PRECALCULUS 1

UNIT 2

COORDINATE
GEOMETRY
PROJECT

1
COORDINATE GEOMETRY PROJECT
The Unit is divided into several related sections.

You are expected to study each section of the Unit carefully, paying particular attention
to the Examples and to contact me or Mr Dailey (face to face contact) if you need help.

The parts of the sections coloured green are a summary of what you should have learnt
and understood

Each section contains Exercises which must be completed and submitted to me for
grading

INSTRUCTIONS
All questions are to be attempted

The work should be set out clearly and neatly.

DO THE QUESTIONS IN THE ORDER THEY ARE GIVEN.
SHOW CLEARLY WHICH EXERCISE YOU ARE DOING AND NUMBER EACH
QUESTION CLEARLY.

The QUESTIONS should be done similar to the Examples.

ALL WORKING MUST BE SHOWN - otherwise the question will be graded zero.

SUBMISSION OF UNIT
The completed Exercises must be submitted on
Monday 19th September

2
 UNIT 2 - COORDINATE GEOMETRY
2.1 Mid-Point of a Line Segment
The coordinates of the mid-point between two points may be found by drawing or by
caclulation.
Consider the line segment that joins the point A with coordinates  2, 2  and the point B  6, 8 .
The mid-point of the line segment AB is shown in he diagram below.

The mid-point of the line segment joining the points

A  x1 , y1  and B  x2 , y2  is given by
 x1  x2 y1  y2 
 , 
 2 2 

3
 Example 1
Find the midpoint of the line segment joining the points  6, 3 and  2, 7  .
Solution
Let  x1 , y1  =  6, 3 and  x2 , y2    2, 7  .

Mid-point  6  2 , 3  7
2 2 
  4, 2 
Example 2
The mid-point M of the line segment PQ is  3, 5  . Given that the coordinates
Q  x2 , y2 
of P are  7, 2  find the coordinates of Q.
Solution M  3,5 
 x1, y1  =  7,2  ; to find  x2 , y2 . x2 and y2 P  7, 2 
The mid-point M of PQ is  3,5  , therefore
 7  x2 2  y2 
 ,  =  3,5 
 2 2 
7  x2 2  y2
Hence  3 and  5.
2 2
2 2 2
7  x2 2  2  y2
3 and 5 Multiplying both sides by 2
2 2

7  x2  6 and 2  y2  10
x2  6  7  1 y2  10  2  8
Coordinates of Q are  1, 8  Check this is correct by showing
the midpoint of P and Q is  3,5 

Exercise 2A
1 Determine the coordinates of the mid-point of the line segment joining each pair of
points listed below.

4
 B
2 The point A  3, 4  is on the line segment AB.
The mid-point of AB.is M  7,8  . Calculate the coordinates of the point B. M

3 If M  1,5  is the mid-point CD and C has coordinates  3,3 . Find the coordinates of D.

2.2 The Length of a Line Segment

Considert the line segment AB.
In a right-angles triangle the length of the
hypotenuse may be calculated using
B Pythagoras' Theorem.
c2  a 2  b2
 y2  y1 
c  a 2  b2
c b
C
AA
 x2  x1 
a

Triangle ABC is a right angled triangle, using Pythagoras' Theorem

AB 2  BC 2  AC 2
Hence
AB 2   x2  x1    y2  y1 
2 2

 x2  x1    y2  y1 
2 2
AB 

The length of the line segment joining two points

A  x1 , y1  and B  x2 , y2  is given by

 x2  x1    y2  y1 
2 2

5
 Examples 3
Find the length of the line segment joining the following points.
(a) A  3,7  and B  2, 5  . (b) C 1, 2  and D  5,10  .
Solution
(a) Let  x1 , y1  =  3,7  and  x2 , y2    2, 5.
 2  3   5  7 
2 2
AB 

 5
2
  (12) 2  25  144
 169  13

(b) Let  x1 , y1  = 1, 2  and  x2 , y2    5,6 .

 5  1   6  2 
2 2
CD 

 4   8   16  64
2 2

 80  8.9443 First, always round off to 4 decimal places.
=8.95
Then, round off your final answer to 3 significant places.

Exercise 2B
Determine the lengths of the line segments joining the following points.

