Chapter 1 ANALYTIC GEOMETRY

Historical Time Line

 Analytic Geometry is the marriage of Algebra and Geometry. The one who
discovered Analytic Geometry was the man who never got out of bed before 11 in
the morning, the French philosopher and mathematician, Rene Descartes (1596 -
1650).
 It is said (although the story is probably a myth) the Descartes came up with the
idea for his coordinate system while lying on the bed and watching a flying crawl
on ceiling of his room.
 Descartes published his ideas in 1637 in a treatise called La geometrie
(Geometry), the branch of mathematics which brings together analytical tools of
algebra and the visual immediacy of geometry by providing away to visualize
algebraic functions.
 The birth of Analytic Geometry is an important mathematical development, for it
lead the foundations for modern mathematics as well as aided the development of
Calculus.

The Cartesian Coordinate System

y-axis
The Cartesian Coordinate system is also known as
the rectangular coordinate system.
Origin is the of intersection of the coordinate axes.
The horizontal axis (x-axis) and the vertical axis (0, b)
(y-axis).
Cartesian plane has four quadrants whose points
P (x, y)
Are defined as P (x, y) where x is the x – coordinate
(abscissa) and y as the y – coordinate (ordinate).
The term Abscissa was coined by the German x-axis
mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.
(0, 0) (a, 0)
Intercepts are the points that lie on the coordinate axes,
y – intercept if found in the y axis and x – intercept
in the axes.

Distance between Two Points P₂(x₂,y₂)

(d)
𝒅 = |P1 P2 | √(∆𝒙)𝟐 + (∆𝒚 )𝟐

𝒅 = √(𝒙𝟐 −𝒙𝟏 )𝟐 + (𝒚𝟐 − 𝒚𝟏 )𝟐

P₁(x₁,y₁)

Example 1: Find the distance between the points P1 (−2, 3) and P2 (−1, 6)
Solution
Let 𝑥1 = −2; 𝑦1 = 3
𝑥2 = −1; 𝑦2 = 6
Then 𝑑 = √(𝑥2 − 𝑥1 )2 + (𝑦2 − 𝑦1 )2

= √[−1 − (−2)]2 + (6 − 3)2

= √1 + 9 = √10 = 3.15227756
Example 2. Show that the ponts (−3, 0), (−1, −1) and (5, −4) are in a straight line.
𝑃1 (−3, 0)
Solution:

𝑃2 (−1, 1)

𝑃3 (5, −4)
The points are in a stright line if the sum of the two shorter distances is equal to the
longest distance.
𝑃1 𝑃2 = √(𝑥2 − 𝑥1 )2 + (𝑦2 − 𝑦1 )2

= √[−1 − (−3)]2 + (−1 − 0)2

= √4 + 1 = √5
𝑃2 𝑃3 = √(𝑥3 − 𝑥2 )2 + (𝑦3 − 𝑦2 )2

= √[5 − (−1)]2 + (−1 − 0)2

= √36 + 9 = √45 = 3√5

𝑃1 𝑃3 = √(𝑥3 − 𝑥1 )2 + (𝑦3 − 𝑦1 )2

= √[5 − (−3)]2 + (−4 − 0)2

= √64 + 16 = √80 = 4√5

Example 3. The vertices of the base of an isisceles triangle are at (1, 2) and (4, −1). Find the
ordinate of the third vertex if its abscissa is 6.
Solution: Let P(6, y) be the required point.
𝑃൫6, 𝑦൯

𝐴(1, 2)

𝐵(4, −1)
𝐴𝑃 = 𝑃𝐵. (Two sides of an isosceles triangle are equal).
By the distace formula, we have
√(1 − 6)2 + (2 − 𝑦)2 = √(4 − 6)2 + (−1 − 𝑦)2 .
Squaring both sides, we obtain
25 + 4 − 4y + y 2 = 4 + 1 + 2y + y 2
−6𝑦 = −24
𝑦=4
The third vertex is at (6, 4).
The Midpoint Formula
If M(𝑥, 𝑦) is the midpoint of the line segement from 𝑃1 (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) to 𝑃2 (𝑥2 , 𝑦2 ). Then

