Chapter VI

On Equations
Representing Two or
More Straight Lines

Two Straight Lines

Page 88
Ex. 1. Trace the locus xy = 0.
Page 89
Ex. 2. Trace the locus x2 − 5x + 6 = 0.
Ex. 3. Trace the locus xy − 4x − 5y + 20 = 0.

General equation of the second degree.

Page 96
Ex. If a be zero, prove that the general equation will represent
two straight lines if

2f gh − bg 2 − ch2 = 0.

Page 97
Ex. 1. Prove that the equation

12x2 + 7xy − 10y 2 + 13x + 45y − 35 = 0

represents two straight lines, and find the angle between them.
Page 98
Ex. 2. Find the value of h so that the equation

6x2 + 2hxy + 12y 2 + 22x + 31y + 20 = 0

may represent two straight lines.

1
 Straight lines through the origin.

Page 101
Ex. ⋆ Prove that the straight lines joining the origin to the
points of intersection of the straight line x − y = 2 and the curve

5x2 + 12xy − 8y 2 + 8x − 4y + 12 = 0

make equal angles with the axes.

Equations representing isolated points.

Page 102
Ex. 1. What is represented by the locus

(x − y + c)2 + (x + y − c)2 = 0? (VI.1)

Page 103
Ex. 2. What is represented by the equation

(x2 − a2 )2 + (y 2 − b2 )2 = 0?

Ex. 3. What is represented by the equation

x2 + y 2 + a2 = 0?

Ex. 1. Obtain the condition that one of the straight lines given
hy the equation
ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 = 0 (VI.1)
may coincide with one of those given by the equation

a′ x2 + 2h′ xy + b′ y 2 = 0 (VI.2)

Page 104
Ex. 2. Prove that the equation

m(x3 − 3xy 2 ) + y 3 − 3x2 y = 0

represents three straight lines equally inclined to one another.

Ex. 3. ⋆ Prove that two of the straight lines represented by the
equation
ax3 + bx2 y + cxy 2 + dy 3 = 0 (VI.1)
will be at right angles if

a2 + ac + bd + d2 = 0.

Ex. ⋆ Prove that the homogeneous equation of 2nd degree rep-

resents a pair of straight line.
 Two Straight Lines

EXAMPLES XII.
Find what straight lines are represented by the following equations
and determine the angles between them.
1. ⋆ x2 − 7xy + 12y 2 = 0. 2. 4x2 − 24xy + 11y 2 = 0.
3. 33x2 − 71xy − 14y 2 = 0. 4. x3 − 6x2 + 11x − 6 = 0.
2
5. y − 16 = 0. 6. ⋆ y 3 −xy 2 −14x2 y+24x3 = 0.
7. x2 + 2xy sec θ + y 2 = 0. 8. ⋆ x2 + 2xy cot θ + y 2 = 0.
9. Find the equations of the straight lines bisecting the angles be-
tween the pairs of straight lines given in examples 2, 3, 8, and
9.
10. Shew that the two straight lines

x2 (tan2 θ + cos2 θ) − 2xy tan θ + y 2 sin2 θ = 0

make with the axis of x angles such that the difference of their
tangents is 2.
11. Prove that the two straight lines

(x2 + y 2 )(cos2 θ sin2 α + sin2 θ) = (x tan α − y sin θ)2

include an angle 2α.

12. ⋆ Prove that the two straight lines

x2 sin2 α cos2 θ+4xy sin α sin θ+y 2 [4 cos α−(1+cos α)2 cos2 θ] = 0

meet at an angle α.
General Equation of the Second Degree
EXAMPLES XIII.
Prove that the following equations represent two straight lines; find
also their point of intersection and the angle between them.
1. ⋆ 6y 2 −xy−x2 +30y+36 = 0. 2. x2 −5xy +4y 2 +x+2y −2 = 0.
3. ⋆ 3y 2 − 8xy − 3x2 − 29x + 3y − 18 = 0.
4. y 2 + xy − 2x2 − 5x − y − 2 = 0.
5. ⋆ Prove that the equation

x2 + 6xy + 9y 2 + 4x + 12y − 5 = 0

represents two parallel lines.

