Coordinate Geometry
Compiled by: Nyasha P. Tarakino (Trockers)
+263772978155/+263717267175
ntarakino@gmail.com
23 FEBRUARY 2020
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SYLLABUS (6042) REQUIREMENTS
find equations of parallel and perpendicular straight
lines
calculate the distance between two points
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COORDINATE GEOMETRY
DEFINITION: It is the study of geometry using the coordinate points or the study of
algebraic equations on graphs or the study of geometrically represented
ordered pair of numbers
The Coordinate Plane
o Each point in a plane can be identified using an ordered pair of real numbers called the
Cartesian coordinates .
o The axes are perpendicular number lines which intersect at the origin .
o The horizontal axis has positive numbers on the right and is called the -axis.
o The vertical axis has positive numbers above the -axis and is called the -axis.
o The axes divide the plane into four quadrants, labelled to .
Positive (y-values)
II I
Negative (x-values) 0 Positive (x-values)
III IV
Negative (y-values)
NB: The points on the axes are not in any of the four quadrants.
o The distance of a point from the -axis is called its x-coordinate, or abscissa.
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o The distance of a point from the -axis is called its y-coordinate, or ordinate.
o The coordinates of a point on the x-axis are of the form
o The coordinates of a point on the y-axis are of the form .
The distance between two points
o Distances in geometry are always positive, except when the points coincide.
o The distance from to is the same as the distance from to .
Distance formula
A formula used to find the distance between two points, and
o The distance can be found using Pythagoras’ theorem and it is given by:
o The distance of a point from the origin is given by:
o Let and be points in then:
o The distance of a point from the origin is given by:
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Solved Problems
Question 1
Find the distance between the points and .
Suggested Solution
Question 2
If is and is find the length of .
Suggested Solution
Question 3
Find the distance of from the origin.
Suggested Solution
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Question 4
Find the distance of from the origin.
Suggested Solution
The Midpoint of an Interval
Given the points and then the midpoint, , of interval , given by:
0 X
Solved Problems
Question 1
Find the coordinates of the midpoint of given that the points is and is .
Suggested Solution
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Question 2
If is and is , find the coordinates of the midpoint of .
Suggested Solution
The Gradient of a line
Definition: The gradient is a measure of the steepness of line/slope.
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o We will use the pronumeral/variable for gradient.
o The gradient of the line that passes through the points and is given
by the formula:
o In general, the gradient of an interval is given by:
where rise is the change in the y-values as you move from to and run is the change
in the x-values as you move from to .
Types of gradients
Positive Gradients (Uphill Slope)
NB:
The line going up is said to have a positive gradient (or slope).
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Negative Gradients (Downhill Slope)
NB:
If we move from left to right the line going down is said to have a negative gradient (or
slope).
Zero Gradients (Horizontal lines)
NB: is not defined
If the line is horizontal (not going up or down) its gradient is zero.
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No Gradients (Vertical Lines)
NB:
If the line is vertical its gradient is not defined.
Worked Examples
Question 1
Find the gradient of the line joining the points and
Suggested Solution
Question 2
The gradient of the line joining the point to is . Find the value of
Suggested Solution
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Question 3
Write down the value of the gradient and the coordinates of the -axis for the line with the
equation point
Suggested Solution
Now comparing to
The Equation of a Line
o The general form of the equation of a line is given in the form , where
, and are integers and .
o The equation of a line can also be written as , where gives the gradient of
the line and gives the -intercept of the line.
o Parallel lines have the same gradient
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CASE 1: Given the gradient ( ) and the y-intercept ( )
We use the equation
Worked Examples
Question 1
Find the equation of the line which cuts the -axis and its gradient is .
Suggested Solution
Question 2
Find the equation of the line which cuts the -axis and its gradient is .
Suggested Solution
CASE 2: Given the gradient ( ) and the point ( )
We use the equation
Worked Examples
Question 1
Find the equation of the line which passes through the point and has a gradient of .
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Suggested Solution
Question 2
Find, in the form , the equation of the line which passes through the point
with a gradient of .
