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  3. Question about general equation for a line in 3d [modified]

Question about general equation for a line in 3d [modified]

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  • A AspDotNetDev

    So, a 3D version of y = mx + b?

    y = mx + Mz + b

    Note that m and M are just constants that may not have the same meaning as m in the original equation. Also note that I didn't understand a word you said, so I could be completely off base.

    [WikiLeaks Cablegate Cables]

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    TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
    wrote on last edited by
    #4

    y = ax + bz + c

    "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." - John Quincy Adams "Let me get this straight. You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him. And everybody's okay with this?" - Timon

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    • G GAMerritt

      Someone was asking about that a while back: Why is there no scalar equation for a line in three dimensions ? http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=165472[^] I think the R-difference (from R3 to R1) in dimensionality accounts for it. That's why there's no form analogous to Ax + By + C that includes a z-coefficient. Any ideas ? The only equation that might come close to fitting the bill is this one: Ax2 + Bxy + Cy2 + Dx + Ey + F = 0 If B2 - 4AC is zero this equation might represent a line, or two lines if less than zero. But this requires a section by a plane of a conic surface; and although it's a scalar equation, it still isn't linear; so I don't think it's suitable.

      modified on Monday, March 14, 2011 5:09 PM

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      DaveAuld
      wrote on last edited by
      #5

      whoooooooosh![^] [sound of that rapidly flying right over my head, in case youtube not working for you!]

      Dave Find Me On: Web|Facebook|Twitter|LinkedIn


      Folding Stats: Team CodeProject

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      • G GAMerritt

        Someone was asking about that a while back: Why is there no scalar equation for a line in three dimensions ? http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=165472[^] I think the R-difference (from R3 to R1) in dimensionality accounts for it. That's why there's no form analogous to Ax + By + C that includes a z-coefficient. Any ideas ? The only equation that might come close to fitting the bill is this one: Ax2 + Bxy + Cy2 + Dx + Ey + F = 0 If B2 - 4AC is zero this equation might represent a line, or two lines if less than zero. But this requires a section by a plane of a conic surface; and although it's a scalar equation, it still isn't linear; so I don't think it's suitable.

        modified on Monday, March 14, 2011 5:09 PM

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        Luc Pattyn
        wrote on last edited by
        #6

        In 2D a line could be represented as Ax+By+C=0; this merely is a single constraint, reducing the 2D space to a one-dimensional collection of points. Similarly in 3D a plane could be Ax+By+Cz+D=0, and a line would be the intersection of two planes (it takes two constraints to reduce a 3D space to a one-dimensional object). Another approach is using a parameter, say t. Then a line would be the combination of: x=At+B, and y=Ct+D, and z=Et+F (take as many as you need for an N-dimensional space). One can think of t as time, and the point traveling along the intended line over time. :)

        Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

        Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.

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        • A AspDotNetDev

          So, a 3D version of y = mx + b?

          y = mx + Mz + b

          Note that m and M are just constants that may not have the same meaning as m in the original equation. Also note that I didn't understand a word you said, so I could be completely off base.

          [WikiLeaks Cablegate Cables]

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          Luc Pattyn
          wrote on last edited by
          #7

          Nope, that would be a plane, as for every pair (x,z) you get a y-value. :)

          Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

          Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.

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          • D DaveAuld

            whoooooooosh![^] [sound of that rapidly flying right over my head, in case youtube not working for you!]

            Dave Find Me On: Web|Facebook|Twitter|LinkedIn


            Folding Stats: Team CodeProject

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            Luc Pattyn
            wrote on last edited by
            #8

            landing gear inspection? :)

            Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

            Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.

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            • L Luc Pattyn

              landing gear inspection? :)

              Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

              Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.

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              DaveAuld
              wrote on last edited by
              #9

              so thats not the plane he's on about travelling from point a to b to c then.......... :rolleyes:

              Dave Find Me On: Web|Facebook|Twitter|LinkedIn


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              • D DaveAuld

                so thats not the plane he's on about travelling from point a to b to c then.......... :rolleyes:

                Dave Find Me On: Web|Facebook|Twitter|LinkedIn


                Folding Stats: Team CodeProject

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                Luc Pattyn
                wrote on last edited by
                #10

                No, mathematical planes are infinite; maybe slower than yours, but a lot bigger. :)

                Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

                Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.

