Coordinate geometry Contents: a7mIun wD Distance between two points Midpoints Gradient (or slope) Using coordinate geometry Equations of straight lines Distance from a point to a line 3-dimensional coordinate geometry (Extension)THE NUMBER PLANE The position of any point in the number plane can be specified in terms of an ordered pair of numbers (x, y), where: ae xr is the horizontal step from a fixed point or origin O, and y is the vertical step from O. Once the origin O has been given, two perpendicular axes are xis drawn. The a-axis is horizontal and the y-axis is vertical. The axes divide the number plane into four quadrants quadrant 2 | quadrant 1 The number plane is also known as either: quadrant 3 quadrant . the 2-dimensional plane, or e the Cartesian plane, named after René Descartes. In the diagram, the point P is at (a, b). a and b are referred to as the coordinates of P. a is called the x-coordinate, and b is called the y-coordinate.Consider the points A(1, 3) and B(4, 1). We can join the points by a straight line segment of length d units. Suppose we draw a right angled triangle with hypotenuse [AB] and with sides parallel to the axes. It is clear that d? = 3? +2? {Pythagoras} @=13 d=VIB {asd >0} the distance from A to B is ¥13 units. EXERCISE 5A.1 1. If necessary, use Pythagoras’ theorem to find the distance between: a AandB b AandD © CandA d FandC e Gand PF f CandG g EandC h EandD i BandG. |) DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS 3 NS BYTHE DISTANCE FORMULA To avoid drawing a diagram each time we wish to find a - y. distance, a distance formula can be developed Ya B aye) In going from A to B, the a-step = 22-2), and d yestep the y-step = yo—m. AQ) y a Now, using Pythagoras’ theorem, (AB) = (w-step)” + (y-step)” AB= \/(a-step)? + (y-step)? d= \/(#2— 21) + (yo — m1) Tf A(a, yi) and B(x2, y2) are two points in a plane, then the distance between these points is given by: The distance formula AB= V(@2 —1)? + Ga — 01)? saves us having to graph the points each time we rm MARY Gaston EPs (aratep) 24 ‘want to find a distance.Example 1 EDR Ls Find the distance between A(—2, 1) and B(3, 4). Example 2 SRS Consider the points A(—2, 0), B(2, 1) and C(1, —3). Use the distance formula to determine if the triangle ABC is equilateral, isosceles or scalene.Example 1 EDR La ls Find the distance between A(—2, 1) and B(3, 4). A(-2, 1) BG, 4) AB = /(@— —2)2+ (4-1) I tt = V5? +3? Yi 22 tp = 2549 = V34 units oe ag Consider the points A(—2, 0), B(2, 1) and C(I, —3). Use the distance formula to determine if the triangle ABC is equilateral, isosceles or scalene. AB= /(2—-27+(1-0? BC= (1-2)? +(-3- 1? ran = W2arie (1)? + (=4)? ‘A(-2,0) = VI7 units = V17 units AC= (1 — -2)? + (-3 - 0)? | ay; Va ae As AB=BC, triangle ABC is isosceles. = VIB unitsCU CyLCT) Use the distance formula to show that triangle ABC is right angled if Ais (1,2), Bis (2,5), and Cis (4,1). AB= J@-1P+(-27 BC=V4-27+(0-5P 20 = 2m?) = /2+(-4? MZ = V10 units = V20 units v0 vio AC= (4-12 +022 So, AB?+AC? =10+10=20 A = /3+(-1)? and BC? = 20 = v10 units .. triangle ABC is right angled at A. The right angle is opposite the longest side.SC Cesce Find b given that A(3,—2) and B(b,1) are V13 units apart. From AtoB, — 2-step=b—3 y-step = 1—-—-2=3 There are two possible solutions in this example. V(b— 3)? +3? = V13 Draw a diagram to see (6-3 +9=13 why this is so, (b-3y =4EXERCISE 5A.2 1. Find the distance between the following pairs of points: a A(@3,1) and BOS, 3) & C(-1,2) and Dé, 2) ¢ 00,0) and P(—2, 4) d E(8,0) and F(2, 0) e G(0,—2) and H(0, 5) f 12,0) and 4(0, -1) g R(1,2) and S(—2, 3) h W(5,—2) and Z(-1, —5) EXERCISE 5A.2 1 a 2V2units b 7 units ¢ 2V5 units d 6 units e 7 units f V5units g Vi0units h 3/5 units2 Use the distance formula to classify triangle ABC as either equilateral, isosceles or scalene: a A(3,-1), B(, 8), C(-6, 1) b AG, 0), B(3, 