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MiscII · Q177

Q.If in a tetrahedron, edges in each of the two pairs of opposite edges are perpendicular, then show that the edges in the third pair are also perpendicular.

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Let the tetrahedron have vertices A,B,C,DA,B,C,D with position vectors aˉ,bˉ,cˉ,dˉ\bar a,\bar b,\bar c,\bar d. The three

pairs of opposite edges are (AB,CD), (AC,BD), (AD,BC)(AB,CD),\ (AC,BD),\ (AD,BC). Given AB⊥CDAB\perp CD and AC⊥BDAC\perp BD, show

AD⊥BCAD\perp BC.

AB⊥CDAB\perp CD: (bˉ−aˉ)⋅(dˉ−cˉ)=0 ⟹ bˉ⋅dˉ−bˉ⋅cˉ−aˉ⋅dˉ+aˉ⋅cˉ=0.(1)(\bar b-\bar a)\cdot(\bar d-\bar c)=0\ \Longrightarrow\ \bar b\cdot\bar d-\bar b\cdot\bar c-\bar a\cdot\bar d+\bar a\cdot\bar c=0.\quad(1)

AC⊥BDAC\perp BD: (cˉ−aˉ)⋅(dˉ−bˉ)=0 ⟹ cˉ⋅dˉ−cˉ⋅bˉ−aˉ⋅dˉ+aˉ⋅bˉ=0.(2)(\bar c-\bar a)\cdot(\bar d-\bar b)=0\ \Longrightarrow\ \bar c\cdot\bar d-\bar c\cdot\bar b-\bar a\cdot\bar d+\bar a\cdot\bar b=0.\quad(2)

Subtract (2) from (1) (noting bˉ⋅cˉ=cˉ⋅bˉ\bar b\cdot\bar c=\bar c\cdot\bar b cancels, and −aˉ⋅dˉ-\bar a\cdot\bar d cancels):

(bˉ⋅dˉ−cˉ⋅dˉ)+(aˉ⋅cˉ−aˉ⋅bˉ)=0.(\bar b\cdot\bar d-\bar c\cdot\bar d)+(\bar a\cdot\bar c-\bar a\cdot\bar b)=0.

Now examine AD⋅BC=(dˉ−aˉ)⋅(cˉ−bˉ)=dˉ⋅cˉ−dˉ⋅bˉ−aˉ⋅cˉ+aˉ⋅bˉ=−(bˉ⋅dˉ−cˉ⋅dˉ)−(aˉ⋅cˉ−aˉ⋅bˉ)AD\cdot BC=(\bar d-\bar a)\cdot(\bar c-\bar b)=\bar d\cdot\bar c-\bar d\cdot\bar b-\bar a\cdot\bar c+\bar a\cdot\bar b=-(\bar b\cdot\bar d-\bar c\cdot\bar d)-(\bar a\cdot\bar c-\bar a\cdot\bar b).

From the subtracted equation above, (bˉ⋅dˉ−cˉ⋅dˉ)=−(aˉ⋅cˉ−aˉ⋅bˉ)(\bar b\cdot\bar d-\bar c\cdot\bar d)=-(\bar a\cdot\bar c-\bar a\cdot\bar b), so …

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