Additional Questions I

Exam Preparation
1. The point R is the reflection of the point (−1, 3) in the line 3y + 2x = 33.
(a) Find by calculation the coordinates of R. [7]

(b) A circle C1 with equation (x + 1)2 + (y − 3)2 = 25 is reflected about the line 3y + 2x = 33 to
obtain the circle C2 . What is the equation of the circle C2 ? [1]

(c) The circle C1 is reflected about the line x = 4 to obtain the circle C3 . What is the equation
of C3 ? [2]

(d) A tangent touches the circle C1 at the point (−4, −1). If the circle is reflected about this
tangent to obtain the circle C4 , what is the equation of the circle C4 ?
2. A circle with centre C has equation (x − 8)2 + (y − 4)2 = 100. Two tangents from a point T to
the meet the circle at the points A(2, 12) and B(0, −2) as shown in the diagram below.

C(8, 4)

x
B

(a) What is the coordinate of T ? [7]

(b) If the circle above is reflected about the line y = 7, what would the equation of the reflected
circle be? [2]

3. Let y = f (x) be a function. Describe the transformations performed on f (x) in the equations
below.
(a) y = 3f (x + 1) − 7 [3]

(b) y = − 21 f (2x − 1) + 1
4 [4]

(c) y = −f (−x) + 7 [2]

1
Memo
1. (a) The point R is the reflection of the point (−1, 3) in the line 3y +2x = 33. Find by calculation
the coordinates of R.

Both the points and its reflections in a given line lie on a line which is perpendicular to the
given line. Let’s name the given line 3y + 2x = 33 as L1 and let’s call the perpendicular line L2 .

Also both the point and its reflection are at an equal distance from the point of intersection
of the line L1 and its perpendicular line (L2 ). L1 is the green line below and L2 is the blue
line.

The line L1 with y as the subject is:

2
y = − x + 11
3
The gradient of L1 is therefore − 23 . This means that the perpendicular line L2 has a gradient
of 32 . The point (−1, 3) lies on this line. We can then obtain the equation of L2 :

3
y − 3 = (x − (−1))
2
3 9
y = x+
2 2
Now we need the coordinates of the point of intersection (let’s say point P ) of given line L1
and the perpendicular line (L2 ).

Equating both equations to find the point of intersection:

2 3 9
− x + 11 = x +
3 2 2

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Solving this equation, we obtain:
x=3
We can find the y-coordinate of the point of intersection of two lines (or line and the curve)
by substituting value of x-coordinate of the point of intersection in any of the two equations.
Subbing x = 3 into L1 for example, we get:
2
y = − x + 11
3
2
y = − (3) + 11 = 9
3
Hence the point of intersection of L1 and L2 lines is P (3, 9).

Therefore, the movement from (−1, 3) to P (3, 9) is the same movement from P (3, 9) to R
(the reflection point of (−1, 3)).
 
4
The vector movement from (−1, 3) to P (3, 9) is . Therefore the movement from P (3, 9) to
6
 
4
R is also . Therefore, the point R is (7, 15). !
6

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(b) A circle C1 with equation (x + 1)2 + (y − 3)2 = 25 is reflected about the line 3y + 2x = 33 to
obtain the circle C2 . What is the equation of the circle C2 ?

When a circle is reflected about a line, it’s radius does not change. Therefore we know that
r = 5. This means we just need to know where the centre of the circle will end up after the
reflection.

Notice that the centre point of the circle C1 is the same as the point reflected in part (a) about
the same line - that is - the centre of C1 is (−1, 3).

From part (a) we already know where the point (−1, 3) ends up after the reflection. The
reflected point of (−1, 3) about the line 3y + 2x = 33 is (7, 15). This is therefore the centre of
the circle C2 . The equation of the circle C2 is therefore:

(x − 7)2 + (y − 15)2 = 25 !

A diagram of the original circle C1 and the reflected circle C2 (in blue), is below. The perpen-
dicular bisector of the line of reflection is represented by the orange dashed line (this line was
used in part (a) to find the reflected point of (−1, 3)).

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(c) The circle C1 is reflected about the line x = 4 to obtain the circle C3 . What is the equation of
C3 ?

A diagram of the situation is below.

The circle C1 is on the left side of the line x = 4. The circle C3 will look like the purple circle
in the diagram.

In order to find the equation of the circle C3 , we just need to know where the centre point of
C1 ends up after the reflection. We do not have to find the radius because the radius of C3 is
the same as the radius of C1 . That is, r = 5.

To find out where the centre point (−1, 3) of C1 ends up, we simply see how many units to the
left the point is from the line of reflection x = 4 and then move that same amount of units to
the right of the line x = 4 (this will be where the reflected point will be).

Notice the point (−1, 3) is 5 units to the left of the line x = 4. This means the reflected point
must be 5 units to the right of the reflected line. Therefore, the reflected point must be (9, 3).
This is the centre of the circle C2 . This means the equation of C3 is:

(x − 9)2 + (y − 3)2 = 25 !