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                • G GAMerritt

                  Someone was asking about that a while back: Why is there no scalar equation for a line in three dimensions ? http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=165472[^] I think the R-difference (from R3 to R1) in dimensionality accounts for it. That's why there's no form analogous to Ax + By + C that includes a z-coefficient. Any ideas ? The only equation that might come close to fitting the bill is this one: Ax2 + Bxy + Cy2 + Dx + Ey + F = 0 If B2 - 4AC is zero this equation might represent a line, or two lines if less than zero. But this requires a section by a plane of a conic surface; and although it's a scalar equation, it still isn't linear; so I don't think it's suitable.

                  modified on Monday, March 14, 2011 5:09 PM

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                  Iain Clarke Warrior Programmer
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #11

                  GAMerritt wrote:

                  Why is there no scalar equation for a line in three dimensions ?

                  I'm thinking you have the question back to front. Let's pretend a 1D universe. Then you have this equation:

                  ax = d

                  aka, in a 1D world, a scalar equation defines a point, or 0D object. In a 2D universe, you get this equation:

                  ax + by = d

                  aka, in a 2D world, a scalar equation defines a line, or 1D object. In a 3D universe, you get this equation:

                  ax + by + cz= d

                  aka, in a 3D world, a scalar equation defines a plane, or 2D object. To extrapolate... Σ(1->n) coeff [n] * axis [n] = d give an n-1 dimensional object. We just happen to have names for the previous things. I have no idea what you'd call a 3d scalar object in a 4d world. A hyper-plane? I hope that made some sense. Knowing how these things work, some italian mathematician will have written this all much more nicely and elegantly four hundred years ago. Iain. [Modified to fix typo - twice]

                  I am one of "those foreigners coming over here and stealing our jobs". Yay me!

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                  • I Iain Clarke Warrior Programmer

                    GAMerritt wrote:

                    Why is there no scalar equation for a line in three dimensions ?

                    I'm thinking you have the question back to front. Let's pretend a 1D universe. Then you have this equation:

                    ax = d

                    aka, in a 1D world, a scalar equation defines a point, or 0D object. In a 2D universe, you get this equation:

                    ax + by = d

                    aka, in a 2D world, a scalar equation defines a line, or 1D object. In a 3D universe, you get this equation:

                    ax + by + cz= d

                    aka, in a 3D world, a scalar equation defines a plane, or 2D object. To extrapolate... Σ(1->n) coeff [n] * axis [n] = d give an n-1 dimensional object. We just happen to have names for the previous things. I have no idea what you'd call a 3d scalar object in a 4d world. A hyper-plane? I hope that made some sense. Knowing how these things work, some italian mathematician will have written this all much more nicely and elegantly four hundred years ago. Iain. [Modified to fix typo - twice]

                    I am one of "those foreigners coming over here and stealing our jobs". Yay me!

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                    TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #12

                    Iain Clarke, Warrior Programmer wrote:

                    ax + by + cy= d

                    did you mean ax + by + cz = d?

                    "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." - John Quincy Adams "Let me get this straight. You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him. And everybody's okay with this?" - Timon

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                    • I Iain Clarke Warrior Programmer

                      GAMerritt wrote:

                      Why is there no scalar equation for a line in three dimensions ?

                      I'm thinking you have the question back to front. Let's pretend a 1D universe. Then you have this equation:

                      ax = d

                      aka, in a 1D world, a scalar equation defines a point, or 0D object. In a 2D universe, you get this equation:

                      ax + by = d

                      aka, in a 2D world, a scalar equation defines a line, or 1D object. In a 3D universe, you get this equation:

                      ax + by + cz= d

                      aka, in a 3D world, a scalar equation defines a plane, or 2D object. To extrapolate... Σ(1->n) coeff [n] * axis [n] = d give an n-1 dimensional object. We just happen to have names for the previous things. I have no idea what you'd call a 3d scalar object in a 4d world. A hyper-plane? I hope that made some sense. Knowing how these things work, some italian mathematician will have written this all much more nicely and elegantly four hundred years ago. Iain. [Modified to fix typo - twice]

                      I am one of "those foreigners coming over here and stealing our jobs". Yay me!

