Sphere Problems

Deccan Education Society’s
Willingdon College, Sangli

Department of Mathematics,
SPHERE
Problem collection for B.Sc. Part: I.
Definition, Equation of sphere and converse (General Equation of sphere).
Ex.: Find the centers and radii of the following spheres.
1. x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 6x + 8y − 10z + 1 = 0
2. x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 4x + 6y − 8z + 4 = 0
3. 2x2 + 2y 2 + 2z 2 − 2x + 4y + 2z + 1 = 0
DIAMETER FORM
Ex.: Find the equation of the sphere whose diameter is a straight line joining the points
A(1, −2, 3) and B(−3, 1, 2)
Problems on sphere through four points and others
1. Find the equation of the sphere whose center is at (−1, 2, −3) and which passes through
the point (2, −1, −1)
2. Find the equation of the sphere passing through the points,
(a) (0, 0, 0); (a, 0, 0); (0, b, 0); (0, 0, c)
(b) (0, 0, 0); (0, 1, −1); (−1, 2, 0); (1, 2, 3)
(c) (4, −1, 2); (0, −2, 3); (1, −5, −1); (2, 0, 1)
3. Obtain the equation of the sphere circumscribing the tetrahedron whose faces are x =
x y z
0, y = 0, z = 0, + + =1
a b c
4. Obtain the equation of the sphere which passes through the three points (1, 0, 0);
(0, 1, 0); (0, 0, 1) and has it’s radius as small as possible.
5. Obtain the equation of the sphere passing through the points (3, 0, 2); (−1, 1, 1); (2, −5, 4)
and having its center on the plane 2x + 3y + 4z = 6.
6. Obtain the equation of the sphere having its center on the line 5y + 2z = 0 = 2x − 3y
and which passes through the points (0, −2, −4); (2, −1, −1).
7. Obtain the equation of the sphere which passes through the points (−3, 4, 1);
(−1, 0, −3); (0, 3, −3) and touch the line x = y, z = 0
8. A sphere with its center in positive√octant
√ passes
√ through the origin and cuts the co-
ordinate planes in in circles of radii 2a, 2b, 2c, find the equation.
9. A variable plane passes through a fixed point (a, b, c) cuts the co-ordinate axes in the
points A, B, C Show that the locus of the center of the sphere OABC is xa + yb + zc = 2.
10. A sphere of constant radius 0 r0 passes through the origin and cuts the axes at A, B, C
prove that the locus of the foot of the perpendicular from the origin to the plane ABC
is given by (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )2 (x−2 + y −2 + z −2 ) = 4r2 .
11. A sphere of constant radius 2k passes through the origin and meets the axes in A, B, C.
Show that the locus of the centroid of the tetrahedron OABC is the sphere x2 +y 2 +z 2 =
k2.
1
PLANE SECTION OF A SPHERE AND INTERSECTION OF TWO SPHERES:
EQUATION OF CIRCLE
1. Find the center and radius of the circles

(a) x + 2y + 2z = 15; x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 2y − 4z = 11
(b) x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 2x − 2y − 4z = 19; x + 2y + 2z + 7 = 0
2. Find the area of the circle x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 12x − 12y − 16z + 111 = 0; 2x + 2y + 2z = 17.
3. Obtain the equation of the circle lying on the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 2x + 4y − 6z + 3 = 0
and having its center at (2, 3, −4).
4. Find the equation of the diameter of the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 29 such that a rotation
about it will transfer the point (4, −3, 2) to the point (5, 0, −2) along a great circle of
the sphere. Find also the angle through which the sphere must be so rotated.he circle
5. Find the equation of the sphere of radius 4 and center at the point (−6, 1, 3). Find the
area of the section in which the sphere is cut by the plane x − y + 2z + 5 = 0.
6. A sphere goes through the point (4, 6, 3) and meets XY-plane in a circle of radius 5 and
center point (1, 2, 0). Find the equation of sphere.
7. Show that the following sets of points are con-cyclic.
(a) (5, 0, 2), (2, −6, 0), (7, −3, 8), (4, −9, 6).
(b) (−8, 5, 2), (−5, 2, 2), (−7, 6, 6), (−4, 3, 6).
8. Determine the equations of the circle through the points (1.0, 0), (0, 2, 0), (0, 0, 3). Find
the center and area of the circle.
MISCELLANEOUS
1. A plane passes through a fixed point (a, b, c). Show that the locus of the foot of the
perpendicular from the origin is the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 = ax + by + cz.
2. A point moves so that the sum of the squares of the distances from the six faces of a
cube constant, show that its locus is a sphere.
3. A sphere of constant radius r passes through the origin and meets the axes in A, B, C.
Show that the locus of the centroid of triangle ABC is the sphere a(x2 + y 2 + z 2 ) = Ar2 .
PROBLEMS on Spheres through a given circle : S + λU = 0 and S + λS 0 = 0
1. Find the equation of the sphere through the circle x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 9, 2x + 3y + 4z = 5

