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Find the equation of the sphere with points P such that the distance from P to A is twice the distance from P to B. A(-2, 6, 4), B(6, 3, -2)

User Bdkosher
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3 votes

Answer:

(x -26/3)² +(y -2)² +(z +4)² = 436/9

Explanation:

For P = (x, y, z), the distance to point A is ...

dA = √((x+2)² +(y-6)² +(z-4)²)

and the distance to point B is ...

dB = √((x-6)² +(y-3)² +(z+2)²)

We want the former to be twice the latter, so ...

dA = 2dB

√((x+2)² +(y-6)² +(z-4)²) = 2√((x-6)² +(y-3)² +(z+2)²)

Squaring both sides gives ...

(x+2)² +(y-6)² +(z-4)² = 4((x-6)² +(y-3)² +(z+2)²)

Subtracting the left side, we are left with ...

4(x-6)²-(x+2)² +4(y-3)² -(y-6)² +4(z+2)² -(z-4)² = 0

Expanding gives us the general form equation of the sphere:

3x² -52x +3y² -12y +3z² +24z +140 = 0

We can divide by 3 and complete the squares to get the standard-form equation:

(x -26/3)² +(y -2)² +(z +4)² = 436/9

User Meme
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