𝑃2 ൫𝑥2 , 𝑦2൯

𝑀൫𝑥, 𝑦൯

𝑃1 ൫𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ൯

𝑥1 + 𝑥2 𝑦1 + 𝑦2
M(𝑥, 𝑦) = ( , ) or
2 2

𝑥1 + 𝑥2 𝑦1 + 𝑦2
𝑥𝑚 = ( ), 𝑦𝑚 = ( ),
2 2

Example 1. Find the midpoint of the line segment joining the points
(−3, 2)and (−2, 2)

Solution:
𝑥1 + 𝑥2 𝑦1 + 𝑦2 −3 − 2 2 + 2 −5
M(𝑥, 𝑦) = ( , )=( , ) = ( , 2)
2 2 2 2 2

Example 2. A circle has its center at (2, −1) and one end of a diameter at (5, 1). Find the other
end of the diameter.

𝑃1 (5, 1)

M(2, -1)

𝑃(𝑥, 𝑦)

In this problem,
x1 = 5; x2 = x
y1 = 1; y2 = y
xm = 2; ym = 1

Substituting and simplifying, we have

x1 + x2
xm = ( )
2
2xm = x1 + x2
x2 = 2xm − x1
x = 2(2) − 5 = −1
Similarly, y2 = 2(ym ) − y1
y = 2(−1) − 1 = −3
The other end of the diameteris at (−1, −3)
Division of Line Segment P₂(x₂,y₂)
r₂x₁ +r₁x₂ r₂
x= r₁+r₂ r₁
P (x,y) P₂(x₂,y₂)
r₂y₁ +r₁y₂
y=
r₁+r₂ P₁P₂ P (x,y)
Alternate formula: P₁P
P₁(x₁,y₁)
𝑃₁𝑃 𝑥−𝑥₁ 𝑃₁𝑃 𝑦−𝑦₁
𝑃₁𝑃₂
= 𝑥₂−𝑥₁ 𝑃₁𝑃₂
= 𝑦₂−𝑦₁
P₁(x₁,y₁)
In the above formulas, it is very important to remember that

P1 P r1
=
PP2 r2

Example 1. The line segment joining (−5, −3) and (3, 4) is to be divided into five equal parts.
Find the point of division closest to (−5, −3).
𝑃2 (3, 4)

𝑃൫𝑥, 𝑦൯

𝑃1 (−5, 3)

Solution:
Since P1 P2 is to be divided into five parts, we may considerP1 P to be one part and PP2 to
be four parts.

P1 P r1
=
PP2 r2
1 r1
or =
4 r2
Let r1 = 1, r2 = 4
x1 = −5 x2 = 3
y1 = −5 y2 = 4
r1 x2 + r2 x1 (1)(3) + (4)(−5) −17
x= = =
r1 + r2 1+4 5
r1 y1 + r1 r1 (1)(4) + (4)(−3) −8
y= = =
r1 + r1 1+4 5
−17 −8
The point of division is at ( , ).
5 5
 Exercises
Answer the following problems:
1. For the given points A and B, find the distance between A and B and the midpoint on the line
segment from A to B.
a. A(−7, −6) B(−4, 1)
b. A(−2, 5) B(−6, 8)
2. Given that A is a point (−4, y) and B is the point (−4, 3), find y such that ̅̅̅̅
AB = −3.
3. One end of the line segment is the point (−4, 2) and the midpoints is (3, −1), find the coordinates of
the other end of the line segment.
4. Show that the points (−1, −2), (2, 1)and (−3, 6) are the vertices of a right triangle. Find the area.
5. Find the pint on the y − axis that is equidistant from (5, 1) and (−3, −1).
6. The radius of a circle is 5 and its center (−3, −4). Find the length of the chord that is bisected at
11 13
(− , − ).
2 2
7. On the line joining (4, −5) to (−4, −2), find the point which is three-seventh the distance from the
first to the second.
8. Find the point which divides the segment from (−5, −4) to (6, −2) in the ratio 2: 3.
1 4
9. The segment joining (−3, −2) and (− 2 , 3) is extended to a distance equal to 5 of its own length. Find
the terminal point.
10. In what ratio does (−5, −6) divide the line joining (−9, −10) and (7, 6)?
Slope of a Line (Line Segment)
The slope of the line is the ratio of the change in x-coordinate to the change in x-coordinate. This
measure is either positive (+) or negative (−) or zero (0). Positive if the line is inclined to the right,
negative if to the left and zero if it is parallel with x-axis.
If P1 (x1 , y1 ) and P2 (x2 , y2 ) are any two distinct points on the line L which is not parallel to the y-
axis, then the slope L, denoted by m is defined as

