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If direction cosines of a line are (1/a,...

If direction cosines of a line are `(1/a, 1/a, 1/a)` then

A

`agt0`

B

`0lt alt 1`

C

`a = pm sqrt(3)`

D

`a gt 2`

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The correct Answer is:
To solve the problem, we need to analyze the given direction cosines of a line, which are \( \left( \frac{1}{a}, \frac{1}{a}, \frac{1}{a} \right) \). ### Step-by-Step Solution: 1. **Understanding Direction Cosines**: The direction cosines of a line are defined as \( L = \cos \alpha \), \( M = \cos \beta \), and \( N = \cos \gamma \), where \( \alpha \), \( \beta \), and \( \gamma \) are the angles that the line makes with the coordinate axes. 2. **Using the Property of Direction Cosines**: The fundamental property of direction cosines is that: \[ L^2 + M^2 + N^2 = 1 \] In our case, we have: \[ L = \frac{1}{a}, \quad M = \frac{1}{a}, \quad N = \frac{1}{a} \] 3. **Substituting the Values**: Substitute the values of \( L \), \( M \), and \( N \) into the equation: \[ \left( \frac{1}{a} \right)^2 + \left( \frac{1}{a} \right)^2 + \left( \frac{1}{a} \right)^2 = 1 \] 4. **Simplifying the Equation**: This simplifies to: \[ \frac{1}{a^2} + \frac{1}{a^2} + \frac{1}{a^2} = 1 \] Which can be written as: \[ 3 \cdot \frac{1}{a^2} = 1 \] 5. **Solving for \( a^2 \)**: To isolate \( a^2 \), we multiply both sides by \( a^2 \): \[ 3 = a^2 \] Thus, we find: \[ a^2 = 3 \] 6. **Finding \( a \)**: Taking the square root of both sides gives: \[ a = \pm \sqrt{3} \] ### Final Answer: The value of \( a \) is \( \pm \sqrt{3} \). ---
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