When a line is drawn in 3D space, it makes angles with all three axes:
- α = angle with x-axis
- β = angle with y-axis
- γ = angle with z-axis
The direction cosines satisfy:
cos2α+cos2β+cos2γ=1
Using the double angle formula cos2θ=2cos2θ−1:
cos2α=2cos2α−1
cos2β=2cos2β−1
cos2γ=2cos2γ−1
Adding these expressions:
cos2α+cos2β+cos2γ
=(2cos2α−1)+(2cos2β−1)+(2cos2γ−1)
=2cos2α+2cos2β+2cos2γ−3
=2(cos2α+cos2β+cos2γ)−3
Substituting cos2α+cos2β+cos2γ=1:
=2(1)−3
=−1
Therefore:
2(cos2α+cos2β+cos2γ)
=2×(−1)
=−2
The answer is −2.