P₂(x₂,y₂)
∆y y₂−y₁
m= ∆x
= x₂−x₁
with x1 ≠ x2
∆𝑦
P₁(x₁,y₁) m
m = tan 𝜃
∆𝑥

m=0

Note:
m (positive) 𝜃 is the angle of inclination
m is positive if the line is incline right
m (negative) m is negative if the line is incline left
m (infinity) m is zero if the line is horizontal
m is undefined if the line is vertical

Example 1. Let L be the line joining P1 (2, 3)and P2 (4, 7). Then the slope m of the line is
Solution:
Let x1 = 2, x2 = 4
y1 = 3 y2 = 7
Substituting in the formula, we have
y₂ − y₁ 7−3
m= = =2
x₂ − x₁ 4 − 2
Example 2. Show that the triangle whose vertices are (8, −4), (5, −1)an(−2, −8) is a right triangle.
Solution: P2 (5, −1)

P1 (8, −4)

P3 (12, −8)

We can prove 𝑃1 𝑃2 𝑃3 to be right triangle by showing that 𝑃1 𝑃2 is perpendicular to 𝑃2 𝑃3 . By the slope of line
formula,
y₂ − y₁ −4 − (1−)
m𝑃1𝑃2 = = = −1
x₂ − x₁ 8−5
𝑦3 − 𝑦2 −8 − (1−)
m𝑃2𝑃3 = = =1
𝑥3 − 𝑥2 −2 − 5
−1
Since m𝑃1𝑃2 = , then 𝑃1 𝑃2 ⊥ 𝑃2 𝑃3 and therefore 𝑃1 𝑃2 𝑃3 is a right triangle.
m𝑃2𝑃3
Forms of an equation of a straight line

STRAIGHT LINES
Line is series of infinite number of points. Straight line is the line of one or uniform slope.
General Equation:
𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐶 = 0
Standard Equations:
1. Point – Slope Form:
Given one point 𝑃(𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) and a slope m of a straight-line L, then the equation of the
line using Point – Shape Form is obtained by the following:

y − y1 = m(x − x1 )
Point-Slope Form
where (x, y) is an arbitrary point on L and m is the slope
P₁(x₁, y₁) m

Example. Find an equation of the line that passes through the point (3, 4) and has of −2.
Solution: y − y1 = m(x − x1 )
y − 4 = (−2)(x − 3)
y − 4 = −2x + 6
y + 2x − 10 = 0
or 2x + 𝑦 − 10 = 0

2. Slope – Intercept Form:

Given a y-intercept of a line L and a slope m, the equation of L using the-slope intercept
form is obtained by the following:

y = mx + b
where (x, y) is an arbitrary point on the line
(0,b) m
Slope- intercept Form
x-axis
(0,0)

𝐸𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 1. Find an equation of a line whose slope is 3 and whose y-intercept is −2.
Solution: From the given m = 3 and b = −2. Hence
y = mx + b
y = 3x − 2 or
3x − y − 2 = 0 is an equation of the line

𝐸𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 2. Find the slope and the intercept of the line whose equation is 3x + 4y = 24.
Solution: 3x + 4y = 24
4y = −3x + 24
−3𝑥 24
y= +
4 6
−3𝑥
y= +6
4
−3x
Therefore m= and b = 6
4
3. The Intercept Form
Given the line whose x-intercept is a and whose y-intercept is b, then an equation of L is
obtained uisng the equation:

x y
+ =1

y-axis
a b

where (x, y) is an arbitrary point on the line

(0,b)
Intercept Form
(a,0)
(0,0) x-axis

𝐸𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 1. Find an equation of a line with x-intercept is 4 and y-intercept −6.

y
Solution: From the given a = 4 and b = −6. Hence
x y 0 (4,0) x
+ =1
a b
x y
+ =1 (0,-6)
4 −6
3x − 2y = 12