1), C(4, 5) ¢ AC-1,0), B,-2), C(4, 1) d A(v2,0), B(—v2, 0), C(O, —Vv5) @ A(V3, 1), B(—Vv3, 1), CO, —2) f A(a, 6), B(-a, b), C(O, 2) 2 a isosceles (AB = AC) & scalene ¢ isosceles (AB = BC) d_ isosceles (BC = AC) @ equilateral f isosceles (AC = BC)3 Use the distance formula to show that the following triangles are right angled. In each case state the right angle. a A(-2, -1), BG, —1), CB, 3) & A(-1, 2), BY, 2), C4, —5) ¢ A(1, —2), B(3, 0), C(—3, 2) d A(3, —4), B(—2, —5), C(2, 1) 3 a ABC b ABC « BAC d BAC ho aa=2 ba=30r-5 ¢a=+2 da=-l4 Find a given that: a P(2,3) and Q(a,—1) are 4 units apart & P(-1,1) and Q(a, —2) are 5 units apart ¢ X(a,a) is V8 units from the origin d A(0, a) is equidistant from P(3,—3) and Q(—2, 2). 3 a ABC b ABC « BAC d BAC ho aa=2 ba=30r-5 ¢a=+2 da=-lOs wipponts THE MIDPOINT FORMULA If point M is halfway between points A and B then M is the midpoint of [AB]. Consider the points A(1,2) and B(5, 4). It is clear from the diagram alongside that the midpoint M of [AB] is (3, 3). We notice that: + =3 and 24 a3, So, the x-coordinate of M is the average of the x-coordinates of A and B, and the y-coordinate of M is the average of the y-coordinates of A and B.In general, if A(a1, yi) and B(x2, y2) are two points then the midpoint M of [AB] has coordinates e+e yt y: 2° 2 . er aed Enc Find the coordinates of the midpoint of [AB] for A(—1, 3) and B(4, 7).ROE Example 5 Find the coordinates of the midpoint of [AB] for A(—1, 3) and B(4, 7). «r-coordinate of midpoint y-coordinate of midpoint peaeeloted _ oe 2 2 = 3 =5 aly ©. the midpoint of [AB] is (14, 5).Example 6 DRM CsBg Example 6 M is the midpoint of [AB]. Find the coordinates of B if A is (1, 3) and M is (4, —2). Let B be (a, b) A(1, 3) M(4,-2) a+1=8 and 6+3=—4 a=7 and b=—7 B is (7, —7). B(a,b)Example 7Example 7 ™) Self Tutor Suppose A is (—2, 4) and M is (3, —1), where M is the midpoint of [AB]. Use equal steps to find the coordinates of B. mstep: -2 +5 3 45 8 y-step: 4-5 -1 B is (8, —6).EXERCISE 5B aay) 1. Use this diagram only to find the coordinates oe of the midpoint of the line segment: a [GA] & [ED] Leh « [AC] d [AD] [I e [CD] f [GF] we g [EG] h [GD] EXERCISE 58 1 a (-14,34) b (-1,-2) ¢ (1,14) d (2,1) e(1,-14) f (-4,13) g (-44,$) h (-13,42 Find the coordinates of the midpoint of the line segment joining the pairs of points: a (8,1) and (2,5) b (2,-3) and (0,1) ¢ (3,0) and (0,6) d (-1,4) and (1,4) e (5,-3) and (-1, 0) f (-2,4) and (4, 2) g (5,9) and (-3, 4) h (3,-2) and (1, —5) 2 a (5,3) b (1, -1) ¢ (13, 3) d (0,4) e (2-14) f (11 g (1,24) h (2,-34)3. M is the midpoint of [AB]. Find the coordinates of B for: a A@,4) and M(3, —1) b A(—5,0) and M(0, —1) ¢ A(3,—2) and M(1d, 2) d A(-1,-2) and M(-3, 24) e A(7,—3) and M(0, 0) f A(3,-1) and M(O, —4) Check your answers using the equal steps method given in Example 7. 3. a B(0,-6) 6 B(5,—-2) © B(O,6) d_ B(0, 7) e B(-7,3) f B(—3, 0)4 If T is the midpoint of [PQl, find the coordinates of P for: a T(—3, 4) and Q(3, —2) b T(2, 0) and Q(-2, -3). 4 a P(-9,10) b P(6,3) 5 C(1,—-3) 6 P(7, —3) 7 S(-2,0) 8 2 units 9 a=21, b=5)5 [AB] is the diameter of a circle with centre C. If A is (3, —2) and B is (—1, —4), find the coordinates of C. 4 a P(-9,10) b P(6,3) 5 C(1,—3) 6 P(7,—3) 7 s(-2,0) 8 82 units 9 a=2), b=526 [PQ] is a diameter of a circle with centre (3, —}). Find the coordinates of P given that Qis (-1, 2). 6 P(7, —3)7 The diagonals of parallelogram PQRS bisect each (9) (5,3) other at X. Find the coordinates of S. Ss R(3,0) 7 S(-2,0) 8 Y@ units 9 a=2!, b= 5h oF8 Triangle ABC has vertices A(—1, 3), BC, —1), and C(5, 2). Find the length of the line segment from A to the midpoint of [BC]. 9 A,B, Cand Dare four points on the same straight line. The distances between successive points are equal, as shown. If A is (1, —3), C is (4, a) and D is (b, 5), find the values of a and 6. 7 S(-2,0) 8 Y@ units 9 a=2!, b= 5h i Be 2