6
2.3 The gradient (slope) of a line

To measure the steepness of a line, we measure how quickly it rises (or falls,-negative gradient)
as we move from left to right (see diagram). Run is defined to be the distance moved to the right
and rise to be the corresponding distance that the line rises (or falls,-negative gradient)
gradient(slope)  rise
run
The gradient(slope), m, of a line passing through the points
 x1,y1  and  x 2 ,y 2 .
As you move right from the point  x1, y1  to  x2, y2  (see
diagram)
rise = change in y  y2  y1
run = change in x  x2  x1
y2  y1
m
x2  x1
Positive and Negative gradients

Line "moving up"

y change-upwards : the gradient is positive

Line "moving down"

y change-downwards : the gradient is negative

Horizontal line
no change in y: the gradient is zero
Vertical line
no change in x:
the gradient is undefined
The greater the gradient the steeper the line "moving up or moving down".

7
 Example 4
Find the gradient of the line passing through each pair of points.

(a)  2,0  and  3,1 (b)  1,2  and  2,2  (c)  0,4  and 1, 1
(d)  3, 4  and  3,1
Solution
(a) Let  x1 , y1  =  2,0  and  x2 , y2    3,1.
y2  y1 1  0 1 Positive gradient
m   Line "moving up" (see diagram)
x2  x1 3  2 5
(b) Let  x1 , y1  =  1, 2  and  x2 , y2    2, 2 .
y2  y1 2  2 0 Horizontal line
m   0 No change in y (see diagram)
x2  x1 2  1 3
(c) Let  x1 , y1  =  0,4  and  x2 , y2   1, 1.
y2  y1 1  4 5 Negative gradient
m    5 (see diagram)
x2  x1 1 0 1 Line "moving down"

(d) Let  x1 , y1  =  3,4  and  x2 , y2    3,1 .

y2  y1 1  4 5 undefined-cannot Vertical line
m   No change in x. (see diagram)
x2  x1 33 0 divide by zero
Line with Vertical line,
Line with Horizontal gradient undefined
gradient -5
gradient 15 line

Exercise 2C
1 Work out the gradient of the line joining these pairs of points:

2 The line y  mx  c passes through the points (3,3) and (5, 4) find the gradient, m, of the
line.

8
2.4 The equation of a line (linear equations)
The equation of a line is a formula that gives you all the points on the line.
Consider the equation of line given by Resources: Look at
y  2x  3 theis video
Points on this line can be found by substituting values of x in the equation to find the https://youtu.be/kl
corresponding y values. For example P6vvY9EsM
when x  3 , y  2  2   3  4  3  1 . Therefore, the coordinates of a point on the
line is  3,1 .
Another point is  1, 5  since when x  1 , y  2  1  3  2  3  5

The equation of a line – gradient-intercept form – is written

y  mx  c
where m is the gradient and  0, c  is the intercept on the y axis.
The equation of a line can also be written in the form (standard form)
ax  by  c  0
where a, b and c are integers.

Example 5
Look at this video
https://youtu.be/tonrg08NILk- [In this video the gradient is referred to as the slope and
the y intercepts is denoted by b and not c]

Example 6
Write down the gradient(slope) and intercept on the y axis of these lines:
(a) y  3x  2
(b) 4 x  2 y  5  0

9
Exercise 2D
Find the gradient and the y intercept of the following lines.

Example 5
Write these lines in the form ax  by  c  0 where a, b and c are integers (a, b and c
are whole number).
(a) y  4 x  3 (b) y   1 x  5
2
Solution
(a) y  4x  3
0  4x  3  y subtracting y from both sides or "change sides change sign"
4x  y  3  0 this is now in the form ax  by  c  0

(b) y 1 x5 Rule 1: get rid of the denominator -multiply every term by 2
2
y 1 x5
2
This can now be rearranged in the form ax 2  bx  c  0
2 y   x  10
2 y  x  10  0 Add x and subtract 10 from both sides or "change sides change sign"

x  2 y  10  0 This is now in the form ax 2  bx  c  0

Exercise 2E
Write these lines in the form ax  by  c  0

10
Finding the x intercept of a line
To find the x intercept-where the line meets the x axis- put y  0
Note: Note the y intercept -where the line meets the y axis- can be found in two ways
a. By finding c or b. By putting x  0

Example 6 Graph of the line

Find the coordinates where the y  2x  6 y-intercept
following lines meets the x and y axes
(x and y intercepts).
(a) y  2 x  6 (b) 2 x  3 y  9
Solution x-intercept
(a) y  2 x  6
The line meets the x axis when y = 0
0  2x  6 Putting y  0
6  2 x Subtract 6 from both sides or "change sides change sign"

6 x
2
x  3
Coordinates where the line meets the x axis are  3, 0  .
Since the line is in the form y  mx  c , we can see that c = 6.
Coordinates where the line meets the y axis are  0, 6  .
Solution
(b)
The line meets the x axis when y = 0

2 x  3(0)  9 Putting y  0
2x  9

2 2 
x 9 41 Dividing by 2. Do not write as a decimal

Coordinates where the line meets the x axis are 9 , 0 .

