1 Slope (Gradient) of a Line

m = tan θ (1)

where θ is the angle made by the line with the +ve direction of x-axis in the
anti-clockwise sense.
The angle of inclination, 0◦ ≤ θ ≤ 180◦ .
If (x1 , y1 and (x2 , y2 ) are two points a line, then
y2 − y1
m= (2)
x2 − x1

2 Angle between Two Lines

m2 − m1
tan θ = ± (3)
1 + m1 m2

2.1 Condition for Parallel Lines

m1 = m2 (4)

2.2 Condition for Perpendicular Lines

m1 m2 = −1 (5)

3 Equations of Lines Parallel to Coordinate Axes

3.1 Line Parallel to x-axis

y=b (6)

3.2 Line Parallel to y-axis

x=a (7)

4 Different Forms of Equation of a Straight Line

4.1 Slope Intercept Form

y = mx + c (8)

Special case: For a line passing through the origin, y = mx.

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4.2 Point-Slope Form

y − y1 = m(x − x1 ) (9)

4.3 Two-Point Form

 
y2 − y1
y − y1 = (x − x1 ) (10)
x2 − x1

4.4 Intercept Form

x y
+ =1 (11)
a b

4.5 Normal Form or Perpendicular Form

x cos α + y sin α = p (12)

where p is the perndicular distance of the line from the origin and α is the angle
made by this perndicular with the x-axis.

4.6 Distance Form

x − x1 y − y1
= =r (13)
cos θ sin θ
where θ is the line’s inclination, (x1 , y1 ) is a point on the line, and r is the
distance of any point on the line from (x1 , y1 ).
Note: x = x1 + r cos θ, y = y1 + r sin θ

5 Transformation of General Equation into Dif-

ferent Standard Forms
General equation of a straight line: Ax + By + C = 0

5.1 Slope Intercept Form

A C
m=− , c=− (14)
B B

5.2 Intercept Form

C C
a=− , b=− (15)
A B

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5.3 Normal Form
1. Shift the Constant to the right and make it positive.
√
2. Divide both sides by A2 + B 2 .

6 Point of Intersection of Two Lines

Let the two lines be

ax1 + by1 + c1 = 0
ax2 + by2 + c2 = 0

Their point of intesection has coordinates,

 
b1 c 2 − b2 c 1 c1 a2 − c2 a1
, (16)
a1 b2 − a2 b1 a1 b2 − a2 b1

7 Condition for Concurrency of Three Lines

Let

L1 ≡ a1 x + b1 y + c1 = 0
L2 ≡ a2 x + b2 y + c2 = 0
L3 ≡ a3 x + b3 y + c3 = 0

be three lines.
 
a1 b1 c1 

a2 b2 c2  = 0 (17)

a3 b3 c3 

7.1 Another Condition for Concurrency

λ1 L1 + λ2 L2 + λ3 L3 = 0 (18)

where λ1 , λ2 , λ3 are not simultaneously zero.

8 Lines Parallel and Perpendicular to a Given

Line
For line ax + by + c = 0

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8.1 Line Parallel to a Given Line
ax + by + λ = 0 (19)
λ is a constant.

8.2 Line Perpendicular to a Given Line

bx − ay + λ = 0 (20)
λ is a constant.
The constant λ can be determined by the given condition(s).

9 Angle Between Two Straight Lines when their

Equations are Given
The acute angle θ between lines ax1 + b1 y + c1 = 0 and ax2 + b2 y + c2 = 0,
 
 a2 b1 − a1 b2 
tan θ =   (21)
a1 a2 + b1 b2 
The two given lines are:
a1 b1 c1
1. Coincident, if a2 = b2 = c2
a1 b1 c1
2. Parallel, if a2 = b2 ̸= c2
a1 b1
3. Intersecting, if a2 ̸= b2

4. Perpendicular, if a1 a2 + b1 b2 = 0

10 Distance of a Point from a Line

Point (x1 , y1 ) and line ax + by + c = 0,
 
 ax1 + by1 + c 
d =  √  (22)
a2 + b2 
Corollary: The length of the perpendicular from the origin to the line ax +
by + c = 0 is
|c|
d0 = √ (23)
a2 + b2

11 Distance between Parallel Lines

Distance between parallel lines ax + by + c1 = 0 and ax + by + c2 = 0,
|c1 − c2 |
dp = √ (24)
a 2 + b2