You are in outer space in a spaceship at location (2, -3, 1) that has run out of fuel, drifting in space in the direction of <-1, 1, 2> at a speed of sqrt(6)mph. You need to be re-equipped with power and supplies. The closest supply station is located at (10, 5, 10) and it sends out a supply vessel perpendicular to your projected line of flight.

a) What is the minimal distance to your line of flight?

b) What direction did the supply package take?

c) In terms of your flight parameter, t = time (in hours), when does this closest approach occur?

d) Where is this interception point?

I need help with this problem.

I figured that some of you may want some practice on this, and seeing as how I can visualize this problem but I do not know the proper steps to take, it could be helpful to all of us.

Thanks in advance.

I figured that some of you may want some practice on this, and seeing as how I can visualize this problem but I do not know the proper steps to take, it could be helpful to all of us.

You should ditch physics and go into politics.

You shouldn't use English units when doing computations in space: http://www.cnn.com/TECH/space/9909/30/mars.metric.02/

I am a student and I am solving this for my OpenGL class, it's a homework problem. I need to solve it using Calculus first, then later in the semester I'll have to use OpenGL to solve this problem. I have tried to take the Projection of A (<8,8,9>) onto B (<-1, 1, 2>) which would be the vector of the shadow of A onto B in the B direction (which we will call vector C). Then I subtracted C from Vector A which is supposed to give me the vector perpendicular to the vector A (the closest possible point of intersection). So from this, I should have (a) solved, which is the magnitude of ||A-C||, and (b) which is -(A-C), the direction of travel of the package. I do not know if this is the correct method however.

Finally, I cannot figure out how to calculate the time in which this occurs. (c)

I should have been more descriptive from the beginning, so I apologize.

All I was doing was asking for help. No one asked you specifically to help. Just because you have absolutely no idea how to solve this, which no matter what reply you make to this could convince me otherwise, doesn't mean you should cover up your lack of interest in solving a problem like this (or knowledge thereof for that matter) by stating such a silly remark.

I, for one, gain pleasure from solving problems like this, because I know it is expanding my knowledge and mental capacity, so I wanted to share it with everyone. I also just wanted to point out that this entire forum is to "help people in your free time for free and stuffs.", which is how the entire forum process works.

I just wanted to point out your insolence in an objective way. I figured out the problem on my own, anyway. Funny how you'd waste your time posting a long reply to something you don't have time for.

Regards,

Faraday