TWO-DIMENSIONAL COORDINANTE GEOMETRY

The position of a point in a plane can be specified by its coordinates- an ordered pair ( x, y ) .

Distance Between Two Points

Consider the diagrams below Q(x2 , y2)

y
Q(x2, y2)
P(x1 , y1)

P(x1, y1)
x

Let P( x1 , y1 ) and Q( x2 , y2 ) be two points on a general Cartesian coordinate (not necessarily

rectangular) system. Then distance between P( x1 , y1 ) and Q( x2 , y2 ) is given by

d ( P, Q)  ( x2  x1 ) 2  ( y2  y1 ) 2  ( x2  x1 )( x2  x1 ) Cos 

For rectangular coordinate, where the inclination   900 , then

d ( P, Q)  ( x2  x1 ) 2  ( y2  y1 ) 2

EXAMPLE

Find the distance between the following pairs of points on a rectangular coordinate system

a.) P(2,3) and Q(5, 7)

b.) A(3,  2) and B(1,  4)

 Solution

a.) d ( P, Q)  (2  5) 2  (3  7) 2

 d ( P, Q)  5

EXAMPLE

Determine the type of triangles denoted by the following vertices.

a.) A(1,3) , B(7, 6) and C (5,1)

b.) X (2a, 4a) , Y (2a,6a) and Z (2a  a 3,5a )

Solution

a.) Scalene

b.) d ( X , Y )  (2a  2a )  (4a  6a )

2 2

d ( X , Y )  2a

d (Y , Z )  [2a  (2a  a 3)]2  (6a  5a) 2

d (Y , Z )  2a

d ( X , Z )  [2a  (2a  a 3)]2  (4a  5a) 2

d ( X , Z )  2a

Since d ( X , Y )  d (Y , Z )  d ( X , Z ) , the vertices form an equilateral triangle.

RATIO OF DIVISION OF A LINE SEGMENT

To find the coordinates of a point which divides the line joining two points P( x1 , y1 ) and Q( x2 , y2 )

in a given ratio m : n .

Consider the diagram below.

Q(x2, y2)

R(x, y)

P(x1, y1)
The point R( x, y) is said to divide the line segment internally in the ratio m : n . That is,

m x  x1

n x2  x

This implies that the coordinates of R( x, y) are

 mx  nx1 my2  ny1 

R ( x, y )   2 , 
 mn mn 

NB

If R( x, y) is the midpoint of PQ , then the coordinates of R( x, y) is given by

x x y y 
R ( x, y )   2 1 , 2 1  .
 2 2 

If a point T ( x, y) divides a line segment externally in the ratio m : n , this implies that the

 mx  nx1 my2  ny1 

coordinates of T ( x, y) is T ( x, y )   2 , 
 mn mn 
 EXAMPLE

1. Find the midpoints of the line segments

a.) A(3,5) and B(1,3)

b.) P(1, 7) and Q(3,  5)

2. Find the coordinates of the points that divide the line segment

a.) P(5, 2) and Q(3, 7) in the ratio 4 : 3

b.) A(4,  8) and B(6,3) in the ratio 2 : 4

3. The point H ( x, y) divides the line joining P(3, 2) and Q(4,1) in the ratio 3: 2 . Find the

coordinates of H ( x, y) .

Solution

 2 13 
2.b.) The coordinates are  ,  
3 3

SLOPE (GRADIENT) OF A STRAIGHT LINE

Consider a line in a rectangular plane as shown below.

(x1 , y1)

(x2 , y2)

The slope of the line denoted by m is defined as

 y1  y2
m
x1  x2

When the line is parallel to the x-axis, the slope m is equal to 0; and when the line is parallel to

the y-axis, the slope m is undefined.

The slope depends on the inclination of the line. In angular terms, the slope is defined by

m  Tan  , 00    1800

This is the angle of slope of the line.

EXAMPLE

Find the gradient and the angle of the line joining the points (3,  5) and (4,  1)

Solution

1  (5)
m
4  (3)

4
m 
7

4
Tan  
7

  Tan 1 0.5714

  29.740

PARALLEL LINES
Two straight lines with gradients m1 and m2 in a rectangular plane are parallel if they have the

same inclination or slope. That is, m1  m2 .

PERPENDICULAR LINES

Two straight lines with gradients m1 and m2 in a rectangular plane are parallel if and only if

m1m2  1 .

ANGLE BETWEEN TWO STRAIGHT LINES

Consider the figure below.

Let the acute angle between two lines of tangents m1 and m2 be  . Let the gradients of the lines

be given by

m1  Tan 1

m2  Tan 2

  1   2

   2  1
Tan   Tan(2  1 )

m2  m1
 Tan  
1  m2 m1

EXAMPLE

Determine if AB is parallel or perpendicular to PQ in each of the following:

a.) A(3, 1), B(4, 3) and P(4, 6), Q(5, 8)

b.) A(1,  2), B(2,  3) and P(5, 4), Q(6, 7)

Solution

a.) m1  m2  2

 AB || PQ

3 2
b.) m1   , m2 
2 3

 AB  PQ

EQUATION OF A STRAIGHT LINE

Given a straight line L , its equation is one which is satisfied by the ordered pair ( x, y) that lie on

the line.

SLOPE-POINT AND SLOPE-INTERCEPT FORM

To write an equation for a line L that is not vertical, it is enough to know the slope m of the line

and a point ( x1 , y1 ) on it.

Let ( x, y) be any variable point on L as shown in the figure below.

 (x , y)

(0 , c) (x1 , y1)

y  y1
The gradient of L is m  . Thus, the slope-point form of L is given by y  y1  m( x  x1 ) .
x  x1

If L intersects the y-axis at the point (0, c) , (i.e. the y-intercept), then this equation becomes

y  c  m( x  0)

y  mx  c .

Thus, this is the slope-intercept form of the equation of the line L .

EXAMPLE

1. Find the equation of the straight line which passes through the points (2,  3) and (4, 2) .

2. Find the equation of a line that passes through (1,  5) and makes an angle 1350 with the

x-axis.
 3. Find the equation of a line that passes through (2,  3) and parallel to the line

3x  7 y  3  0

Solution

5 4
1. y   x 
6 3

2. y   x  4

3 27
3. y  x
7 7

THE GENERAL FORM

The equation Ax  By  C  0 is generally referred to as the general equation of a straight line.

DISTANCE OF A POINT FROM A LINE

Consider the figure below.

P(x, y)

L
The distance between the line L, Ax  By  C  0 and the point P( x, y) is given by the formula

| Ax  By  C |
d ( L, P ) 
A2  B 2

EXAMPLE

Find the distance between P(3, 1) and the line 3x  4 y  3  0 .

Solution

| 3(3)  4(1)  3 |
d ( L, P )   2 units
32  42

CLASS ACTIVITY

1. Find the equation of a line passing through (1,  1) and (2,  3) .

2. Find the equation of a line parallel to 6 x  5 y  1 and passing through (4,  2) .

3. Find the equation of a line perpendicular to 3x  2 y  3 and passing through (3,  7)

4. Find the distance between the line 3x  4 y  5  0 and the following points:

a.) Origin

b.) P(6, 2)

5. Find the coordinates of the points of intersection of the straight lines 2 x  3 y  5  0 and

7x  4 y  3  0 .

6. Find the equation of a straight line of slope 2, if it passes through the point (3,  2) .