x−6y−2z=7 is(a) 2π(b) 4π(c) cos−1(4/21)(d) cos−1(16/61)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The angle between the planes is cos−1(214).
The angle between two planes equals the angle between their normals. Normals are n1=(2,1,−2) and n2=(3,−6,−2).
n1⋅n2=(2)(3)+(1)(−6)+(−2)(−2)=6−6+4=4.
∣n1∣=4+1+4=3,∣n2∣=9+36+4=7.
Therefore
cosθ=3×74=214⇒θ=cos−1(214).
✓Final answer(C) cos−1(4/21).
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Find the angle between the planes 2x+y+3z=2 and x−2y=5.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The angle between planes equals the angle between their normal vectors.
Plane 1: 2x+y+3z=2, normal n1=(2,1,3).
Plane 2: x−2y+0z=5, normal n2=(1,−2,0).
cosθ=∣n1∣∣n2∣∣n1⋅n2∣
n1⋅n2=2(1)+1(−2)+3(0)=2−2+0=0
Since n1⋅n2=0, cosθ=0⇒θ=2π.
✓Final answerThe planes are perpendicular: θ=2π.
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If θ is the angle between the planes 2x − y + 2z = 3 and 6x − 2y + 3z = 5, then cos θ is equal to –(a) 11/20(b) 12/23(c) 17/25(d) 20/21
›Reveal solutionSolution
The angle between two planes equals the angle between their normal vectors; use cosθ=∣n1∣∣n2∣n1⋅n2.
The planes are 2x−y+2z=3 and 6x−2y+3z=5, giving normal vectors n1=(2,−1,2) and n2=(6,−2,3).
n1⋅n2=2(6)+(−1)(−2)+2(3)=12+2+6=20.
∣n1∣=4+1+4=3,∣n2∣=36+4+9=49=7.
cosθ=3×720=2120.
✓Final answercos θ = 20/21 — option (d).
- CBSE 2022Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The planes: 2x−y+4z=5 and 5x−2.5y+10z=6 are(a) Perpendicular(b) Parallel(c) Intersect y-axis(d) Passes through (0,0,45)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The normal vectors of the two planes are scalar multiples of each other, so the planes are parallel (and distinct).
Plane 1: 2x−y+4z=5, normal n1=(2,−1,4).
Plane 2: 5x−2.5y+10z=6, normal n2=(5,−2.5,10).
Check if n2 is a scalar multiple of n1:
25=2.5,−1−2.5=2.5,410=2.5.
All three ratios equal 2.5, so n2=2.5n1 — the normals are parallel, hence the two planes are parallel.
Check if they are the same plane: multiplying plane 1 by 2.5 gives 5x−2.5y+10z=12.5, but plane 2 has RHS 6=12.5, so the planes are distinct (parallel, not coincident).
✓Final answer(b) Parallel
- CBSE 2019Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The acute angle between the two planes x+y+2z=3 and 3x−2y+2z=7 is ________.(a) sin−1(1025)(b) cos−1(1025)(c) sin−1(10215)(d) cos−1(10215)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Angle between planes = angle between their normal vectors: cosθ=∣n1∣∣n2∣∣n1⋅n2∣.
Normals: n1=(1,1,2) (from x+y+2z=3), n2=(3,−2,2) (from 3x−2y+2z=7).
n1⋅n2=1(3)+1(−2)+2(2)=3−2+4=5
∣n1∣=1+1+4=6, ∣n2∣=9+4+4=17
cosθ=6⋅175=1025
θ=cos−1(1025)
✓Final answercos−1(1025) (option b)
- CBSE 2019Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The angle between the two planes x - y + 2z = 9 and 2x + y + z = 7 is(a) 30 degrees(b) 45 degrees(c) 60 degrees(d) 90 degrees
›Reveal solutionSolution
The angle between two planes equals the angle between their normal vectors, found via the dot product formula.
Normal to x−y+2z=9: n1=(1,−1,2). Normal to 2x+y+z=7: n2=(2,1,1).
cosθ=∣n1∣∣n2∣n1⋅n2=1+1+44+1+11(2)+(−1)(1)+2(1)=6⋅62−1+2=63=21
θ=cos−1(21)=60°
✓Final answer(c) 60°
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