𝐸𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 2. A line passes through (−2, −7) and has its intercepts numerically equal but
opposite signs. Find the equation.
Solution:

y
The intercepts are given to be numerically equal but opposite a

signs, thus 0 x

a = −b (1) b
The intercept form of the straight line is
x y
+ =1
a b (−2, −7)

Since point (−2, −7) is on the line, its coordinates satisfy the equation of the line. Hence,
−2 −7
+ =1 (2)
a b
Substituting (1) in (2), we obtain
−2 −7
+ =1
−b b
2 − 7 = b, b = −5
and a = 5
Substituting in the formula,
x y
+ =1
5 −5
x−y =5
4. Two−Point Form
If two points P1 (x1 , y1 ) and P2 (x2 , y2 ) are given, then an equation of a line L may be
expressed as follows:
y2 − y1
𝑦 − y1 = ( ) (x − x1 )
x2 − x1

where (x, y) is an arbitrary point on L P₂(x₂,y₂)

P (x,y) m

m
𝑃₁(𝑥₁, 𝑦₁)

𝐸𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 . Determine an equation of a line L given the points P1 (−1, −2) and P2 (1, −3).

Solution:
y2 − y1
y − y1 = ( ) (x − x1 )
x2 − x1
−3 − (−2)
y − (−2) = (x − (−1))
1 − (−1)
−3 + 2
y+2= (x + 1)
1+1
−1
y+2= (x + 1)
2
2y + 4 = −x − 1
or x + 2y + 5 = 0

5. Area Form

x₁ y₂ 1
[x₂ y₂ 1] = 0
x y 1

P (x,y)

P₂(x₂,y₂) In Area form, the right side of

the equation is equated to zero
P₁(x₁,y₁) because “no” area is form if the
Area Form
three points are collinear.

6. Normal Form
𝑥𝑐𝑜𝑠 Ɵ + 𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑛 Ɵ = 𝑝
where:
y-axis

𝐴
cos 𝜃 =
± √𝐴2 +𝐵2 (0,b)

𝐵
sin 𝜃 = p
± √𝐴2 +𝐵2
(a,0)
−𝐶 (0,0)
=𝑝
± √𝐴2 +𝐵2
 Equations of Parallel Lines:

𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐶₁ = 0 Ax + By + C₁ = 0 d
m₁ = m₂ m₁
𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐶₂ = 0
For parallel lines, the coefficient of x and y m₂
are equal or proportional. Parallel lines are
lines of the same slope such that m₁ = m₂. Ax + By + C₂ = 0

𝐸𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 . What is the equation of a line parallel to 𝑦 = −4𝑥 + 5 and passing through the
point (6, −3).
Solution: The slope of the given line, y = −4x + 5 is − 4 (remember y = mx + b).
Since parallel lines have = slopes, our line has a slope of −4.
Use the point-slope form of the equation of a line: 𝑦 − y1 = 𝑚(𝑥 − x1 ).
𝑚 = −4 (x1 , y1 ) = (6, −3)
y − (−3) = −4(x − 6)
y + 3 = −4x + 24
y = −4x + 21 answer

Distance between two Parallel Lines:

𝐶2 − 𝐶1
𝑑=
±√𝐴2 + 𝐵2

use positive or negative such that the distance is

always positive.

Example
 Equations of Perpendicular Lines:

𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐶₁ = 0 Ax + By + C = 0
𝐵𝑥 – 𝐴𝑦 + 𝐶₂ = 0
For perpendicular lines, the coefficient of m₂ m₁
x and y are interchanged with one sign is changed.
The slope of one line is negative reciprocal of the
other such that the product of their slopes is negative 1.
Bx - Ay + C₂ = 0
1
𝑚1 = − 𝑚1 ∙ 𝑚 2 = −1
𝑚₂

𝐸𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 1 . What is the equation of a line perpendicular to 2y = x − 4 and passing through the
point (−4, 1)?
1
Solution: The slope of the given line, 2y = x – 4 is 2
(remember to solve
for y first).
Since perpendicular lines have negative reciprocal slopes, our line has a slope of −2.
Use the point-slope form of the equation of a line: y − y1 = m(x − x1 ).
m = −2 (x1 , y1 ) = (−4,1)
y − 1 = −2(x − (−4))
y − 1 = −2x − 8
y = −2x − 7

Example 2. A line through point (−3, 4) is perpendicular to the line y = 2x − 3. Find the
point where the lines intersect.
Solution: If we know the equation of the perpendicular line, we will be able to set up a
system of equations to find the point of intersection. The slope of the
1
perpendicular line is the negative reciprocal of 2, or 2.
 Angle Formed between two Intersecting Lines:
Dx + Ey + F = 0
𝑚 2 − 𝑚₁
tan 𝜃 = 1 + 𝑚₁𝑚₂
Ɵ m₂
Ɵ is the acute angle m₁
formed between Ax + By + C = 0
two intersecting lines.