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                      Soulus83
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #13

                      Iain Clarke, Warrior Programmer wrote:

                      ax + by + cyz= d

                      I suppose the number of dimensions is proportionally direct to the number of variables in a scalar equation XD

                      Iain Clarke, Warrior Programmer wrote:

                      I am one of "those foreigners coming over here and stealing our jobs". Yay me!

                      Then we are two! :-D

                      "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--either way, you are right." — Henry Ford

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                      • T TheGreatAndPowerfulOz

                        Iain Clarke, Warrior Programmer wrote:

                        ax + by + cy= d

                        did you mean ax + by + cz = d?

                        "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." - John Quincy Adams "Let me get this straight. You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him. And everybody's okay with this?" - Timon

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                        Iain Clarke Warrior Programmer
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #14

                        ahmed zahmed wrote:

                        did you mean ax + by + cz = d?

                        It is possible, I suppose...

                        I am one of "those foreigners coming over here and stealing our jobs". Yay me!

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                        • I Iain Clarke Warrior Programmer

                          GAMerritt wrote:

                          Why is there no scalar equation for a line in three dimensions ?

                          I'm thinking you have the question back to front. Let's pretend a 1D universe. Then you have this equation:

                          ax = d

                          aka, in a 1D world, a scalar equation defines a point, or 0D object. In a 2D universe, you get this equation:

                          ax + by = d

                          aka, in a 2D world, a scalar equation defines a line, or 1D object. In a 3D universe, you get this equation:

                          ax + by + cz= d

                          aka, in a 3D world, a scalar equation defines a plane, or 2D object. To extrapolate... Σ(1->n) coeff [n] * axis [n] = d give an n-1 dimensional object. We just happen to have names for the previous things. I have no idea what you'd call a 3d scalar object in a 4d world. A hyper-plane? I hope that made some sense. Knowing how these things work, some italian mathematician will have written this all much more nicely and elegantly four hundred years ago. Iain. [Modified to fix typo - twice]

                          I am one of "those foreigners coming over here and stealing our jobs". Yay me!

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                          Lost User
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #15

                          Iain Clarke, Warrior Programmer wrote:

                          ax + by + cz= d

                          That's the equation for a plane. A line in 3 dimensions is the intersection of two planes. Cheers, Drew.

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                          • G GAMerritt

                            Someone was asking about that a while back: Why is there no scalar equation for a line in three dimensions ? http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=165472[^] I think the R-difference (from R3 to R1) in dimensionality accounts for it. That's why there's no form analogous to Ax + By + C that includes a z-coefficient. Any ideas ? The only equation that might come close to fitting the bill is this one: Ax2 + Bxy + Cy2 + Dx + Ey + F = 0 If B2 - 4AC is zero this equation might represent a line, or two lines if less than zero. But this requires a section by a plane of a conic surface; and although it's a scalar equation, it still isn't linear; so I don't think it's suitable.

                            modified on Monday, March 14, 2011 5:09 PM

                            S Offline
                            S Offline
                            Super Lloyd
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #16

                            the linear equation is, in "geometric term" OA . OM = 0 where OA is your line vector and M a point in the plane in 3D I guess you can try | OA ^ OM | = 0 So if AO = (a, b, c) and OM = (x, y, z) something along the lines of (IIR, might have some sign error) | (bz - cy, cx - az, ay - bx ) | = 0 (bz - cy)^2 + (cx - az)^2 + (ay -bx)^2 = 0

                            A train station is where the train stops. A bus station is where the bus stops. On my desk, I have a work station.... _________________________________________________________ My programs never have bugs, they just develop random features.

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                            • L Lost User

                              Iain Clarke, Warrior Programmer wrote:

                              ax + by + cz= d

                              That's the equation for a plane. A line in 3 dimensions is the intersection of two planes. Cheers, Drew.

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                              Iain Clarke Warrior Programmer
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #17

                              You are right, I did miswrite it. I do know it's a plane - that was kind of the central thesis. Seems I should not try to be deep near bedtime! Iain.

                              I am one of "those foreigners coming over here and stealing our jobs". Yay me!

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