Co-ordinate Geometry: Change of Axes

Lecturer-Sadia Akter Lima

Sc and Hum, MIST.

July 9, 2020

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Change of Axes or Transformation of Coordinates

Transformation of Coordinates
The coordinates of a point depend upon the origin and the position of two axes. So the
coordinates of a point or the equation of the locus of the point changes, when origin or
position of axes be changed. The process of changing the coordinates of a point or the
equation of the locus of the point is called transformation of coordinates. Let old
coordinates of a point (x, y) and new coordinates (x 0 , y 0 ) according to transformation
of coordinates. In this case, x and y be denoted separately with respect to x 0 and y 0 .
The position of origin and axes can be changed in the following three ways:
1 Change of origin without changing the direction of axes.
2 Rotating the axes without change of origin.
3 Shifting the origin and rotation of axes.

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Change of Axes or Transformation of Coordinates

Theorem-1: If the origin O(o, o) is shifted at O 0 (α, β) but the direction of axes remain
unchanged then
(a) Transformed coordinate of (x, y) with respect to new axes is
(x 0 , y 0 ) = (x − α, y − β)
(b) Transformed equation of f (x, y) = 0 with respect to new axes is
f (x 0 + α, y 0 + β) = 0
Theorem-2: If the direction of axes is turned through an angle θ and the origin remains
unchanged then
(a) transformed coordinate of (x, y) with respect to new axes is
(x 0 , y 0 ) = (x cos θ + y sin θ, −x sin θ + y cos θ)
(b) transformed equation of f (x, y) = 0 with respect to new axes is
f (x 0 cos θ − y 0 sin θ, x 0 sin θ + y 0 cos θ) = 0.
Theorem-3: If the origin O(o, o) is shifted at O 0 (α, β) and the direction of axes is
turned through an angle θ then
(a)transformed coordinate of (x, y) with respect to new axes is
(x 0 , y 0 ) = ((x − α) cos θ + (y − β) sin θ, −(x − α) sin θ + (y − β) cos θ)
(b) transformed equation of f (x, y) = 0 with respect to new axes is
f (α + x 0 cos θ − y 0 sin θ, β + x 0 sin θ + y 0 cos θ) = 0

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Change of Axes or Transformation of Coordinates

Theorem-4: If OX , OY and O 0 X 0 , O 0 Y 0 are distinct two pairs axes, of which equations

of O 0 X 0 , O 0 Y 0 with respect to OX , OY are respectively lx + my + n = 0 and
mx − ly + n0 = 0 then the transformed coordinate of (x, y ) with respect to new axes is
!
0 0 mx − ly + n0 lx + my + n
(x , y ) = p , p
l 2 + m2 l 2 + m2

Theorem-5: Transform the general equation of second degree

ax 2 + 2hxy + by 2 + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0 to one in which there is no term involving x, y
and xy both set of axes being rectangular.
Theorem-6: Invarient theorem
If the transformation equation of ax 2 + 2hxy + by 2 = 0 is a1 x 2 + 2h1 xy + b1 y 2 = 0
when the direction of axes is turned through an angle θ without change of origin then
a + b and ab − h2 are invarient i.e. a + b = a1 + b1 and ab − h2 = a1 b1 − h12 .

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Change of Axes or Transformation of Coordinates

Example-1: Transform the equation 19x 2 + 5xy + 7y 2 − 13 = 0 by lacking xy term.

Solution:The given equation is 19x 2 + 5xy + 7y 2 − 13 = 0. Now compare this
equation with ax 2 + 2hxy + by 2 + c = 0 and find
5
a = 19, b = 7, c = −13, h = .
2
Let the transformed equation for lacking xy term be
a1 x 2 + b1 y 2 = 13.
Then by invariant theorem we get
a1 + b1 = a + b = 26
and
25 507
a1 b1 = ab − h2 = 133 − =
4 4
Now, q p
a1 − b1 = (a1 + b1 )2 − 4a1 b1 = 262 − 507 = 13
∴ a1 − b1 = 13
Thus we obtain
a1 + b1 = 26; a1 − b1 = 13
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Change of Axes or Transformation of Coordinates

Hence by solving these two equations we find a1 = 39 2

, b1 = 13
2
. Putting these two
values in the equation a1 x 2 + b1 y 2 = 13, we obtain

39x 2 13y 2
+ = 13 ⇒ 3x 2 + y 2 = 2
2 2

Which is the required transformed equation

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Change of Axes or Transformation of Coordinates

