Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-year-1-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2012/paper-1/14/c/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge 2012 Paper 1 14 c Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Apply the vector triple product identity and the two plane constraints:Put . If is one intersection point, subtraction gives , so is parallel to . Conversely, adding any multiple of preserves both plane constraints because is orthogonal to both normal vectors. The whole intersection is thereforeSuch an exists: choose and solve the two-by-two linear system with determinant . This also proves sufficiency rather than assuming a nonempty intersection.
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