If tan 𝜃 is zero the lines are parallel. Ɵ

Type
If tan equation here. (infinity) then the lines
𝜃 is undefined
are perpendicular and 𝜃 = 90 degrees.

Example. Find the angle from the line through (−1, 6) and (5, −2) to the line through (4, −4) and (1, 7).
Solution: Let the line through 𝐴(−1, 6) and 𝐵 (5, −2) be 𝑙1 and the line through 𝐶 (4, −4) and
𝐷(1, 7) be 𝑙2.

We obtain the slopes 𝑙1 and 𝑙2 by formula:

𝑦𝐴 − 𝑦𝐵 6 − (−2) 4
𝑚1 = = =−
𝑥𝐴 − 𝑥𝐵 −1 − 5 3
𝑦𝐶 − 𝑦𝐷 −4 − 7 11
𝑚2 = = =−
𝑥𝐶 − 𝑥𝐷 4−1 3
Substituting in the formula, we have

𝑚2 − 𝑚1
tan 𝜃 =
1 + 𝑚2 𝑚1
11 4
− 3 − (− 3) 21
tan 𝜃 = =−
11 4 53
1 + (− 3 ) (− 3)

21
𝜃 = 𝐴𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛 (− )
53

Distance from a Line to a Point: P₁(x₁,y₁)

d
𝐴𝑥₁+𝐵𝑦₁+𝐶
𝑑=
± √𝐴2 + 𝐵2
The ambiguous sign of ± will follow the sign of B.
If the sign B is positive, then the denominator must be
positive, otherwise it is negative if B is also negative.

If d is positive (+), then the point is above or to the right of the line.
If d is negative (-), then the point is below or to the left of the line.
AREAS by Coordinates

Area of triangle formed by Coordinates:

P₂(x₂,y₂)
 Alternative Coordinate Method:

𝑥₁ 𝑦1 1 𝑥₁ 𝑦₁
1
𝐴 = 2 [𝑥₂ 𝑦₂ 1] [𝑥₂ 𝑦₂]
𝑥₃ 𝑦₃ 1 𝑥₃ 𝑦₃ P₁(x₁,y₁)

 Coordinate Method: P₃(x₃,y₃)

1 𝑥₁ 𝑥₂ 𝑥₃ 𝑥₁
𝐴=2 [ ] Note: The area is positive in
𝑦₁ 𝑦₂ 𝑦₃ 𝑦₁ counterclockwise direction

1
𝐴 = 2 [( 𝑥₁𝑦₂ + 𝑥₂𝑦₃ + 𝑥₃𝑦₁) − (𝑥₂𝑦₁ + 𝑥₃𝑦₂ + 𝑥₁𝑦₃)]
 Exercises
Answer the following problems:
1. Find the equation of the line satisfying the given conditions:

a. The slope is −2 and through the point (−4, 3)

b. Through the two points (−1, −5) and (3, 6)
3
c. Slope is 5 and y-intercept is 4.

d. The x-intercept is −3 and the y-intercept is 4.

2. Find the slope and y-intercept of the line having the given equation and draw the sketch of the line:
a. 8x − 4y = 5

b. x = 4y − 2
3. Shaw that the line joining (−4, 8) and (2, 11) is parallel to the line through (−1, 4) and (5, 7).
4. Shaw that the line joining (−2, 6) and (4, −3) is perpendicular to the line through (−4, −4)and (5, 2).

5. Find the area of the triangle whose vertices are (−6, −8), (3, −5) and (4, −2).
6. Find the perpendicular distance from the point (5, 6) to the line −2x + 3y + 4 = 0.
7. Find the equation of line through point (3, 2) and making angle 45° with the line x − 2y = 3.