(a) Note that the value of the parameter t in the
equation ⟨x,y,z⟩=⟨−3,2,4⟩+t⟨−4,2,1⟩
need not have the same value as the parameter t in the
equation ⟨x,y,z⟩=⟨2,1,2⟩+t⟨1,1,−1⟩. So it is
much safer to change the name of the parameter in the first equation
from t to s. In order for a point (x,y,z) to lie on both
lines we need
⟨−3,2,4⟩+s⟨−4,2,1⟩=⟨2,1,2⟩+t⟨1,1,−1⟩
or equivalently, writing out the three component equations and moving
all s's and t's to the left and constants to the right,
−4s−t2s−ts+t=5=−1=−2
Adding the last two equations together gives 3s=−3 or s=−1. Substituting
this into the last equation gives t=−1. Note that s=t=−1 does indeed
satisfy all three equations so that
⟨x,y,z⟩=⟨−3,2,4⟩−⟨−4,2,1⟩=⟨1,0,3⟩
lies on both lines. Any plane that contains the two lines must be parallel
to both direction vectors ⟨−4,2,1⟩ and ⟨1,1,−1⟩. So
its normal vector must be perpendicular to them, i.e. must be parallel to
⟨−4,2,1⟩×⟨1,1,−1⟩=⟨−3,−3,−6⟩=−3⟨1,1,2⟩.
The plane must contain (1,0,3) and be perpendicular to ⟨1,1,2⟩.
Its equation is ⟨1,1,2⟩⋅⟨x−1,y,z−3⟩=0 or x+y+2z=7.
This can be checked by verifying that ⟨−3,2,4⟩+s⟨−4,2,1⟩ and
⟨2,1,2⟩+t⟨1,1,−1⟩ obey
x+y+2z=7 for all s and t respectively.
(b) In order for a point (x,y,z) to lie on both lines we need
⟨−3,2,4⟩+s⟨−4,2,1⟩=⟨2,1,−1⟩+t⟨1,1,−1⟩
or equivalently, writing out the three component equations and moving
all s's and t's to the left and constants to the right,
−4s−t2s−ts+t=5=−1=−5
Adding the last two equations together gives 3s=−6 or s=−2. Substituting
this into the last equation gives t=−3. However, substituting
s=−2, t=−3 into the first equation gives 11=5, which is impossible. The
two lines do not intersect. In order for two lines to lie
in a common plane and not intersect, they must be parallel. So, in this
case no plane contains the two lines.
(c) In order for a point (x,y,z) to lie on both lines we need
⟨−3,2,4⟩+s⟨−2,−2,2⟩=⟨2,1,−1⟩+t⟨1,1,−1⟩
or equivalently, writing out the three component equations and moving
all s's and t's to the left and constants to the right,
−2s−t−2s−t2s+t=5=−1=−5
The first two equations are obviously contradictory. The
two lines do not intersect. Any plane containing the two lines
must be parallel to ⟨1,1,−1⟩ (and hence automatically parallel
to ⟨−2,−2,2⟩=−2⟨1,1,−1⟩) and must also be parallel to the vector
from the point (−3,2,4), which lies on the first line, to the point
(2,1,−1), which lies on the second. The vector is ⟨5,−1,−5⟩.
Hence the normal to the plane is
⟨5,−1,−5⟩×⟨1,1,−1⟩=⟨6,0,6⟩=6⟨1,0,1⟩.
The plane perpendicular to ⟨1,0,1⟩ containing (2,1,−1) is
⟨1,0,1⟩⋅⟨x−2,y−1,z+1⟩=0 or x+z=1.
(d) Again the two lines are parallel, since
⟨−2,−2,2⟩=−2⟨1,1,−1⟩.
Furthermore the point
⟨3,2,−2⟩=⟨3,2,−2⟩+0⟨−2,−2,2⟩=⟨2,1,−1⟩+1⟨1,1,−1⟩
lies on both lines. So the two lines not only intersect but
are identical. Any plane that contains the point (3,2,−2) and is parallel
to ⟨1,1,−1⟩ contains both lines. In general, the plane ax+by+cz=d
contains (3,2,−2) if and only if d=3a+2b−2c and is parallel to
⟨1,1,−1⟩ if and only if ⟨a,b,c⟩⋅⟨1,1,−1⟩=a+b−c=0. So, for arbitrary a and b (not both zero) ax+by+(a+b)z=a works.