UNIT 5.

1: Co-ordinate Graph 5 FORM 5 MATHEMATICS NOTES

UNIT 5.1: CO-ORDINATE GRAPHS 5

REVISION QUESTIONS:
1. Plot the graphs of these equations.
a) y=2 x−3
x
b) y= +5
2
c) x=−2
d) 2 x+ y −4=0

2. Find the equation of these lines.

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UNIT 5.1: Co-ordinate Graph 5 FORM 5 MATHEMATICS NOTES

3. Find the gradients of this curve at the points shown.

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UNIT 5.1: Co-ordinate Graph 5 FORM 5 MATHEMATICS NOTES

PLOTTING CURVES:
Many physical quantities do not change along straight lines, they follow curves.

Example: The distance a falling stone travelled at different times.

Distance

Time
Rules for Plotting Curves:
1. Do not use pen or ruler to join up the curves.
2. Use a pencil and sketch the curve lightly with hand.
3. When you have it smooth, draw using a pen.

Note:
The best way to sketch a curve is to turn the paper so that your hand is on the inside of curve so
that your hand and wrist act as a compass.
The more points you plot the easier it is to draw the curve.

LINES OF BEST FIT:

Usually the measurements we make often have errors in them. Therefore when we draw a graph
(straight line or curve) we try to fit the graph through the middle of as many points as possible
but keep the general shape.

Example 1: Straight line

Rules:
1. Place the lines through the
middle of the points.
2. Ignore lines that are way
off

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UNIT 5.1: Co-ordinate Graph 5 FORM 5 MATHEMATICS NOTES

Example 2: Curve

Rule:
Place the line through the
middle of the points.

Exercise:
1. Draw smooth curves through the following points.
a) (0,0) (1,1) (2,4) (3,9) (4,16)
b) (8,-4) (3,-2) (-1,1) (-4,4) (-6,8)

2. Plot these points and draw the line of best fit.

a) (-7,1) (-5,2) (-3,3) (-1,3) (1,4) (3,5) (7,6)
b) (1,10) (2,6) (3,3) (4,3) (5,2) (6,2) (8,1)

3. Draw lines of best fit for these graphs.

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UNIT 5.1: Co-ordinate Graph 5 FORM 5 MATHEMATICS NOTES

GRAPHICAL INTEREPRESENTATION:

Example:
1. The velocity of a falling stone was measured each second over 5 seconds.

Time (sec) 0 1 2 3 4 5
Velocity (m/s) 10 15 19 25 28 36

Plot a graph of velocity time graph.

Graph of Velocity versus time.

a) Find the velocity at 2.5 seconds.

From the graph the velocity at 2.5 seconds is 22.5 m/s or 23 m/s.

b) Is it a straight line?
Yes, it is a straight line.

c) Calculate the acceleration from the gradient.

rise y 2− y 1
gradient , m= =
run x 2−x1

15−10
m= =5
1−0

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UNIT 5.1: Co-ordinate Graph 5 FORM 5 MATHEMATICS NOTES

2
m=5 ∴ gradient =acceleration=5 m/ s

d) The distance travelled is found from the area between the graph and the x – axis.
Calculate the total distance travelled during the five seconds.

Total distance travelled=area of triangle+ area of rectangle

1
¿ ×b × h+l× w
2

1
¿ ×5 ×26+ 10× 5
2

¿ 65+50

¿ 115 m

e) Extrapolate the graph (extend it) to find the velocity at 6 seconds if it continued to move
in the same way.
From the graph the velocity at time 6 seconds is 42 m/s.

2. The graph below shows the freight charges for different volumes of vehicles imported from
Japan to Solomon Islands.

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UNIT 5.1: Co-ordinate Graph 5 FORM 5 MATHEMATICS NOTES

a) Use the given information; calculate the rate per cubic metre.

Rate = gradient.

rise change∈ y y 2− y 1
gradient , m= = =
run change ∈x x 2−x1

y 2− y 1 3500−2330
m= = =234
x 2−x 1 15−10

∴ therate=234 /m3

b) Calculate the freight for a car with a volume of6 m2.

y 2− y 1
m=
x 2−x 1

2330−x
=234
10−6

2330−x
=234
4

¿ 234

3. A farmer finds that his herd of goats increases in size by a factor of approximately 1.5 each
year, when breeding naturally. Below is a table showing the number of goats at the start of
each year.

Year 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987

Number 10 15 23 34 51 75 114 170
of goats

Plot the number of goats against years and draw in a smooth curve.

a) Approximately how long would it take to get 100 goats?

b) Extrapolate to estimate the number of goats he would had in 1988.

c) Calculate the rate of increase at the beginning of 1982.

d) Suggest some causes that might reduce this rate of increase.