2   2x  3y  9
The line meets the y axis-y intercept- when x = 0 3y  9  2x
2 0  3 y  9 3 y  2 x  9
y  9 3
3 y  2 x  9
3 3
OR rearrange the equation in the form y  mx  c to
y   2 x3
find c. 3
Coordinates where the line meets the y axis are  0,3 . c3  m   23 

11
Exercise 2F
1 Find the coordinates where the following lines meets the x and y axes
(a) y  3x  6 (b) y  4 x  3 (c) 4 x  5 y  5 (d) 5 x  2 y  20  0
2

The line 2 x  5 y  10 meets the y axis at A and the x axis at B. Find

(i) the coordinates of A,
(ii) the coordinates of B,
(iii) the length of the line segment AB.

2.5 Sketching Lines

Look at this video
https://youtu.be/tD6_a4MquF4
or read this document
https://portal.uea.ac.uk/documents/6207125/8198437/bridging+algebra+calculus+sk
etching+straight+lines.pdf/0bf0230b-2d11-498f-8a01-6d1179b55553

Exercise 2G
Sketch the graph of each of the following linear equations. Show on your graph the points where
the line intersects the x-axis and the y-axis.
(a) y  2 x  1 (b) y  3x  2 (c) y  2 x  3 (d) y  1 x
2
(e) y  3 (f) x  3 (g) y  2  x (h) 2 x  y  5  0

12
2.6 Finding the equation of a line using the gradient intercept
form: y  mx  c
To find the equation of a line you need the gradient (slope) of the line and a point on the
line

Example 7
Find the equation of the line with gradient 1 and passing through the
3
point  0, 4 
Solution
m  1 and c  4 The point  0, 4  is on the y axis i.e. it is the y intercept.
3
Using y  mx  c
The equation of the line is: y  1 x4
3
Example 8
Find the equation of the line with gradient 4 and passing through the
point  2,3
Solution
m  4 , and c  ?
Using y  mx  c
y  4x  c To find c substitute the point on the line  2, 3

3  4  2   c
.
x  2 & y  3
.
3  12  c
2  12  c
c  14 The equation of the line is: y  4 x  14

13
 Example 9
Find the equation of the line passing through the points  3,1 and  6, 7  , giving your
answer in the form ax  by  c  0.
Solution
Since we have two points we can find the gradient m, and use one of the points to find
c.
y y
Now m  2 1
x2  x1
m  7 1  6  2 using the points  3,1 and  6, 7 
6  3 9 3
Using y  mx  c
y  2 xc
3
7  2 6  c using the point  6, 7  to find c
3
7  4c
74c
c3
The equation of the line is: y  2 x  3 This has to be changed to the form
3 3 3 ax  by  c  0.
3 2
y  x3 Multiplying both sides by 3 to clear the denominator
3
3y  2x  9
Rearranging in the form ax  by  c  0. The x term should
0  2x  3y  9 always be positive so rearrange on the right hand side.

The equation of the line is: 2 x  3 y  9  0

Exercise 2H
1 Find the equation of the line with gradient m that passes through the given
point
(a) m  2;  0  3 (b) m  1 ;  0,5  (c) m  1;  2,3 (d) m  3 ; 1, 2 
3 2
2 Find the equation of the line that passes through these pair of points.
(a)  2, 4  ,  3,8  (b)  0, 2  ,  3,5  (c)  5, 3 ,  7,5  (d)  5, 1 ,  3, 3

14
2.7 Parallel lines
The graph shown is of two parallel lines l1 : y  2 x  4 and l2 : y  2 x  3
They both have the same gradient,  m  2  but different y intercepts,
 0, 4  and  0, 3 respectively.
l1
Parallel Lines
Two lines are parallel if they have the same gradient (slope). l2

Example 9
Show that the line L1 passing through the points  2,1 and  4,5  is parallel
to the line L2 passing through the points  3, 0  and  0, 2 
Solution
The gradient of L1 is The gradient of L2
y y y y
m1  2 1  5  1  4  2 m2  2 1  2  0  2  2
x2  x1 4  2 6 3 x2  x1 0  3 3 3
Since the gradients are the same, the lines are parallel.

