Let the position vectors of the vertices AA, BB and CC of a tetrahedron ABCDABCD be i^+2j^+k^\hat{\mathbf{i}} + 2 \hat{\mathbf{j}} + \hat{\mathbf{k}}, i^+3j^−2k^\hat{\mathbf{i}} + 3 \hat{\mathbf{j}} - 2 \hat{\mathbf{k}} and 2i^+j^−k^2 \hat{\mathbf{i}} + \hat{\mathbf{j}} - \hat{\mathbf{k}} respectively. The altitude from the vertex DD to the opposite face ABCABC meets the median line segment through AA of the triangle ABCABC at the point EE. If the length of ADAD is 1103\frac{\sqrt{110}}{3} and the volume of the tetrahedron is 80562\frac{\sqrt{805}}{6 \sqrt{2}}, then the position vector of EE is

Answer: The position vector of EE is 139i^+2j^−119k^\frac{13}{9} \hat{\mathbf{i}} + 2 \hat{\mathbf{j}} - \frac{11}{9} \hat{\mathbf{k}}.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Calculate vectors AB and AC and area of triangle ABC

First, we find the vectors AB⃗\vec{AB} and AC⃗\vec{AC} by subtracting the position vector of A from B and C respectively. Then, we calculate the cross product of AB⃗\vec{AB} and AC⃗\vec{AC} to find a vector normal to the plane containing triangle ABC. The magnitude of this cross product, divided by 2, gives the area of triangle ABC.

Step 2: Find the height of the tetrahedron

The volume of a tetrahedron is given by the formula 13×base area×height\frac{1}{3} \times \text{base area} \times \text{height}. Using the given volume and the calculated area of triangle ABC, we can find the height hh of the tetrahedron from vertex D to the base ABC. The height is the projection of AD⃗\vec{AD} onto the normal vector of the plane ABC.

Step 3: Determine the position vector of D

We are given the length of AD. We can set up equations using the dot product of AD⃗\vec{AD} with the unit normal vector to the plane ABC, which equals the height hh. We also use the magnitude of AD⃗\vec{AD}. Solving these equations will give us the coordinates of D. For simplicity, we will assume one of the possible solutions for d⃗\vec{d}.

Step 4: Find the midpoint M of BC and the equation of the median AM

The median line segment through A connects vertex A to the midpoint M of the opposite side BC. We find the position vector of M by averaging the position vectors of B and C. Then, we find the vector AM⃗\vec{AM} and write the parametric equation of the line AM.

Step 5: Find the point E

The point E is the intersection of the altitude from D and the median AM. The altitude from D is a line passing through D and parallel to the normal vector of the plane ABC. We set up the parametric equations for both lines and equate their components to find the values of the parameters ss and tt. Substituting these values back into either line equation gives the position vector of E.

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