and the point (1, 2, 3).
2. Find the equation of the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 2x + 3y + 6 = 0, x − 2y + 4z − 9 = 0 and
the center of the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 2x + 4y − 6z + 5 = 0.
3. Show that the equation of the sphere having its center on the plane 4x − 5y − z = 3 and
passing through the circle with equations x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 2x − 3y + 4z + 8 = 0, x2 + y 2 +
z 2 + 4x + 5y − 6z + 2 = 0 is x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 7x + 9y − 11z − 1 = 0.
4. Obtain the equation of the sphere having the circle x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 10y − 4z − 8 =
0, x + y + z = 3 as the great circle.
5. Obtain the equation of the sphere which passes through the circle x2 + y 2 = 4, z = 0
and is cut by the plane x + 2y + 2z = 0 in a circle of radius 3.
6. Show that the circles
x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 2x + 3y + 4z − 5 = 0, 5y + 6z + 1 = 0
2
x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 3x − 4y + 5z − 6 = 0, x + 2y − 7z = 0
lie on a same sphere and find its equation.
Intersection of a sphere and line: Power of a point, equation of tangent plane.
1. Find the two tangent planes to the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 4x + 2y − 6z + 5 = 0 which are

parallel to the plane 2x + 2y = z.
2. Find the equation of the sphere which touches the sphere x2 +y 2 +z 2 −x+3y +2z −3 = 0
at (1, 1, −1) and passes through the origin.
3. Show that the plane 2x − 2y + z + 16 = 0 touches sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 2x − 4y + 2z = 3,
and find the point of contact.
4. Find the equation of the sphere which passes through the circle x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 5, x +
2y + 3z = 3 and touch the plane 4x + 3y = 15.
5. Find the condition that the plane lx + my + nz = p is a tangent plane to the sphere
x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 2ux + 2vy + 2wz + d = 0.
6. Find the equation of two tangent planes to the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 9, which passes
through the line x + y = 6, x − 2z = 3.
7. Obtain the equation of tangent planes to the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 6x − 2z + 1 = 0, which
passes through the line 3(16 − x) = 3z = 2y + 30.
8. Find the equation of the sphere of radius 7 and which touch the YZ-plane at point
(0, 3, 4).
9. Find the equation of the sphere passing through the origin and touching the sphere
x2 + y 2 + z 2 − x + 2y + 13z = 3 at point (1, −1, 1).
10. Prove that the straight line 2(x+1) = 2−y = z +3 touches the sphere 9(x2 +y 2 +z 2 ) = 5,
find the point of contact.
x+3 y+4 z−7
11. Find the points of intersection of the line = = and the sphere x2 +
1 2 3
y 2 + z 2 = 77. Also find the power of the point (−3, −4, 7) with respect to this sphere.
Orthogonality of spheres (Condition).
1. Find the equation of the sphere which passes through the circle x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 2x + 3y −
4z + 6 = 0, 3x − 4y + 5z = 15 and cut the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 2x + 4y − 6z + 11 = 0
orthogonally.
2. Find the equation of the sphere which touches the plane 3x + 2y − z + 2 = 0 at (1, −2, 1)
and cuts the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 4x + 6y + 4 = 0 orthogonally.
3. The sphere passes through (0, 3, 0) & (−2, −1, −4) and cuts the two spheres x2 + y 2 +
z 2 + x − 3z − 2 = 0 and 2(x2 + y 2 + z 2 ) + x + 3y + 4 = 0 orthogonally. Find its equation.
MISCELLANEOUS
1. Find the equation of the radical plane of the spheres x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 2x + 3y + 4z − 5 =

0, x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 3x − 4y + 5z = 6 and show that it is at right angles to the line joining
the centers of the spheres.
2. Show that the spheres given by the equation x2 +y 2 +z 2 −14x+45 = 0 & x2 +y 2 +z 2 +4x =
117 touch each other and determine the co-ordinates of their point of contact.

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Deccan Education Society’s

Willingdon College, Sangli

Definition, Equation of sphere and converse (General Equation of sphere).

Ex.: Find the centers and radii of the following spheres.

Problems on sphere through four points and others

1. Find the center and radius of the circles

PROBLEMS on Spheres through a given circle : S + λU = 0 and S + λS 0 = 0

1. Find the equation of the sphere through the circle x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 9, 2x + 3y + 4z = 5

Intersection of a sphere and line: Power of a point, equation of tangent plane.

1. Find the two tangent planes to the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 4x + 2y − 6z + 5 = 0 which are

Orthogonality of spheres (Condition).

1. Find the equation of the radical plane of the spheres x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 2x + 3y + 4z − 5 =

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