Find the equations of tangent planes to the conicoid #x^2+2y^2+z^2=4# which passes through the line #x+y+z+1=0#, #2x+3y+2z-3=0#?

1 Answer
Jun 18, 2017

See below.

Explanation:

With #p = (x,y,z)# and calling #C(p)-> x^2+2y^2+z^2-4=0#

The support line to the tangent planes to #C# is determined as follows.

Taking the three planes

#{(Pi_1-> x + y + z + 1=0),(Pi_2->2 x + 3 y + 2 z - 3=0 ),(Pi_g->a x+b y+c z+d=0):}#

and solving for #x,y,z# we obtain

#{(x = -(5 b - 6 c + d)/(a - c)),(y=5),(z=-6 + (5 b - 6 c + d)/(a - c)):}#

now calling #lambda = (5 b - 6 c + d)/(a - c) # we obtain the support line equation

#L->p = p_0 + lambda vec v#

with

#p_0 = (0,5,-6)#
#vec v = (-1,0,1)#

The tangent planes have the equation

#Pi_t -> << vec n_t, p-p_t >> = 0#

where

#vec n_t = grad C(p_t) = (2x_t,4y_t,2z_t)# and

#p_t = (x_t,y_t,z_t)# is the tangency point.

The tangency point #p_t# is found solving

#{(Pi_t @ L -> << vec n_t, p_0+lambda vec v-p_0 >> = lambda << vec n_t, vec v >> = 0),(C(p_t)=0),( << vec n_t, p_t-p_0 >> = 0):}#

or

#{(z_t-x_t=0),(x_t^2 + 2 y_t^2 + z_t^2 -4=0),(2 x_t^2 + 4 (y_t-5) y_t + 2 z_t (6 + z_t) =0):}#

Solving we get at two tangency points

#p_t^1 = ( -23/17, -7/17, -23/17)# and
#p_t^2=(1,1,1)#

and consequently

#vec n_t^1 = (-46/17, -28/17, -46/17)#
#vec n_t^2 = (2, 4, 2)#

and the tangent planes are

#Pi_t^1->8 + (46 x)/17 + (28 y)/17 + (46 z)/17 = 0#
#Pi_t^2-> 2 x + 4 y + 2 z-8 = 0#

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