COORDINATE

GEOMETRY 2
ADDITIONAL MATHEMATICS
  A circle can be fully defined by the position of its center
and the length of its radius or diameter.

THE  Hence the standard form equation of a circle is given by :

EQUATION +  =

OF A CIRCLE Where h and k are the x and y coordinates of the center of

the circle
X and y are coordinates of any point on the circle
Examining
the equation
Examining the
Equation

Circle with a center of (4,3)

and a radius of 5
 If the center is the origin

 When the center is the origin (0,0) the values of h and k will both be
zero.
 Therefore +  =

 Hence +  =
 The unit circle

 If we place the circle center

at (0,0) and set the radius
to 1 we get:

 (x−a)2 + (y−b)2 = r2
 (x−0)2 + (y−0)2 = 12
 x2 + y2 = 1
 Which is the equation of
the Unit Circle
 Finding the equation of a circle

 To find the equation of a circle we need to determine:

1. The value of the radius
2. The coordinate of its center

EXAMPLE
The equation of a circle centered at (9, 6) with a radius of 10

+  =
Determine the equations of the following
circles

1. The equation of a circle whose centre is the origin and radius 4 units

2. The equation of a circle with centre (-3,2) and radius 7 units

3. The equation of a circle with centre (3, 0) and radius 4 units

Determine the radius and center

 + 
 =

+  =16

+  =
The General Form of the Equation of a
circle
Start with:(x−a)2 + (y−b)2 = r2
Example: a=1, b=2, r=3:(x−1)2 + (y−2)2 = 32
Expand:x2 − 2x + 1 + y2 − 4y + 4 = 9
Gather like terms:x2 + y2 − 2x − 4y + 1 + 4 − 9 = 0
 And we end up with this:
 x2 + y2 − 2x − 4y − 4 = 0
 It is a circle equation, but "in disguise"!
Its in the general form
x2 + y2 + Ax + By + C = 0
Changing general to standard form(using
completing the square)
 Example: x2 + y2 − 2x − 4y − 4 = 0
 Start with:x2 + y2 − 2x − 4y − 4 = 0
 Put xs and ys together:(x2 − 2x) + (y2 − 4y) − 4 = 0
 Constant on right:(x2 − 2x) + (y2 − 4y) = 4
 Now complete the square for x (take half of the −2, square it,
and add to both sides):
 (x2 − 2x + (−1)2) + (y2 − 4y) = 4 + (−1)2
 And complete the square for y (take half of the −4, square it,
and add to both sides):
 (x2 − 2x + (−1)2) + (y2 − 4y + (−2)2) = 4 + (−1)2 + (−2)2
Now let’s tidy it up

 Simplify:(x2 − 2x + 1) + (y2 − 4y + 4) = 9

 At this point both brackets represent perfect squares

 Finally:(x − 1)2 + (y − 2)2 = 32

Now lets try these

 y 2 + 2x + x 2 = 24y − 120

 x 2 + y 2 + 14x − 12y + 4 = 0

 x 2 + 2x + y 2 = 55 + 10y
THE TANGENT LINE

 A tangent is a straight line which touches the

circumference of a circle but doesn’t pass
through it.

 The tangent always touches the circle at a single

point D(x,y)
 The equation of a tangent

 Since the tangent is just a straight line its equation will generally take the form Ax
+By +C =0

 The radius of a circle is always perpendicular to the tangent of the circle

 Finding the equation of the tangent

EXAMPLE
 Determine the equation of the tangent to the circle x2 + y2 −2y + 6x −7= 0 at the
point F(−2;5).

Steps
1. Write the equation of the circle in the form (x−a)2 + (y−b)2 = r2

Using completing the square we will get:

(x + 3)2 + (y−1)2 = 17
 2.Determine the
gradient of the
radius

We now know the centre C(-3,1)

and a point on the circumference
where the tangent is F(-2,5).

  Therefore the gradient of CF(mCF) = = = 4

 3. Determine the gradient of the tangent

 NB. Remember the radius and tangent are perpendicular

 M1 x m2 = -1
 4 x m2 = -1
 M2 =
4.
 Determine
  the equation of the tangent to the circle

y -5 = (multiply by 4)
4y -20 = -1(x + 2)
x + 4y -18 = 0