Locus

A locus is a set of points that contains all the points, and only the points, that satisfy the
condition, or conditions, required to describe a geometric figure. The word locus is Latin
for place or location. A locus may also be defined as the path traced out by a point that is
in motion, as it moves according to a stated set of rules or conditions, since all the points
on the path satisfy the stated conditions. Thus, the phrases "locus of a point" and "locus
of points" are often interchangeable.
A locus may be rather simple and appear to be obvious from the stated condition.
Example:
In a one dimensional world the locus of points that is equidistant to two points is simply
the single point between them.

In a two dimensional world, the locus of points in a plane that are equidistant from two
given points is the straight line that is perpendicular to and passes through the centre of
the line segment connecting the two points.

In a three dimensional world (like the one we live in), the locus of points that are
equidistant from two given points is the straight plane that is perpendicular to and passes
through the centre of the line segment connecting the two points

Example:
In a one dimensional world the locus of points that is equidistant from a single point is
the two points on either side.

In a two dimensional world, the locus of points in a plane that are all the same
distance r from a single point a circle with radius r.

In a three dimensional world the locus of points that are all the same distance r from a
single point a sphere with radius r.

To find a locus, given a stated set of conditions, first find a number of points that satisfy
the conditions. Then, speculate the locus locations by fitting a smooth line, or lines,
through the points. Give an accurate description of the guess, then prove that it is
correct. To prove that it is correct, it is necessary to prove that the points of the locus
and the points of the speculation coincide.
That is, the figure must contain all the points of the locus and no points that are not in the
locus. Thus, it is necessary to show that
every point of the figure is in the locus and
every point in the locus is a point of the figure, or every point not on the figure is
not in the locus.
In some cases, a locus may be defined by more than one distinct set of conditions. In this
case the locus is called a compound locus, and corresponds to the intersection of two or
more loci.
Example
The locus of points that are equidistant from two given points and also equidistant from
two given parallel lines, is a single point. That point lies at the intersection of two lines,
one line containing those points equidistant from the two points, and one line containing
all those points equidistant from the parallel lines.

There are many other interesting loci, for example the cycloid. The cycloid is the locus of
a point on a circle as the circle rolls in a straight line along a flat surface. The cycloid is
the path that a falling body takes on a windy day in order to reach the ground in the
shortest possible time.

Example
Consider: You are playing a game of tag. Two of your friends are hiding behind bushes
that are 10 feet apart. Where could you possibly stand so that your distance to each
friend is exactly the same distance?
Solution:
At first it may seem that there is only ONE spot to stand where you are the same distance
from both of your friends - that spot being directly between your friends, 5 feet from each
friend. But, as the diagram shows, there are actually many spots that will
position you exactly the same distance from both friends. Notice the formation of the
isosceles triangles, where the congruent (equal) sides represent the distances to each
friend.
The different positions where you might stand form the locus of points equidistant from
your two friends. This line is the perpendicular bisector of the segment joining your two
friends.

At times the curve may be defined by a set of conditions rather than by an equation,
though an equation may be derived from the given conditions. Then the curve in question
would be the locus of all points that fit the conditions. For instance a circle may be said to
be the locus of all points in a plane that is a fixed distance from a fixed point. A straight
line may be defined as the locus of all points in a plane equidistant from two fixed points.
The method of expressing a set of conditions in analytical form gives an equation. Let us
draw up a set of conditions and translate them into an equation.

Example:
What is the equation of the curve that is the locus of all points equidistant from the two
points (5,3) and (2,1)?
Solution:
First, as shown in figure below, choose some arbitrary point having coordinates (x,y).
Recall that the distance between this point and (2,1) is given by

d1
x 2 y 1
2

Now determine the distance between point (x,y) and (5,3)

d2
x 5y 3
2

Since we are looking for a point (or points) that are equidistant from equidistant from the
two points (5,3) and (2,1), we set d1 d 2 and simplify.

d1 d 2

x 2y 1 x 5y 3
2
2
2
2
x 2y 1x 5y 3
2

Square both sides to

remove square root

x 2 4x 4 y 2 2 y 1 x 2 10x 25 y 2 6 y 9
4 y 5 6x 34
Expand and solve
4 y 6x 26
3
1
y x 7
2
4

Example
Find the equation of the curve that is the locus of all points equidistant from the line
x 3 and the point (3,0).
Solution:
We require the distance of a point (-3,y) on the line x=-3 to a some arbitrary point (x,y)
to be the same as the distance from (x,y) to point (3,0).

3
x
y y x 3y 0
2

x 3 x 3y 2
2

x 3x 3y 2
2

x 2 6 x 9 x 2 6 x y 2
y 2 12 x
This is an equation of a parabola

Square both
sides

Example
Determine the equation of the locus of a point that moves so that it is three times as far
from point A(1, 1) and from point B(3, 4)
Solution:
Let the point tracing the locus be P(x, y).
Then PA = 3PB
PA=

x 1y 1 and PB= x 3y 4
2

Squaring both sides

Therefore

x 1y 1 3 x 3y 4
2

x 1y 19
x 3y 4
2

x 2 2 x y 2 2 y 2 9 x 2 54 x 9 y 2 72 y 225
8 x 52 x 8 y 70 y 223 0
2

Simplifying

The picture below shows the shape of the locus of points. You can complete the square on

8 x 2 52 x 8 y 2 70 y 223 0 to place in a form easier to graph.