Example 10
Find the equation of the line parallel to the line y  1 x  3 and passing
2
through the point  4, 2  .
Solution
The gradient of the required line  1 . Parallel lines have the same gradient.
2
Its equation is
y  1 xc Since the point  4, 2  is on the line we can find c.
2
2  1  4  c when x  4, y  3
2
2  2c
22  c Subtract 2 from both sides or "change sides change sign"
c0
The equation of the line is y  1 x . It passes through the origin since c = 0.
2

15
 Example 11
A line has equation 6 x  2 y  7  0 . Find
(i) the gradient of the line,
(ii) the equation of the line parallel to the given line and passing through
the point  0, 7  .
Solution
(i) First rearrange the line in the form y  mx  c to find its gradient.
6x  2 y  7  0
Subtracting 6x and adding 7 to both sides or
2 y  6 x  7 "change sides change sign"
y  6 x  7 Dividing each term by 2
2 2
y  3 x  7
2
m  3
(ii) Since the lines are parallel, the gradient of the required line is also
m  3
y  3x  c The point  0, 7  is the y intercept, so c  7
y  3x  7

Exercise 2I
1 Show that the line passing through the points  7,5  and  1, 7  is parallel to the line
y  1 x5
4
2 A line is parallel to the line y  1 x  3 and it meets the y axis at  0,1 . Find the equation
2
of the line in the form
(i) y  mx  c
(ii) ax  by  c  0 where a, b, and c are integers.

3 Find the equation of the line parallel to the line equation 6 x  2 y  3  0 and passing through
the point  1, 7  . [ Hint: The given equation must first be written in the form y  mx  c ]

16
2.7 Perpendicular lines

If a line y  mx  c has gradient, m, , then a line

1
perpendicular to it as gradient  .
m
If two lines are perpendicular the product of their
 1 
gradients  m    1 is 1 .
 m 
Note: For two lines to be perpendicular the gradient of
one of the lines must be negative.

The table below shows the relationship between the gradients of two perpendicular lines
l1 and l2
Gradient of l1 Gradient of l2 Product of gradients

3 1 3   1  1
3 3
2 1 1
2   1
2 2
2 3 2   3  1
3 2 3 2
1 1
  4  1
4 4
4

Example 12
Show that the line y  3x  7 is perpendicular to the line
Solution
y  3x  7
The gradient of this line is 3
To find the gradient of x  3 y  2  0 it has to be written in the form y  mx  c
x  3y  6  0
3y  x  6
y  1 x  2   1 x  2
3 3
The gradient is  1
3
1
Since 3    1 The lines are perpendicular
3

17
Example 13
Find an equation of the line that passes through the point  5, 2  and is
perpendicular to y  2 x  1
Solution
y  2x 1
The gradient of this line is 2
The gradient of the line perpendicular to this line is  1
2
Using y  mx  c
y  1 xc You may be asked to give you answer in the form
2 ax  by  c  0 where a, b & c are integers (whole
2   1  5   c numbers)
2
2   5  c y 1 x 1
2 2 2
2  2 1 2 1
2  5  c y  x Multiplying by 2
2 2 2
2 y  1x  1
c1
2 x  2 y  1  0 Adding x and subtracting 1 from both
Equation of required line is sides or "change sides change sign"

y   1 x  1 OR x  2 y  1  0
2 2

Example 14
The points P and Q have coordinates  1,3 and  2, 2  respectively.
Find the equation of the line passing through the point R 1, 4  and perpendicular to the
line passing through P and Q. P R
Solution
First find the gradient of PQ. If we know the gradient of PQ, we can
find the gradient of the line we want since its perpendicular to PQ.
y y Q
mPQ  2 1  2  3  1   1
x2  x1 2  1 3 3
The gradient of the line perpendicular to PQ is 3
Using y  mx  c
y  3x  c The point R 1, 4  is on the line.

4  3 1  c Substituting x  1 & y  4

4  3  c
4  3  c Subtracting 3 from both sides or "change sides change sign"
c  7 The equation of the line perpendicular to PQ is y  3x  7

18
Exercise 2J
1 Find an equation of the line that passes through the point  8, 3 and is perpendicular to the
line y  4 x  2. Give you answer in the form ax  by  c  0 where a, b & c are integers.

2 The points P and Q have coordinates (3, 2) and (2, 1) respectively.
(i) Show that the gradient of the line segment PQ is 3. (ii)
(ii) Find the equation of the line parallel to PQ and passing through the point  4,  1 .
(iii) Find the equation of the line perpendicular to PQ and passing through the point P.

3 The line with equation 4 x  2 y  5 meets the x axis at A and the y axis at B. Find
(i) the coordinates of A and B.
(ii) the gradient of the line perpendicular to 4 x  2 y  5
(iii) the equation of the line perpendicular to 4 x  2 y  5 and passing through the point
 0, 1 .

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