Suggested Solution
CASE 3: Given two points ( ) and ( )
Method 1
Steps
(i) Find the value of the gradient , using the given points.
(ii) Find the vertical axis intercept using the equation , by substituting the
value of and the coordinates of one of the given points.
(iii) Rewrite replacing and with their numerical values.
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Method 2
We can use the formula:
where ( ) and ( ) are points on the line.
Worked Example
Question
Find the equation of the line which passes through the points and .
Suggested Solution
Alternatively we can use the following method:
Find the gradient
Find the y-intercept (c)
Choose any point and substitute it into
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Rewrite replacing and with their numerical values
Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
Parallel Lines
Two lines and with respective gradients of and are parallel and only if they have
the same slope i.e. if and also if their corresponding angles are equal.
Perpendicular Lines
Two lines and with respective gradients of and are perpendicular if and only if
the product of their slopes is i.e. if where neither nor can equal zero.
In other words, the two slopes must be opposite (opposite signs) reciprocals.
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y
Now:
Worked Examples
Question 1
Find the equation of the line which is perpendicular to the line which passes through the
points and .
Suggested Solution
NB: For perpendicular lines:
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Now:
Alternatively we can use the following method:
Find the gradient
Find the y-intercept (c)
Choose any point and substitute it into
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Rewrite replacing and with their numerical values
Question 2
Find the equation of the line which passes through the point and which is parallel to
the line with equation .
Suggested Solution
NB: For parallel lines:
Now
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Follow Up Questions
Question 1
For the following pairs of points A and B, calculate:
(a) the midpoint of the line joining A to B
(b) the distance AB
(c) the gradient of the line AB
(d) the gradient of the line perpendicular to AB.
(i) and
Answer: , , and
(ii) and
Answer: , , and
(iii) and
Answer: , , and
(iv) and –
Answer: , , and
Question 2
The points and have coordinates and , where , and
Find:
(i) the value of
(ii) the lengths of and
(iii)the area of triangle .
Answer: , , ; Area
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Solved Past Examination Questions
Question 1
UCLES NOVEMBER 1996 PAPER 1
The line joining have coordinates , respectively. Find the
equation of the straight line joining to the mid-point of . [3]
Suggested Solution
Let the mid-point of
Now:
Now the equation is given by:
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Question 2
ZIMSEC November 2019 Paper 1
The diagram above shows points and lying on the line whose equation is .
The point lies on the -axis and . The line from to is perpendicular
to .
Calculate the
(a) co-ordinates of and , [6]
(b) exact area of triangle ADC. [3]
Suggested Solution
(a) At :
is
Also the gradient of is perpendicular to the gradient
Now: gradient of gradient of
Equation of is given by:
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Finding the coordinates of
(i)
(ii)
Substituting equation (i) into equation (ii)
Now:
The coordinates of are
Let the coordinates of be
and
Since
and
The coordinates of are
(b) , and
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Length of
Length of
Now:
Question 3
Cambridge June 2004 Paper 1
The curve and the line intersect at two points. Find
(i) the coordinates of the two points, [4]
(ii) the equation of the perpendicular bisector of the line joining the two points. [4]
Suggested Solution
(i) (i)
(ii)
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Substituting equation (i) into equation (ii)
Now:
(ii)
or
or
The coordinates are and
(ii) Let the mid-point of
Now:
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Gradient of line
Gradient of perpendicular line
Now the equation is given by:
Question 4
ZIMSEC JUNE 2005 PAPER 1
The points and have coordinates and respectively.
