Circles

Circles
Definition
 Circle is the locus of a point moving in the X-Y plane
and equidistant from a given point
Standard Form
 The standard form of a circle is: (x–a)2 + (y–b)2 = r2
 (a,b) is the center
 (x,y) a point on the circumference

General Equation
 The general equation of a circle is x2+y2+2gx+2fy+c = 0
This can be derived easily:
Standard Form: (x–a)2 + (y–b)2 = r2
 x2 + y2 – 2ax – 2by +(a2+b2–r2) = 0
So, a = –g, b = –f, c = a2 + b2 – r2
 r = √(g2+f2–c)
Centre and Radius
 For the general equation of the circle:
 x2+y2+2gx+2fy+c = 0
Centre is (–g,–f)
Radius = √(g2+f2–c)
Example
 Find the equation of a circle, center (1/2,–6/5) and radius
3/2
The standard form is (x–a)2 + (y–b)2 = r2
 a = 1/2 and b = –6/5
 r = 3/2
Equation is (x–1/2)2 + (y+6/5)2 = 9/4

Condition for General 2˚
Equation to be a Circle
 General 2˚ equation is ax2+by2+2hxy+2gx+2fy+c = 0
 There are conditions for this to be a circle:
i. Coefficient of xy (h) = 0
ii. Coefficients of x and y are equal, i.e., a = b

NOTE
 There are 3 variables in the form of a circle: g, f, c
So, we need 3 points to uniquely determine the equation

of a circle
Type of Circle
 For the circle x2+y2+2gx+2fy+c = 0
i. g2+f2–c > 0
Real circle with finite radius
ii. g2+f2–c = 0
Point circle
iii. g2+f2–c < 0
Imaginary circle
Example
 Find equation of a circle passing through A(2,1), B(0,5)
and C(–1,2)
Let the circle be x2+y2+2gx+2fy+c = 0
For point A: 5+4g+2f+c = 0 —(1)
For point B: 25+10f+c = 0 —(2)
For point C: 5–2g+4f+c = 0 —(3)

2 2
Example
 Find the equation of a circle with lines 2x–3y = 5 and 3x–4y
= 7 as diameters and area 154 sq.units
Since area = 154 = (22/7)r2
r=7
Also, the lines 2x–3y = 5 and 3x–4y = 7 intersect at (1,–1)
So, we have the centre (1,–1) and radius = 7 units
Therefore, equation of the circle is (x–1)2+(y+1)2 = 49

Example
 Find the equation of a circle with center (–3,–5) and
tangent to the line 12x+5y = 4
r = |12(–3)+5(–5)–4|/√(122+52)
 r = 5 units
 equation is (x+3)2+(y+5)2 = 25
Diametrical Form of Circle
 If we have the coordinates of a diameter of a circle,
the diametrical form is given by:
(x–x1)(x–x2) + (y–y1)(y–y2) = 0
Example
 Find the equation of a circle with least area that
passes through the points (1,4) and (3,5)
For least area, we need to minimize the radius
 (1,4) and (3,5) should be the diameter
So, the equation is (x–1)(x–3) + (y–4)(y–5) = 0

Example
 The lines 3x–4y+4 = 0 and 6x–8y–7 = 0 are tangents to the
same circle. Find the radius of the circle
These two lines have the same slope, and are thus parallel
 3x–4y+4 = 0 is also 6x–8y+8 = 0
The distance between these two lines = diameter
 Diameter = |4+ 7/2|/√(32+42) = 3/2
 Radius = 3/4
Intercept
 The length of x intercept for x2+y2+2gx+2fy+c = 0 is:
 Intercept = 2√(g2–c)
At intercepts, y = 0
 x2+2gx+c = 0 has roots x1 & x2
(x2–x1)2 = (x2+x1)2 – 4x1x2 = 4g2–4c
 x2–x1 = 2√(g2–c)
Similarly, y intercept = 2√(f2–c)

Intercept with the Axes
 The x and y intercepts are 2√(g2–c) and 2√(f2–c)
 If g2–c > 0, circle cuts off an intercept
 If g2–c = 0, circle touches the x-axis at one point
 If g2–c < 0, circle does not touch the x-axis
Similarly for the y intercept

Example
 Find the equation of a circle touching the coordinate axes and
radius = 4
Since it touches both the axes, g2 = c and f2 = c
Radius = 4
 √(g2+f2–c) = 4
 c = 16, and g = f = ±4
Equation is (x±4)2 + (y±4)2 = 16