[Take note: Notice that the point (−1, 3) and it’s reflected point (9, 3) both lie on the per-
pendicular line of the line of reflection x = 4. This was the same case as in the previous
questions]

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(d) A tangent touches the circle C1 at the point (−4, −1). If the circle is reflected about this
tangent to obtain the circle C4 , what is the equation of the circle C4 ?

A diagram of the situation is shown below. We must find the equation of the red circle which
represents C4 . The blue line represents the tangent at the point (−4, −1).

As in the previous questions, the radius of the reflected circle is the same as the original circle
(here again, r = 5).

We just need to find where the centre of the circle of C1 ends up after the reflection about the
line. We know that the point (−1, 3) and it’s reflected point must lie on the perpendicular line
to the line of reflection.

The line from the radius of the circle C1 to the tangent is already perpendicular (the orange
dashed line). We can continue drawing this line past the tangent (the purple dashed line). The
reflected point must therefore lie on this perpendicular line.

If we know how to move from the point (−1, 3) to the point (−4, −1), then that will be the
same movement from (−4, −1) to the reflected point. The movement from (−1, 3) to (−4, −1)
is negative 3 units in the x direction and negative 4 units in the y direction.

Doing the same movement from the point (−4, −1), we obtain the reflected point (−7, −5).

The equation of the circle C4 is therefore: (x + 7)2 + (y + 5)2 = 25. !

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2. A circle with centre C has equation (x − 8)2 + (y − 4)2 = 100. Two tangents from a point T to
the meet the circle at the points A(2, 12) and B(0, −2).

(a) Find the coordinate of T .

Drawing lines from the C to A (blue dashed line below) and from C to B (red dashed line
below), we have that each of these lines form the radius of the circle. We know that where the
radius and the tangent line meet, a 90 degree angle is formed (they are perpendicular).
y

C(8, 4)

x
B

Notice that T is the point of intersection between the two tangents. Therefore, if we have the
equations of the tangents and then solve them simultaneously, we shall find the point T .

Gradient of AC is − 34 . This means the gradient of T A is 34 . A point that lies on T A is A(2, 12).
Therefore the equation of T A is:
3
y − 12 = (x − 2)
4
3 21
y = x+
4 2
Similarly, the gradient of BC is 34 . This means the gradient of T B is − 43 . A point on T B is
B(0, −2). Therefore the equation of T B is:
4
y − (−2) = − (x − 0)
3
4
y =− x−2
3
Set these equations equal to find T :
3 21 4
x+ =− x−2
4 2 3
Solving for x gives x = −6. Subbing this value into either tangent lines gives us y = 6.
Therefore T = (−6, 6). !

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(b) If the circle above is reflected about the line y = 7, what would the equation of the reflected
circle be?

We want to reflect the circle (see below) about the line y = 7 (which is the red dashed line).
y

y=7

C(8, 4)

The radius of the reflected circle will be the same as the radius of the original circle (that is,
r = 10). So we just need to know where the centre point of the original point is reflected to.

Notice that the centre point C(8, 4) is 3 units from the line y = 7. The reflected point will
therefore be 3 units from the line y = 7 as well. This means the centre of the original circle is
reflected to (8, 10). The diagram below shows the reflected circle (in blue) with centre (8, 10).

(8, 10)

y=7

C(8, 4)

The equation of the reflected circle (blue circle above) is:

(x − 8)2 + (y − 10)2 = 100 !

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3. Let y = f (x) be a function. Describe the transformations performed on f (x) in the equations
below.

(a) y = 3f (x + 1) − 7

We always start with the transformations in the x-direction which are the transformations in
the bracket of f (x). Start within the bracket and then move out. The transformations are as
follows:
 
−1
1. A translation by vector .
0
2. Followed by a stretch in the y-direction by stretch factor 3.
 
0
3. Followed by a translation by vector .
−7

(b) y = − 12 f (2x − 1) + 1
4

Remember that if there are transformations in the x-direction, we always do a translation first
and then the stretch. However, for transformations in the y, we always do stretches first and
then translations. Remember that if we have f (ax) then this is a stretch in the x-direction
with strecth factor a1 .

The transformations on f (x) are:

 
1
1. A translation by vector
0
1
2. Followed by a stretch in the x-direction by stretch factor 2
1
3. Followed by a stretch in the y-direction by stretch factor 2

4. Followed by a reflection in the x-axis (indicated by the negative sign in front of the 12 )
 
0
5. Followed by a translation of
0.25

(c) y = −f (−x) + 7

The transformations on y = f (x) are:

1. Reflection about the y-axis (indicated by the negative sign in front of the x)

2. Reflection about the x-axis (indicated by the negative sign in front of f )

 
0
3. Followed by a translation by vector
7

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