Question
In the following cases, determine whether the given planes are parallel or perpendicular, and in case they are neither, find the angles between them.
4x + 8y + z - 8 = 0 and y + z - 4 = 0

Answer

The direction ratios of normal to the plane, L1: a1x + b1y + c1z = 0,
are a1, b1, c1 and L2: a2x + b2y + c2z = 0 are a2, b2, c2
$\text{L}_1||\text{L}_2,\ \text{if }\frac{\text{a}_1}{\text{a}_2}=\frac{\text{b}_1}{\text{b}_2}=\frac{\text{c}_1}{\text{c}_2}$
$\text{L}_1\perp\text{L}_2,\ \text{if}\ \text{a}_1\text{a}_2+\text{b}_1\text{b}_2+\text{c}_1\text{c}_2=0$
The angle between L1 and L2 is given by,
$\text{Q}=\cos^{-1}\Bigg|\frac{\text{a}_1\text{a}_2+\text{b}_1\text{b}_2+\text{c}_1\text{c}_2}{\sqrt{\text{a}_1^2+\text{b}_1^2+\text{c}_1^2}.\sqrt{\text{a}_2^2+\text{b}_2^2+\text{c}_2^2}}$
The equations of the given planes are 4x + 8y + z - 8 = 0 and y + z - 4 = 0
Here, a1 = 4, b1 = 8, c1 = 1 and a2 = 0, b2 = 1, c2 = 1
a1a2 +b1b2 + c1c2 = 4× 0 + 8 × 1 + 1
$=9\neq0$
$\frac{\text{a}_1}{\text{a}_2}=\frac{4}{0},\ \frac{\text{b}_1}{\text{b}_2}=\frac{8}{1}=8\text{ and } \frac{\text{c}_1}{\text{c}_2}=\frac{1}{1}=1$
$\therefore\ \ \frac{\text{a}_1}{\text{a}_2}\neq\frac{\text{b}_1}{\text{b}_2}\neq\frac{\text{c}_1}{\text{c}_2}$
Therefore, the given lines are not parallel to each other.
The angle between the planes is given by,
$\text{Q}=\cos^{-1}\Bigg|\frac{4\times0+8\times1+1\times1}{\sqrt{4^2+8^2+1^2}\times\sqrt{0^2+1^2+1^2}}\Bigg|=\cos^{-1}\Bigg|\frac{9}{9\sqrt{2}}\Bigg|$
$=\cos^{-1}\Big(\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\Big)=45^{\circ}.$

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