Example
 Find the length of the intercept cut off from the line y = mx+c
by the circle x2 + y2 + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0
This is almost the same as the formula we derived earlier
Put y = mx+c in x2 + y2 + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0
 x2 + (mx+c)2 + 2gx + 2f(mx+c) + c = 0
 x2(1+m2) + x(2mc+2g+2fm) + (c2+2fc+c) = 0
The length of intercept = |x2–x1| = √[(x2+x1)2–4x2x1]

Example
 Find the equation of a circle passing though origin and
cutting off intercepts equal to 1 on the lines y2–x2 = 0
In this figure y2–x2 = (y+x)(y–x) = 0
We have drawn intercepts of 1 on the

lines y+x = 0 and y–x = 0
AB is the diameter (∠ O = 90˚)
 (x–1/√2)(x–1/√2)(y–1/√2)(y+1/√2) = 0
Example contd.
 There are 3 more such circles:
Therefore, the general solution

for all the circles is:
The other coordinates are also:
(±1/√2, ±1/√2)
Example
 If the lines a1x+b1y+c1 = 0 and a2x+b2y+c2 = 0 cut the
coordinate axes in concyclic points, then prove that:
a1a2 = b1b2
Since A, C, B, D are concyclic points
 OC.OA = OB.OD
Example contd.
OC = –c2/b2, OA = –c1/b1
OB = –c1/a1, OD = –c2/a2
Now, OC.OA = OB.OD
 (–c2/b2)(–c1/b1) = (–c1/a1)(–c2/a2)
 a1a2 = b1b2
r2O 2
(15,20)
B
A D
r1
O1

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Circles

 (a,b) is the center

 (x,y) a point on the circumference

This can be derived easily:

Standard Form: (x–a)2 + (y–b)2 = r2

 x2 + y2 – 2ax – 2by +(a2+b2–r2) = 0

So, a = –g, b = –f, c = a2 + b2 – r2

The standard form is (x–a)2 + (y–b)2 = r2

 a = 1/2 and b = –6/5

Equation is (x–1/2)2 + (y+6/5)2 = 9/4

 There are conditions for this to be a circle:

ii. Coefficients of x and y are equal, i.e., a = b

So, we need 3 points to uniquely determine the equation

Real circle with finite radius

iii. g2+f2–c < 0

Let the circle be x2+y2+2gx+2fy+c = 0

For point A: 5+4g+2f+c = 0 —(1)

For point B: 25+10f+c = 0 —(2)

For point C: 5–2g+4f+c = 0 —(3)

Since area = 154 = (22/7)r2

Also, the lines 2x–3y = 5 and 3x–4y = 7 intersect at (1,–1)

So, we have the centre (1,–1) and radius = 7 units

Therefore, equation of the circle is (x–1)2+(y+1)2 = 49

For least area, we need to minimize the radius

 (1,4) and (3,5) should be the diameter

So, the equation is (x–1)(x–3) + (y–4)(y–5) = 0

 3x–4y+4 = 0 is also 6x–8y+8 = 0

The distance between these two lines = diameter

 Diameter = |4+ 7/2|/√(32+42) = 3/2

 x2+2gx+c = 0 has roots x1 & x2

(x2–x1)2 = (x2+x1)2 – 4x1x2 = 4g2–4c

Similarly, y intercept = 2√(f2–c)

 If g2–c > 0, circle cuts off an intercept

 If g2–c = 0, circle touches the x-axis at one point

 If g2–c < 0, circle does not touch the x-axis

Similarly for the y intercept

Since it touches both the axes, g2 = c and f2 = c

Equation is (x±4)2 + (y±4)2 = 16

This is almost the same as the formula we derived earlier

Put y = mx+c in x2 + y2 + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0

 x2 + (mx+c)2 + 2gx + 2f(mx+c) + c = 0

 x2(1+m2) + x(2mc+2g+2fm) + (c2+2fc+c) = 0

The length of intercept = |x2–x1| = √[(x2+x1)2–4x2x1]

In this figure y2–x2 = (y+x)(y–x) = 0

We have drawn intercepts of 1 on the

AB is the diameter (∠ O = 90˚)

Therefore, the general solution

The other coordinates are also:

Since A, C, B, D are concyclic points

Now, OC.OA = OB.OD

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