Find the value of k so that the following equations may represent
pairs of straight lines:

6. 6x2 + 11xy − 10y 2 + x + 31y + k = 0.

7. 12x2 − 10xy + 2y 2 + 11x − 5y + k = 0.

8. 12x2 + kxy + 2y 2 + 11x − 5y + 2 = 0.

9. 6x2 + xy + ky 2 − 11x + 43y − 35 = 0.

10. kxy − 8x + 9y − 12 = 0.
10
11. x2 + 3 xy + y 2 − 5x − 7y + k = 0.

12. ⋆ 12x2 + xy − 6y 2 − 29x + 8y + k = 0.

13. 2x2 + xy − y 2 + kx + 6y − 9 = 0.

14. ⋆ x2 + kxy + y 2 − 5x − 7y + 6 = 0.

15. Prove that the equations to the straight lines passing through
the origin which make an angle α with the straight line y+x = 0
are given by the equation

x2 + 2xy sec 2α + y 2 = 0.

16. What relations must hold between the coordinates of the equa-
tions

(i) ax2 + by 2 + cx + cy = 0, and

(ii) ay 2 + bxy + dy + ex = 0,

so that each of them may represent a pair of straight lines?

17. The equations to a pair of opposite sides of a parallelogram are

x2 − 7x + 6 = 0 and y 2 − 14y + 40 = 0;

find the equations to its diagonals.

Equations Representing Isolated Points

EXAMPLES XIV.

1. Prove that the equation

y 3 − x3 + 3xy(y − x) = 0

represents three straight lines equally inclined to one another.

2. Prove that the equation
√ √
y 2 (cos α + 3 sin α) cos α − xy(sin 2α − 3 cos 2α)
√
+ x2 (sin α − 3 cos α) sin α = 0

represents two straight lines inclined at 60◦ to each other.

Prove also that the area of the triangle formed with them by
the straight line
√ √
(cos α − 3 sin α)y − (sin α + 3 cos α)x + a = 0

is
a2
√ ,
4 3
and that this triangle is equilateral.
3. Shew that the straight lines

(A2 − 3B 2 )x2 + 8ABxy + (B 2 − 3A2 )y 2 = 0

form with the line Ax + By + C = 0 an equilateral triangle

2
whose area √3(AC2 +B 2 ) .

4. Find the equation to the pair of straight lines joining the origin
to the intersections of the straight line y = mx+c and the curve

x2 + y 2 = a2 .

Prove that they are at right angles if

2c2 = a2 (1 + m2 ).

5. Prove that the straight lines joining the origin to the points of
intersection of the straight line

kx + hy = 2hk

with the curve

(x − h)2 + (y − k)2 = c2
are at right angles if

h2 + k 2 = c2 .

6. Prove that the angle between the straight lines joining the origin
to the intersection of the straight line y = 3x + 2 with the curve
√
2 2 −1 2 2
x + 2xy + 3y + 4x + 8y − 11 = 0 is tan .
3
 7. Shew that the straight lines joining the origin to the other two
points of intersection of the curves whose equations are

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 + 2gx = 0

and a′ x2 + 2h′ xy + b′ y 2 + 2g ′ x = 0
will be at right angles if

g(a′ + b′ ) − g ′ (a + b) = 0.

What loci are represented by the equations

8. x2 − y 2 = 0. 9. x2 − xy = 0. 10. xy − ay = 0.
3 2 3 2
11. x −x −x+1 = 0. 12. x − xy = 0. 13. x3 + y 3 = 0.

14. x2 + y 2 = 0. 15. x2 y = 0. 16. (x2 −1)(y 2 −4) = 0.

17. (x2 − 1)2 + (y 2 − 4)2 = 0. 18. (y−mx−c)2 +(y−m′ x−c′ )2 = 0,

19. (x2 − a2 )2 (x2 − b2 )2 + c4 (y 2 − a2 ) = 0.

20. (x − a)2 − y 2 = 0. 21. (x + y)2 − c2 = 0.
22. r = α sec(θ − α).

