Medium MCQ +4 / -1 PYQ · JEE Mains 2025

If the square of the shortest distance between the lines $\frac{x-2}{1}=\frac{y-1}{2}=\frac{z+3}{-3}$ and $\frac{x+1}{2}=\frac{y+3}{4}=\frac{z+5}{-5}$ is $\frac{m}{n}$, where $m$, $n$ are coprime numbers, then $m+n$ is equal to :

  1. A 14
  2. B 6
  3. C 21
  4. D 9 Correct answer

Solution

<p>$$\begin{aligned} & \overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}}=(2,1,-3) \\ & \overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}}=(-1,-3,-5) \\ & \overrightarrow{\mathrm{p}} \times \overrightarrow{\mathrm{q}}=\left|\begin{array}{ccc} \hat{\mathrm{i}} & \hat{\mathrm{j}} & \hat{\mathrm{k}} \\ 1 & 2 & -3 \\ 2 & 4 & -5 \end{array}\right| \\ & =2 \hat{\mathrm{i}}-\hat{\mathrm{j}} \\ & \overrightarrow{\mathrm{~b}}-\overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}}=-3 \hat{\mathrm{i}}-4 \hat{\mathrm{j}}-2 \hat{\mathrm{k}} \\ & \mathrm{~S}_{\mathrm{d}}=\frac{|(\overrightarrow{\mathrm{b}}-\overrightarrow{\mathrm{a}}) \cdot(\overrightarrow{\mathrm{p}} \times \overrightarrow{\mathrm{q}})|}{|\overrightarrow{\mathrm{p}} \times \overrightarrow{\mathrm{q}}|} \\ & =\frac{2}{\sqrt{5}} \\ & \left(\mathrm{~S}_{\mathrm{d}}\right)^2=\frac{4}{5} \\ & \mathrm{~m}=4, \mathrm{n}=5 \Rightarrow \mathrm{~m}+\mathrm{n}=9 \end{aligned}$$</p>

About this question

Subject: Mathematics · Chapter: Three Dimensional Geometry · Topic: Direction Cosines and Ratios

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