Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A point lies in the first octant of a coordinate system measured in metres. An engineer knows only its distances from the three axes. The distance of from the -axis is . Its distance from the -axis is . Its distance from the -axis is . The engineer wants the coordinates of . Let . Write the three distances as three equations in , and . Add them to find , and then find , and . Give the square of the distance of from the origin, which is a whole number. All three coordinates are positive.
The distance from the -axis is , and the other axes follow the same pattern. The distance from the plane is .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The equations. , and .
Step 2. The sum. Adding gives , so .
Step 3. Each square. , and . All three coordinates are positive, so , and .
Step 4. The distance from the origin. The square of the distance is .
Check. From the -axis: . From the -axis: . From the -axis: . All three match.
Answer: m, and the square of its distance from the origin is .
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