Find the values of for which the mid-point of lies on the line . [3]
Suggested Solution
Let the mid-point of
Since the mid-point of lies on the line
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Question 5
Cambridge June 2009 Paper 1
The diagram shows points and lying on the line . The point lies on the
-axis and . The line from to is perpendicular to . Calculate the
coordinates of and . [7]
Suggested Solution
At :
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is
Also the gradient of is perpendicular to the gradient
Now: gradient of gradient of
Equation of is given by:
Finding the coordinates of
(i)
(ii)
Substituting equation (i) into equation (ii)
Now:
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The coordinates of are
Let the coordinates of be
and
Since
and
The coordinates of are
Questions 7
ZIMSEC JUNE 2019 PAPER 1
Find in terms of , the equation of the perpendicular bisector of the line joining the points
and . [3]
Suggested Solution
gradient of
Let the mid-point of
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Now the equation of the perpendicular bisector is given by:
Question 8
Cambridge November 2007 Paper 1
The three points and are shown in the diagram. The point is
such that the line is perpendicular to and is parallel to . Calculate the
coordinates of . [7]
Suggested Solution
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Now:
Equation of is given by:
Also:
Equation of is given by:
Finding :
(i)
(ii)
Substituting equation (ii) into equation (i)
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(ii)
The coordinates of are or
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PAST EXAMINATION QUESTIONS
Questions 1
UCLES JUNE 2007 PAPER 1
The vertices of the triangle are and Find an equation of the
line passing through and , giving your answer in the form , where
and are integers. [3]
Show by calculation that and are perpendicular. [2]
Answer:
The product of gradients
Questions 2
UCLES NOVEMBER 1997 PAPER 1
The curve and the line intersect at the points and and is
the origin. Calculate the coordinates of and , and hence show that ad are
peperndicular. [6]
Answer: and
The product of gradients .
Questions 3
UCLES NOVEMBER 1998 PAPER 1
The straight line passes through the point and is perpendicular to the line
. Find the equation of , giving your answer in the form [3]
Answer:
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Questions 4
UCLES JUNE 2000 PAPER 1
Find the equation of the straight line passing through the origin and perpendicular to the line
. [3]
Answer:
Questions 5
UCLES NOVEMBER 2001 PAPER 1
The points have coordinates respectively. The line passes through the
mid-point of and is parallel to the line with equation . Find the equation
of , giving your answer in the form . [3]
Answer:
Questions 6
ZIMSEC JUNE 2004 PAPER 1
The line has equation . The line passes through the point and is
perpendicular to .
(i) Find the equation of in the form . [2]
(ii) The line crosses the axis at and the axis at . Find the coordinates of
and of . Hence determine the area of triangle , where is the origin. [2]
Answer:
and ; Area
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Questions 7
ZIMSEC JUNE 2006 PAPER 1
and are points and respectively.
(i) Find the equation of the line which passes through and , giving your answer in
the form . [2]
(ii) Given that is the mid-point of , show that is perpendicular to . [3]
(iii) Hence or otherwise show that the area of is . [3]
Answer:
and the products of gradients
Questions 8
ZIMSEC JUNE 2007 PAPER 1
Line has equation and point has coordinates .
Show that the line from perpendicular to has equation . [3]
Hence find
(i) the perpendicular distance of from , [5]
(ii) the equation of the circle which has centre and touches . [3]
Questions 9
ZIMSEC JUNE 2009 PAPER 1
The line intersects at and . Find the coordinates of the
mid-point of . [5]
Answer:
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Questions 10
ZIMSEC JUNE 2014 PAPER 1
The equation of a straight line is . The straight line is parallel to and
passes through
(i) Find the equation of . [2]
(ii) Show that the line joining to is perpendicular to . [3]
(iii) Given that the point lies on , and that lies on , find the equation of
circle passing through and . [3]
Answer:
The products of gradients
Questions 11
ZIMSEC JUNE 2016 PAPER 1
Find the set of values of such that the gradient of the line passing through the points
and is less than . [3]
Answer:
Questions 12
ZIMSEC JUNE 2018 PAPER 1
The straight line passes through the point and is perpendicular to a line with
equation .
Find the equation of the line , leaving the answer in the form . [3]
Answer:
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ASANTE SANA
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*******THERE IS A LIGHT AT THE END OF EVERY TUNNEL *******
CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS ON THE FORM
OF THE PRESENTATION, INCLUDING ANY
OMISSIONS OR ERRORS, ARE WELCOME.
***ENJOY***
Nyasha P. Tarakino (Trockers)
+263772978155/+263717267175
ntarakino@gmail.com
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