COORDINATE GEOMETRY

Example

1|Page
Note

Example 2

Solution

Note

Application of gradient.

Example 3

2|Page
 Negative gradient. Zero gradient. Positive gradient.

3|Page
Exercise

Questions

Find the distance between the given points.

(a) (-4 , 5) and (1 , 2) (b) (-2 , -4) and (10 , 2) (c) (-3 , 4) and (7 , -6)

4|Page
Example

5|Page
Equation of a Straight line

The equation of a straight line is given by

𝒚 = 𝒎𝒙 + 𝒄, where 𝒎 is the gradient and 𝒄 is the 𝑦 - intercept.

Or 𝒚 − 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒎(𝒙 − 𝒙𝟏 )

Find the equation of the line in the diagram

We know two points:

 point "A" is (6,4) (at x is 6, y is 4)

 point "B" is (2,3) (at x is 2, y is 3)

6|Page
step 1. Find the gradient

We can choose any point on the line for x1 and y1, so let's just use
point (2,3)

y − 3 = m(x − 2)

Or 4𝑦 = 𝑥 + 10 is the equation of the line

Example 2

Find the equation of the line below.

7|Page
Solution

6 − 2
𝑚 =
1 − 3

4
𝑚 = , 𝒎 = −𝟐
−2

𝑦 − 𝑦1 = 𝑚(𝑥 − 𝑥1 ) , (1 , 6)

𝑦 − 6 = −2(𝑥 − 1)

𝑦 = −2𝑥 + 2 + 6

𝑦 = −2𝑥 + 8

Example 3

So the equation of this line is 𝒙 = 𝟐

Parallel lines

𝑰𝒇 𝒎𝟏 = 𝒎𝟐 , then the two line are parallel.

8|Page
Example

Find the equation the line through the point (-3 , 1) which is parallel to the line
with equation2𝑥 + 4𝑦 − 1 = 0.

Solution

2𝑥 + 4𝑦 − 1 = 0

1 1
𝑦 = − 𝑥 + (Make y the subject of the formula. The co-efficient of x is the
2 4

gradient.)

1
𝑚 = −
2

𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦 − 𝑏 = 𝑚 𝑥 − 𝑎
1
𝑦 − 1 = − (𝑥 − (−3))
2

2𝑦 − 2 = −1(𝑥 + 3)

2𝑦 − 2 = −𝑥 − 3

2𝑦 = −𝑥 − 1 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 + 2𝑦 = −1 is the equation of the line.

Questions

Find the equation of the lines through the following points, parallel to the given
lines.

(a) 1 , 2 , 𝑦 = 6𝑥 − 4 (b) −5 , 2 , 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 5

(c) 1 ,0 ,𝑥 − 𝑦 = 0 (d) −3 , 2 , 2𝑥 + 3𝑦 + 4 = 0

Perpendicular lines

9|Page
Example

Find the equation of the line through the point (-5 , 1) which is perpendicular to
the line with equation 2𝑥 + 4𝑦 + 3 = 0

Solution

2𝑥 + 4𝑦 + 3 = 0

1 3
𝑦 = − 𝑥−
2 4

1
𝑚 = − and the gradient of the perpendicular line is 2.
2

𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦 − 𝑏 = 𝑚 𝑥 − 𝑎
𝑦 − 1 = 2(𝑥 + 5)

𝑦 − 1 = 2𝑥 + 10

𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 11 which is the equation of the line.

Questions

Find the equations of the lines perpendicular to the line with equation
2𝑥 + 6𝑦 + 3 = 0 and passing through the following points.

10 | P a g e
(a) (1 , 1) (b) (-5 , -5) (c) (0 , 3)

The intersection point of two lines

Find the coordinate of the point of intersection.

Example

Determine the point of intersection of the two straight lines represented by the
equations, 𝑥 + 3𝑦 – 2 = 0 and −𝑦 + 1 = 0.

11 | P a g e
Solution

We can find the intersection point by solving these equations as simultaneous

equations, finding the values of 𝑥 and 𝑦,where (𝑥,𝑦) is the point of intersection.

We can write our equations:

𝑥 + 3𝑦 – 2 = 0 …………..…(i) , −𝑦 + 1 = 0 …….……….(ii)

To solve this using a substitution method, we rearrange the second equation,

−𝑦 + 1 = 0, by making 𝑦 the subject of the formula to give 𝑦 = 1.

Substituting 𝑦=1 into the equation (i), and rearranging, we

Have 𝑥 + 3(1) – 2 = 0

𝑥 + 1 = 0

𝑥 = −1

We have the solution 𝑥 = −1 and 𝑦 = 1.Therefore, the point of intersection can be

given as (−1, 1).

Questions

(a) Find the intersection point of the straight lines

x - 5y + 17 = 0 and 2x + y + 1 = 0

(b) Find the intersection point of the straight lines

5x - 3y - 8 = 0 and 2x - 3y - 5 = 0

(c) Find the intersection point of the straight lines

4x - 7y = 0 and 8x - y - 26 = 0

12 | P a g e