Concept understanding — Angle and Distance between Lines and Planes
Four closely related "how far / how tilted" computations, all built from a plane's normal n or a line's direction b.
Angle between two planes = angle between their normals: θ=cos−1(∣n1∣∣n2∣∣n1⋅n2∣); perpendicular iff n1⋅n2=0, parallel iff n1=λn2.
Angle between a line and a plane = complement of the angle between the line's direction b and the plane's normal n (since a line lying flat in the plane is perpendicular to the normal, and vice versa): θ=sin−1(∣b∣∣n∣b⋅n); the line is perpendicular to the plane iff b∥n, and parallel to the plane iff b⋅n=0.
Distance from a point u to a plane r⋅n=p:δ=∣n∣∣u⋅n−p∣ (Cartesian: δ=a2+b2+c2∣ax1+by1+cz1−p∣); taking u=0 gives the distance from the origin, δ=a2+b2+c2∣d∣ for ax+by+cz+d=0. The foot of that perpendicular is u+∣n∣2p−u⋅nn.
Distance between two PARALLEL planesax+by+cz+d1=0 and ax+by+cz+d2=0 (identical normal direction ratios): δ=a2+b2+c2∣d1−d2∣ — always rescale one equation first if the normals are only proportional, not identical.
Meeting point of a line r=a+tb and a plane r⋅n=p (when b⋅n=0, i.e. not parallel): substitute the line into the plane's equation, solve the resulting LINEAR equation in t for t1=b⋅np−a⋅n, then the meeting point is a+t1b.
Tip
"Angle with a NORMAL/another plane" ⇒ use cos−1. "Angle with a LINE'S direction against a plane" ⇒ use sin−1 (because of the complementary-angle relationship) — mixing these up is the most common slip in this topic.
Family: (2x−7y+4z−3)+λ(3x−5y+4z+11)=0; substitute (−2,1,3) to find λ.
✓Final answer
λ=61⇒ plane: 15x−47y+28z−7=0.
Write the one-parameter family of planes through the line of intersection, substitute the given point to solve for λ, then clear fractions.
Step 1. Set up the family. Planes: 2x−7y+4z=3 and 3x−5y+4z+11=0 (i.e. 3x−5y+4z=−11).
(2x−7y+4z−3)+λ(3x−5y+4z+11)=0.
Step 2. Substitute (−2,1,3).
2(−2)−7(1)+4(3)−3=−4−7+12−3=−2.
3(−2)−5(1)+4(3)+11=−6−5+12+11=12.
−2+12λ=0⟹λ=122=61.
Step 3. Substitute λ=61 back and clear fractions.