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NCERT Exemplar · Q46

Q.The plane parallel to yzyz-plane is perpendicular to ________.

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The key idea is that a plane parallel to the yzyz-plane has a constant xx-coordinate, so its normal vector points along the xx-axis. Therefore, it is perpendicular to the xx-axis.

Understanding 3D Coordinate Octants and Planes

In three-dimensional coordinate geometry, the coordinate planes divide space into eight octants. The three fundamental planes are:

  • yzyz-plane: All points where x=0x = 0. This plane contains the yy and zz axes.
  • zxzx-plane: All points where y=0y = 0.
  • xyxy-plane: All points where z=0z = 0.

A plane parallel to the yzyz-plane means it never intersects the yzyz-plane — it is shifted along the xx-axis. Such a plane has the equation x=kx = k, where kk is a constant. For example, x=3x = 3 is a plane parallel to the yzyz-plane, located 3 units away along the xx-axis.

Now, what does "perpendicular to" mean here? A plane is perpendicular to a line if the line is normal (perpendicular) to the plane. So we need to find which axis or line is perpendicular to a plane parallel to the yzyz-plane.

Step-by-Step Reasoning

  1. Equation of a plane parallel to yzyz-plane

    Any plane parallel to the yzyz-plane has the form x=cx = c, where cc is a constant. This is because the yzyz-plane itself is x=0x = 0, and moving it parallel means only the xx-coordinate changes.

  2. Normal vector of the plane

    The normal vector to a plane x=cx = c is n⃗=(1,0,0)\vec{n} = (1, 0, 0). Why? Because the plane's equation can be written as 1⋅x+0⋅y+0⋅z=c1 \cdot x + 0 \cdot y + 0 \cdot z = c, so the coefficients of x,y,zx, y, z give the normal vector. This vector points along the positive xx-axis.

  3. Perpendicularity condition …

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