If the lines $\frac{x-1}{2}=\frac{2-y}{-3}=\frac{z-3}{\alpha}$ and $\frac{x-4}{5}=\frac{y-1}{2}=\frac{z}{\beta}$ intersect, then the magnitude of the minimum value of $8 \alpha \beta$ is _____________.
Answer (integer)
18
Solution
Given, lines
<br/><br/>$$
\begin{aligned}
& \frac{x-1}{2} =\frac{2-y}{-3}=\frac{z-3}{\alpha} \\\\
&\Rightarrow \frac{x-1}{2} =\frac{y-2}{3}=\frac{z-3}{\alpha}=\lambda .........(i)
\end{aligned}
$$
<br/><br/>Any point on the line (i)
<br/><br/>$x=2 \lambda+1, y=3 \lambda+2, z=\alpha \lambda+3$
<br/><br/>and line $\frac{x-4}{5}=\frac{y-1}{2}=\frac{z}{\beta}=\mu$ ............(ii)
<br/><br/>Any point on line (ii)
<br/><br/>$\Rightarrow x=5 \mu+4, y=2 \mu+1, z=\beta \mu$
<br/><br/>Since, given lines intersects
<br/><br/>$$
\begin{aligned}
& \therefore 2 \lambda+1=5 \mu+4 ..........(iii)\\\\
& 3 \lambda+2=2 \mu+1 ............(iv)\\\\
& \text { and } \alpha \lambda+3=\beta \mu ..........(iv)
\end{aligned}
$$
<br/><br/>On solving (iii) and (iv), we get
<br/><br/>$\lambda=-1, \mu=-1$
<br/><br/>On putting value of $\lambda$ and $\mu$ in (v), we get
<br/><br/>$$
\begin{array}{cc}
& \alpha(-1)+3=-\beta \\\\
&\Rightarrow \alpha=\beta+3
\end{array}
$$
<br/><br/>Now,
<br/><br/>$$
\begin{aligned}
& 8 \alpha \beta=8 (\beta+3)(\beta) \\\\
&= 8\left(\beta^2+3 \beta\right) \\\\
& =8\left(\beta^2+3 \beta+\frac{9}{4}-\frac{9}{4}\right) \\\\
& =8\left\{\left(\beta+\frac{3}{2}\right)^2-\frac{9}{4}\right\}
\end{aligned}
$$
<br/><br/>$=8\left(\beta+\frac{3}{2}\right)^2-18$
<br/><br/>Here, minimum value $=-18$
<br/><br/>$\therefore$ Magnitude of the minimum value of $8 \alpha \beta$ is 18 .
About this question
Subject: Mathematics · Chapter: Three Dimensional Geometry · Topic: Direction Cosines and Ratios
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