Q.Find the non-parametric form of vector equation and Cartesian equations of the straight line passing through the point with position vector $4\hat i+3\hat j-7\hat k$ and parallel to the vector $2\hat i-6\hat j+7\hat k$.

A line in $\mathbb R^3$ is uniquely fixed by (i) one point plus a direction, or (ii) two points (whose difference gives the direction). Every form below is built from these two ingredients.

Point + direction, through $A(\vec a)$ parallel to $\vec b$:

• Parametric vector: $\vec r=\vec a+t\vec b,\ t\in\mathbb R$.
• Non-parametric vector: $(\vec r-\vec a)\times\vec b=\vec 0$.
• Cartesian (symmetric): $\dfrac{x-x_1}{b_1}=\dfrac{y-y_1}{b_2}=\dfrac{z-z_1}{b_3}$, where $b_1,b_2,b_3$ are the direction ratios of $\vec b$ (or, scaled to unit length, the line's direction cosines).

Through two points $A(\vec a),B(\vec b)$: identical forms with $\vec b-\vec a$ in place of $\vec b$ — direction ratios $x_2-x_1,\,y_2-y_1,\,z_2-z_1$.

Reading off direction ratios/cosines is the master skill: whatever form a line is given in, the numbers under $x,y,z$ in the symmetric form (or the coefficients of $t$ in the parametric form) are its direction ratios; dividing by their magnitude $\sqrt{b_1^2+b_2^2+b_3^2}$ gives the direction cosines $l,m,n$ (with $l^2+m^2+n^2=1$).

Angle between two lines (directions $\vec b,\vec d$): $\theta=\cos^{-1}\!\left(\left|\dfrac{\vec b\cdot\vec d}{|\vec b||\vec d|}\right|\right)$ — parallel iff $\vec b=\lambda\vec d$, perpendicular iff $\vec b\cdot\vec d=0$.

Point of intersection of two lines: write each line's general point with its own parameter, equate coordinatewise, solve any two of the three resulting equations, and check the third — if it holds, the lines meet there; if not, they are parallel or skew.