In the mathematical definition of a great circle plane ($ax + by + cz = 0$), what does the vector $(a, b, c)$ represent?
Answer
The normal vector to the plane.
The vector $(a, b, c)$ is the normal vector to the plane, meaning it points perpendicularly away from the plane's surface. The equation must equal zero for the plane to pass through the origin (the sphere's center).
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