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Geometry Level 4

Consider the rotation T T of space with T ( 0 , 0 , 0 ) = ( 0 , 0 , 0 ) T(0,0,0)=(0,0,0) , T ( 6 , 6 , 3 ) = ( 4 , 1 , 8 ) T(6,6,3)=(4,-1,8) and T ( 6 , 3 , 6 ) = ( 4 , 8 , 1 ) T(-6,3,6)=(4,8,-1) . If ( a , b , c ) (a,b,c) is a nonzero point on the axis of rotation, find b + c a \frac{b+c}{a} .


The answer is 4.

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2 solutions

Rohit Ner
Feb 18, 2016

The origin remains at the same point, so the equation of axis of rotation can be written as x a a = y b b = z c c \frac{x-a}{a}=\frac{y-b}{b}=\frac{z-c}{c} It can be observed that the point obtained after rotation will lie on the plane passing through the original point with axis of rotation as normal to it.

( 4 , 1 , 8 ) (4,-1,8) will lie on ( x 6 ) ( a ) + ( y 6 ) ( b ) + ( z 3 ) ( c ) = 0 (x-6)(a)+(y-6)(b)+(z-3)(c)=0 and ( 4 , 8 , 1 ) (4,8,-1) will lie on ( x + 6 ) ( a ) + ( y 3 ) ( b ) + ( z 6 ) ( c ) = 0 (x+6)(a)+(y-3)(b)+(z-6)(c)=0 .

On substituting the values, we obtain

2 a + 7 b 5 c = 0 10 a + 5 b 7 c = 0 2a+7b-5c=0\\10a+5b-7c=0

On eliminating a a from both the equations, we get b = 3 5 c b=\frac{3}{5}c

b + c a = b + c 5 c 7 b 2 = 3 5 c + c 5 c 21 5 c 2 = 2 8 5 4 5 = 4 \begin{aligned} \frac{b+c}{a}&=\frac{b+c}{\frac{5c-7b}{2}}\\&=\frac{\frac{3}{5}c+c}{\frac{5c-\frac{21}{5}c}{2}}\\&=2\frac{\frac{8}{5}}{\frac{4}{5}}\\&\huge\color{#3D99F6}{=\boxed{4}}\end{aligned}

Nicely done! (+1)

Otto Bretscher - 5 years, 3 months ago
Otto Bretscher
Feb 19, 2016

As @Rohit Ner observes, for any point P P in space, the vector from P P to T ( P ) T(P) is perpendicular to the axis L L of rotation. For the two given points, these vectors are ( 4 , 1 , 8 ) ( 6 , 6 , 3 ) (4,-1,8)-(6,6,3) = ( 2 , 7 , 5 ) =(-2,-7,5) and ( 4 , 8 , 1 ) ( 6 , 3 , 6 ) = ( 10 , 5 , 7 ) (4,8,-1)-(-6,3,6)=(10,5,-7) . The vector product ( 2 , 7 , 5 ) × ( 10 , 5 , 7 ) = ( 24 , 36 , 60 ) (-2,-7,5) \times (10,5,-7) = (24,36,60) is parallel to L L . Thus L L consists of the points ( a , b , c ) = ( 24 t , 36 t , 60 t ) (a,b,c)=(24t,36t,60t) and b + c a = 96 t 24 t = 4 \frac{b+c}{a}=\frac{96t}{24t}=\boxed{4}

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