Math_CP/Locus/Page 1

Mathematics Core Part

Locus
Supplementary Notes

Name: ____________________________ Class: _____________________( )

1. Geometric Properties related to Locus

I) Relationship between a Moving Point and Fixed Point(s)

A. Locus of points at a fixed distance from a fixed point

Situation 1: The locus of points at a fixed distance from a fixed point

d cm locus
O

The locus of points at a fixed distance d cm from a fixed point O is a circle with the given point
O as its centre and radius d cm.

B. Locus of points equidistant from two fixed points

Situation 2: The locus of points equidistant from two fixed points

A B
locus

The locus of points equidistant from two fixed points A and B is the perpendicular bisector of AB.
 Math_CP/Locus/Page 2

II) Relationship between a Moving Point and Fixed Line(s) or a Line Segment
C. Locus of points at a fixed distance from a fixed line

Situation 3: The locus of points at a fixed distance from a fixed line

d cm
locus
d cm

The locus of points at a fixed distance d cm from a fixed line L is a pair of parallel lines d cm from
either side of L.

Note: The locus can be extended infinitely.

D. Locus of points at a fixed distance from a line segment

Situation 4: The locus of points at a fixed distance from a line segment

locus
d cm
A B

d cm

The locus of points at a fixed distance d cm from a line segment AB is made up of two parts:
(i) two parallel line segment, each of length equal to AB, and at a distance d cm from AB,
and
(ii) two semi-circles each of radius d cm, with centres A and B respectively.
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E. Locus of points equidistant from two parallel lines

Situation 5: The locus of points equidistant from two parallel lines

L1
d cm locus

d cm
L2

The locus of points equidistant from two parallel lines L1 and L2 is a straight line parallel to the two
lines and midway between them.

F. Locus of points equidistant from two intersecting lines

Situation 6: The locus of points equidistant from two intersecting lines

locus

L1
locus

L2

The locus of points equidistant from two intersecting lines L1 and L2 is a line is a pair of angle
bisectors of the angle formed by L1 and L2 and the angle bisectors are mutually perpendicular.

III) Relationship between a Moving Point and Fixed Point and a Fixed Line

G. Locus of points equidistant from a fixed point and a fixed line

Situation 7:
The locus of points equidistant from a fixed point and a fixed line

The locus of points equidistant from a fixed point Q and a fixed line L is a parabola.
 Math_CP/Locus/Page 4

IV) Other Loci

Situation 8:

Suppose P is a moving point such that ∠POA = ∠POB.

The locus of the point P is the angle bisector of ∠AOB.

Locus

Situation 9:

Suppose P is a moving point such that either PA ⊥ PB or P coincides with A or B.

The locus of the point P is a circle with the line segment AB as diameter.

A
B

Locus
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2. Other Examples
A B
Example 1
The figure shows a regular hexagon ABCDEF.
Sketch and describe the locus of the moving point P
which satisfies each of the following conditions.
F C
(a) The point P is equidistant from C and F.
(b) P is a point inside the regular hexagon
and is equidistant from the lines BC and DC.

E D
Solution
(a)
A B

Locus of P

F C

E D

The locus is the perpendicular bisector of the line segment CF.

(b)
A B
Locus of P

F C

E D
The locus is the angle bisector of ∠BCD inside the regular hexagon, i.e. the line segment CF.
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Example 2
In the figure, P is the centre of a circle of radius 1 cm.
If the circle rolls around the line segment AB which
is 5 cm long, sketch and describe the locus of the point P. P

A B
5 cm

Solution
When the point P moves, the shortest distance between P and the line segment AB remains constant, i.e.
1 cm.
Locus of P
P

A B
5 cm

The locus contains two line segments of lengths 5 cm and two semi-circles of radii 1 cm with centers A
and B respectively.

Example 3
A fixed point C is 1.5 cm from a straight line L1.

(a) Construct the locus of points that are 2.5 cm from C.

(b) Also construct the locus of points that are 1 cm from L1.

(c) How many points of intersection are there in these two loci?

