Let be the cube with the set of vertices . Let be the set of all twelve lines containing the diagonals of the six faces of the cube . Let be the set of all four lines containing the main diagonals of the cube ; for instance, the line passing through the vertices and is in . For lines and , let denote the shortest distance between them. Then the maximum value of , as varies over and varies over , is
Correct Answer :
Solution :
The correct answer is .
Step 1: Understand the Geometry of the Cube
Let be a unit cube with vertices given by where each coordinate is either 0 or 1.
Step 2: Define the Sets of Lines
1. Set (Main Diagonals):
There are 4 main diagonals passing through opposite vertices of the cube. Consider one such main diagonal passing through and .
The direction vector of is:
2. Set (Face Diagonals):
There are 12 face diagonals across the 6 faces of the cube.
Consider a face diagonal lying on the face , passing through and .
The direction vector of is:
Step 3: Calculate the Shortest Distance Between and
The formula for the shortest distance between two skew lines with direction vectors and passing through points and respectively is given by:
First, let's compute the vector cross product :
Next, calculate the magnitude of the cross product:
Now, compute the vector .
Compute the scalar dot product:
Substituting these values back into the shortest distance formula:
Step 4: Check Other Pairs and Conclusion
For any pair of a face diagonal line and a main diagonal line , the lines are either intersecting (where distance is 0) or skew lines with a maximum possible shortest distance of .
Thus, the maximum value of is .
Access expert-curated educational resources and study materials—completely free.
Create, conduct, and manage professional online assessments with Mindyard. Perfect for teachers and institutes.
Copyright © 2026 Mindyard. All Rights Reserved.