Let P be the image of the point (3, 1, 7) with respect to the plane x - y + z = 3. Then the equation of the plane through P and containing the straight line $\frac{x}{1}=\frac{y}{2}=\frac{z}{1}$, is
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
We know that the image of the point $(x_1, y_1, z_1)$ in the plane ax + by + cz + d = 0 is given by
$\frac{x-x_1}{a}=\frac{y-y_1}{b}=\frac{z-z_1}{c}=\frac{-2(ax_1+by_1+cz_1+d)}{a^2+b^2+c^2}$
Let P(x, y z) be the image of the point (3, 1, 7) in the plane x - y + z = 3. Then,
$\frac{x-3}{1}=\frac{y-1}{-1}=\frac{z-7}{1}=\frac{-2(3-1+7-3)}{1^2+(-1)^2+1^2}$
$⇒ x = -1, y = 5 , z = 3 $
So, the image of the given point is P(-1, 5, 3).
The equation of a plane passing through P(-1, 5, 3) is
$a(x+1) + b (y - 5) + c(z-3)= 0 $ ..............(i)
This will contain the line $\frac{x}{1}=\frac{y}{2}=\frac{z}{1}$, if
$ a - 5b - 3c = 0 $
and, $ a + 2b + c = 0 $
$∴ \frac{a}{-5+6}=\frac{b}{-3-1}=\frac{c}{2+5}$ or $\frac{a}{1}=\frac{b}{-4}=\frac{c}{7}$
Substituting the values of a, b, c in (i), we obtain x - 4y + 7z = 0 as the required plane.