23. Shew that the equation

bx2 − 2hxy + ay 2 = 0

represents a pair of straight lines which are at right angles to

the pair given by the equation

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 = 0.

24. If pairs of straight lines

x2 − 2pxy − y 2 = 0 and x2 − 2qxy − y 2 = 0

be such that each pair bisects the angles between the other pair,
prove that pq = −1.

25. Prove that the pair of lines

a2 x2 + 2h(a + b)xy + b2 y 2 = 0

is equally inclined to the pair

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 = 0.
26. Shew also that the pair

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 + λ(x2 + y 2 ) = 0

is equally inclined to the same pair.

27. If one of the straight lines given by the equation

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 = 0

coincide with one of those given by

a′ x2 + 2h′ xy + b′ y 2 = 0,

and the other lines represented by them be perpendicular, prove

that
ha′ b′ h′ ab √
′ ′
= = −aa′ bb′ .
b −a b−a
28. Prove that the equation to the bisectors of the angle between
the straight lines ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 = 0 is

h(x2 − y 2 ) + (b − a)xy = (ax2 − by 2 ) cos ω,

the axes being inclined at an angle ω.

29. Prove that the straight lines

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 = 0

make equal angles with the axis of x if h = a cos ω, the axes

being inclined at an angle ω.

30. ⋆ If the axes be inclined at an angle ω, shew that the equation

x2 + 2xy cos ω + y 2 cos 2ω = 0

represents a pair of perpendicular straight lines.

31. Shew that the equation

cos 3α(x3 − 3xy 2 ) + sin 3α(y 3 − 3x2 y) + 3a(x2 + y 2 ) − 4a3 = 0

represents three straight lines forming an equilateral triangle.

√
Prove also that its area is 3 3a2 .

32. ⋆ Prove that the general equation

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 + 2gx + 2f y + c = 0

 represents two parallel straight lines if

h2 = ab and bg 2 = af 2 .

Prove also that the distance between them is

s
g 2 − ac
2 .
a(a + b)

33. If the equation

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 + 2gx + 2f y + c = 0

represent a pair of straight lines, prove that the equation to

the third pair of straight lines passing through the points where
these meet the axis is
4f g
ax2 − 2hxy + by 2 + 2gx + 2f y + c + xy = 0.
c

34. ⋆ If the equation

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 + 2gx + 2f y + c = 0

represent two straight lines, prove that the square of the dis-
tance of their point of intersection from the origin is
c(a + b) − f 2 − g 2
.
ab − h2

35. Shew that the orthocentre of the triangle formed by the straight
lines
ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 = 0 and lx + my = 1
is a point (x′ , y ′ ) such that
x′ y′ a+b
= = .
l m am − 2hlm + bl2
2

36. Hence find the locus of the orthocentre of a triangle of which two
sides are given in position and whose third side goes through a
fixed point.
37. Shew that the distance between the points of intersection of the
straight line
x cos α + y sin α − p = 0
with the straight lines

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 = 0
 is √
2p h2 − ab
.
b cos2 α − 2h cos α sin α + a sin2 α
Deduce the area of the triangle formed by them.
38. Prove that the product of the perpendiculars let fall from the
point (x′ , y ′ ) upon the pair of straight lines

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 = 0

is
ax′2 + 2hx′ y ′ + by ′2
p .
(a − b)2 + 4h2

39. Shew that two of the straight lines represented by the equation

ay 4 + bxy 3 + cx2 y 2 + dx3 y + ex4 = 0

will be at right angles if

(b + d)(ad + be) + (e − a)2 (a + c + e) = 0.

40. Prove that two of the lines represented by the equation

ax4 + bx3 y + cx2 y 2 + dxy 3 + ay 4 = 0

will bisect the angles between the other two if

c + 6a = 0 and b + d = 0.

41. Prove that one of the lines represented by the equation

ax3 + bx2 y + cxy 2 + dy 3 = 0

will bisect the angle between the other two if

(3a + c)2 (bc + 2cd − 3ad) = (b + 3d)2 (bc + 2ab − 3ad).