Solution
(a), (b)

(a)
C

(b) L1 (b)
(c) 3 points of intersection
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Class Practice

1. Draw the locus of the following points.

(a) A point A that is always 2 cm from a fixed point O.
(b) A point B that is always 1.5 cm from a straight line L.
(c) A point C that is always equidistant from two fixed points X and Y, which are 2.5 cm apart.
(d) A point D that is always equidistant from two parallel lines L1 and L2, which are 1 cm apart.
(e) A point E that is always equidistant from two intersecting lines L1 and L2, in which the angle
between two intersecting lines is 80°.

2. A and B are two fixed points which are 4 cm apart. Construct the locus of points that are 2 cm from A,
also construct the locus of points that are 2.5 cm from B. How many points of intersection are there in
these two loci?

3. The locus of points equidistant from two intersecting lines always forms an angle of certain degrees.
What is the angle?

4. E and F are two fixed points that are 4 cm apart. Construct the locus of points that are equidistant from E
and F, also construct the locus of points that are 2.5 cm from E. How many points of intersection are
there in these two loci?

5. L1 and L2 are two parallel lines that are 4 cm apart, and G is a point on L1. Construct the locus of points
that are equidistant from L1 and L2, also construct the locus of points that are 2 cm from G. How many
point(s) of intersection are there in these two loci?

6. The radius of a circle with centre O is 5 cm. What is the locus of the mid-points of all radii of the circle?

7. A point P moves in such a way that it is always 1 cm from a fixed circle with centre O and radius 4 cm.
Describe the locus of P.

8. In each of the following, A point P moves such that it keeps a fixed distance of 0.5 cm from the figure.
Draw the locus of P if P moves outside the following figures.
3 cm

(a) (b)

1.5 cm
3 cm
O
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(c) (d)
2 cm 2 cm

5 cm
3 cm
2 cm 2 cm

4 cm
2 cm
9. (a) Construct ΔABC with AB = 10 cm, ∠BAC = 80° and AC = 7 cm.
(b) Draw the locus of points equidistant from A and C.
(c) Draw the locus of points equidistant from B and C.
(d) Draw a circle through A, B and C. Measure the radius of the circle.

10. The figure shows a dog tied to one leg of a square table by a rope of 2.5 m at O. The side of the table is
1 m. Sketch the locus if the dog runs clockwise round the table keeping the rope taut.

1m 2.5 m
Dog
O
1m Table

11. The figure show a sheep tied to the trunk of a tree by a rope of 10 m long. The diameter of the trunk is 1
m. Sketch the locus if the sheep walks anticlockwise round the tree keeping the rope taut.

Trunk
10 m
Sheep

1m
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12. Draw the locus of an ant if it walks inside a rectangular box with base 5 cm by 6 cm and is always 1 cm
from the nearest wall.

13. A point P moves in a plane in such a way that it is always 3 cm from a fixed circle with centre O and
radius 6 cm. What is the locus of P?

14. A and B are two fixed points in a plane. A point P moves in such a way that
∠APB = 90°. What is the locus of point P?

15. Draw the locus of points which are 2 cm from a fixed point O. AB and CD are two straight lines passing
through O and perpendicular to each other. Draw the locus of points which are equidistant from AB and
CD. Describe the figure you get.

16. (a) Construct ΔABC with BC = 7 cm, ∠ABC = 70° and ∠ACB = 40°.
(b) Draw the locus of points, within ΔABC, which are 2 cm from AB.
(c) Draw the locus of points which are equidistant from CA and CB.
(d) A point E lies inside ΔABC. The position of E is such that it is less than 2 cm from AB but it is
nearer to BC than to AC. Indicate clearly, by shading, the region in which E must lie.

17. (a) Construct a rhombus ABCD with AB = 3 cm, ∠BAD = 60°.

(b) Draw the locus of points which are equidistant from AB and AD.
(c) Draw the locus of points which are equidistant from BA and BC.
(d) If E is the intersection point of the two loci, find ∠AEB.
(e) Calculate the lengths of AE and BE.
(Give the answers correct to 2 significant figures.)
(f) Hence, find AC and BD.

18. ABCD is a square with side 5 cm.

(a) Draw the locus of points, within the square, which are 2 cm from AB.
(b) Draw the locus of points which are equidistant from AB and AD.
(c) Let E be the intersection point of the two loci. Find the area of the trapezium with AB as its longer
parallel side.