Question
Let the mirror image of the point (a, b, c) with respect to the plane 3x 4y + 12z + 19 = 0 be (a 6, , ). If a + b + c = 5, then 7 9 is equal to ______________.
Answer: 3
Solution
Here's a clear, educational, and well-structured solution to the problem.
-
Key Concepts and Formulas
- Image of a Point with respect to a Plane: The image of a point with respect to a plane is given by the formula: This formula is derived from the fact that the line segment is perpendicular to the plane, and the midpoint of lies on the plane.
- Solving Systems of Linear Equations: To find unknown variables or expressions, we often need to set up and solve a system of linear equations. Techniques like substitution or elimination are commonly used.
-
Step-by-Step Solution
Step 1: Identify Given Information and the Goal We are given:
- Original point .
- Equation of the plane: . Comparing this to , we have , , , and .
- Mirror image point .
- An additional condition: .
- Our goal is to find the value of the expression .
Step 2: Calculate the Denominator for the Image Formula First, we calculate :
Step 3: Apply the Image Formula and Determine the Common Ratio Substitute the coordinates of , , and the plane coefficients into the image formula: Let's simplify the first part of the equation: This means the common ratio (let's call it ) for all parts of the formula is .
Step 4: Express and in terms of and Now, we use the common ratio to find expressions for and :
- For :
- For :
Step 5: Form an Equation involving using the Common Ratio Equate the full expression of the common ratio to : Divide both sides by : Multiply both sides by : Subtract from both sides:
Step 6: Utilize the Given Condition to Find We are given the condition . Our target expression involves (from Equations 1 and 2). To find , we can eliminate from Equations 3 and 4. Multiply Equation 4 by 3: Now, subtract Equation 5 from Equation 3: Multiply by to get the desired form :
Step 7: Calculate the Final Expression Substitute the expressions for and from Equations 1 and 2 into : Group the terms: Now substitute the value of from Equation 6:
-
Common Mistakes & Tips
- Sign Errors: Be meticulous with negative signs, especially in the formula for the image of a point and when combining equations. A common error is mixing up the sign of or forgetting the in the numerator.
- Formula Accuracy: Ensure you recall the exact formula for the image of a point. The
-2factor is crucial for the image, while for the foot of the perpendicular, it would be-1. - Systematic Elimination: When solving a system of equations, choose a variable to eliminate and multiply equations by appropriate constants to make the coefficients of that variable equal (and opposite if adding, or same if subtracting).
-
Summary
We began by applying the standard formula for the image of a point with respect to a plane. By using the given x-coordinate of the image point, we efficiently determined the common ratio of the formula. This common ratio allowed us to express and in terms of and , and also to derive a linear equation relating . Combining this derived equation with the given condition , we solved for the expression . Finally, we substituted this value back into the expression for to find the result.
The final answer is .