Example-2: Transform the equation 11x 2 − 4xy + 14y 2 − 58x − 44y + 126 = 0 to new
axes of X and Y whose equations are x − 2y + 1 = 0 and 2x + y − 8 = 0 respectively.
Solution: Given that

11x 2 − 4xy + 14y 2 − 58x − 44y + 126 = 0 (1)

Let x − 2y + 1 = 0 and 2x + y − 8 = 0 be the new axes of X and Y . Now coordinate

of (x, y) be (x 0 , y 0 ). So

2x + y − 8 2x + y − 8 √
x0 = p = √ ⇒ 2x + y − 8 = 5x 0 (2)
22 + 12 5

and

x − 2y + 1 x − 2y + 1 √
y0 = p = √ ⇒ x − 2y + 1 = 5y 0 (3)
2
1 +2 2 5

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Change of Axes or Transformation of Coordinates

Solving equations (2) and (3) we get

2x 0 + y 0 x 0 − 2y 0
x= √ + 3, y = √ +2
5 5
⇒ x = h + 3, y = k + 2
0
2x√ +y 0 x 0√
−2y 0
where h = k=, .
5 5
Now using the values of x and y in equation (1) we get

11(h + 3)2 − 4(h + 3)(k + 2) + 14(k + 2)2 − 58(h + 3) − 44(k + 2) + 126 = 0

⇒ 11h2 − 4hk + 14k 2 = 5


2x 0 + y 0 2  0
2x + y 0
 0
x − 2y 0

x − 2y 0 2
 0 
⇒ 11 √ −4 √ √ + 14 √ =5
5 5 5 5
⇒ 50x 02 + 75y 02 = 25
⇒ 2x 02 + 3y 02 = 1
Now replace x 0 , y 0 by x, y and get the required transformed equation

2x 2 + 3y 2 = 1

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Change of Axes or Transformation of Coordinates

Example-3: Transfer the equation

17x 2 + 18xy − 7y 2 − 16x − 32y − 18 = 0

to one in which there is no term involving x, y and xy both sets of axes being
rectangular.
Solution: Given that

17x 2 + 18xy − 7y 2 − 16x − 32y − 18 = 0 (4)

Let transform the origin to a point (h, k) . Then x = x 0 + h, y = y 0 + k Putting these

values in equation (4) we get

17(x 0 + h)2 + 18(x 0 + h)(y 0 + k) − 7(y 0 + k)2 − 16(x 0 + h) − 32(y 0 + k) − 18 = 0

⇒ 17x 02 + 18x 0 y 0 − 74y 02 + (34h + 18k − 16)x 0 + (18h − 14x − 32)y 0

+17h2 + 18hk − 7k 2 − 16h − 32k − 18 = 0 (5)

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Change of Axes or Transformation of Coordinates

Since there is no terms of x, y so equating the coefficient of x 0 , y 0 from both sides we

get
34h + 18k − 16 = 0
18h − 14k − 32 = 0

Solving these two equations we obtain h = 1, k = 1 Putting the values of h, k in

equation (5) we have

17x 02 + 18x 0 y 0 − 7y 02 + 0 + 0 + 17 + 18(1)(−1) − 7(−1)2 − 16 − 32(−1) − 18 = 0

⇒ 17x 02 + 18x 0 y 0 − 7y 02 − 10 = 0

Removing suffixes,

17x 2 + 18xy − 7y 2 − 10 = 0 (6)

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Change of Axes or Transformation of Coordinates

If we rotate the axes through an angle θ then

1 2h 2.9
θ= tan−1 ⇒ 2θ = tan−1 ⇒ tan 2θ = 3/4
2 a−b 17 + 7

∴ sin 2θ = 3/5; cos 2θ = 4/5

⇒ 2 sin θ cos θ = 3/5; 2 cos2 θ − 1 = 4/5

3
⇒ sin θ = ; cos2 θ = 9/10
10 cos θ
√ √
⇒ sin θ = 1/ 10; cos θ = 3/ 10

We know,
x = x 0 cos θ − y 0 sin θ; y = x 0 sin θ + y 0 cosθ
3x 0 − y 0 x 0 + 3y 0
⇒x = √ ; y= √
10 10

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Change of Axes or Transformation of Coordinates

Putting the values of x and y in equation (6),

2 2
3x 0 − y 0 3x 0 − y 0 x 0 + 3y 0 x 0 + 3y 0
    
17 √ + 18 √ √ −7 √ − 10 = 0
10 10 10 10

After evaluation
2x 02 − y 02 = 1
Removing suffixes we get
2x 2 − y 2 = 1
which is the required transformation.
Exercise IV: 8, 9, 10
from reference book ”A text book on coordinate geometry with vector analysis.”

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