If a line makes angles $α,β,γ$ with the positive directions of the coordinate axes, then the value of $\cos 2α + \cos 2β + \cos 2γ$ is
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → -1
Let a line make angles $\alpha$, $\beta$, and $\gamma$ with the positive directions of the coordinate axes.
Then the direction cosines of the line are:
$l = \cos \alpha$, $m = \cos \beta$, $n = \cos \gamma$
Using the identity:
$\cos(2\theta) = 2\cos^2\theta - 1$
So,
$\cos(2\alpha) + \cos(2\beta) + \cos(2\gamma) = 2\cos^2\alpha - 1 + 2\cos^2\beta - 1 + 2\cos^2\gamma - 1$
$= 2(\cos^2\alpha + \cos^2\beta + \cos^2\gamma) - 3$
Using the direction cosine identity:
$\cos^2\alpha + \cos^2\beta + \cos^2\gamma = 1$
Therefore,
$\cos(2\alpha) + \cos(2\beta) + \cos(2\gamma) = 2(1) - 3 = -1$