Exercise 2B

1 a A(−5, 8) and B(7, 2)

 −5 + 7 8 + 2 
Midpoint =  , 
 2 2 
= (1, 5)
y2 − y1 2−8 1
The gradient of the line segment AB = = = −
x2 − x1 7 − (−5) 2
So the gradient of the line perpendicular to AB is 2.
The equation of the perpendicular line is
y − y1 = m( x − x1 )
m = 2 and ( x1 , y1 ) = (1, 5)
So y − 5 = 2(x − 1)
y = 2x + 3

b C(−4, 7) and D(2, 25)

 −4 + 2 7 + 25 
Midpoint =  ,  = (–1, 16)
 2 2 
y2 − y1 25 − 7
The gradient of the line segment CD = = =3
x2 − x1 2 − (−4)
1
So the gradient of the line perpendicular to CD is − .
3
The equation of the perpendicular line is
y − y1 = m( x − x1 )
1
m = − and ( x1 , y1 ) = (–1, 16)
3
1
So y − 16 = − (x − (–1))
3
1 47
y= − x+
3 3

© Pearson Education Ltd 2019. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free. 1
1 c E(3, −3) and F(13, −7)
 3 + 13 (−3) + (−7) 
Midpoint =  ,  = (8, −5)
 2 2 
y −y −7 − (−3) 2
The gradient of the line segment EF = 2 1 = = −
x2 − x1 13 − 3 5
5
So the gradient of the line perpendicular to EF is .
2
The equation of the perpendicular line is
y − y1 = m( x − x1 )
5
m= and ( x1 , y1 ) = (8, −5)
2
5
So y − (−5) = (x − 8)
2
5
y + 5 = x − 20
2
5
y = x – 25
2

d P(−4, 7) and Q(−4, −1)

 −4 + (−4) 7 + (−1) 
Midpoint =  ,  = (−4, 3)
 2 2 
P and Q both have x-coordinates of −4, so this is the line x = −4. So the perpendicular to
PQ is a horizontal line with gradient 0.
The equation of the perpendicular line is
y − y1 = m( x − x1 )
m = 0 and ( x1 , y1 ) = (−4, 3)
So y − 3 = 0(x − (−4))
y=3

e S(4, 11) and T(−5, −1)

 4 + (−5) 11 + (−1)   1 
Midpoint =  ,  =  − ,5 
 2 2   2 
y −y −1 − 11 4
The gradient of the line segment ST = 2 1 = =
x2 − x1 −5 − 4 3
3
So the gradient of the line perpendicular to ST is − .
4
The equation of the perpendicular line is
y − y1 = m( x − x1 )
3  1 
m= − and ( x1 , y1 ) =  − ,5 
4  2 
3   1 
So y − 5 = −  x −  −  
4   2 
3 3
y−5= − x−
4 8
3 37
y= − x+
4 8

© Pearson Education Ltd 2019. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free.
2
1 f X(13, 11) and Y(5, 11)
 13 + 5 11 + 11 
Midpoint =  ,  = (9, 11)
 2 2 
The y-coordinates of points X and Y are both 11, so this is the line y = 11.
So the equation of the perpendicular line is x = a.
The line passes through the point (9, 11) so a = 9.
x=9

2
The gradient of FG is
y2 − y1 9−5 4
= = = 1
x2 − x1 2 − ( −2 ) 4

The gradient of a line perpendicular to FG is

−1
= −1.
(1)

C is the mid-point of FG, so the coordinates of C are

 x1 + x2 y1 + y2   −2 + 2 5 + 9   0 14 
 , =   ,
=  = ,  ( 0, 7 )
 2 2   2 2  2 2 

The equation of l is
y − y1= m ( x − x1 )
y − 7 =−1( x − 0 )
y − 7 =− x
y =− x + 7

Or we could have recognised immediately that (0, 7) is the y-intercept.

© Pearson Education Ltd 2019. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free.
3
3

The gradient of JK is
y2 − y1 −5 − ( −3) −5 + 3 2 1
= = =− =−
x2 − x1 4−0 4 4 2

The gradient of a line perpendicular to JK is

−1
=2
( )
− 12

P is the mid-point of JK, so the coordinates of P are

 x1 + x2 y1 + y2   0 + 4 −3 + ( −5 )   4 8 
 ,  = ,  =  , −  = ( 2, −4 )
 2 2   2 2  2 2
The equation of l is
y − y1= m ( x − x1 )
) 2 ( x − 2)
y − ( −4=
y + 4 = 2x − 4
0 = 2x − y − 4 − 4
2x − y − 8 =0

4 a A(−4, −9) and B(6, −3)

 −4 + 6 −9 + (−3) 
Midpoint =  ,  = (1, −6)
 2 2 
y −y −3 − (−9) 3
The gradient of the line segment AB = 2 1 = =
x2 − x1 6 − (−4) 5
5
So the gradient of the line perpendicular to AB is − .
3
The equation of the perpendicular line is
y − y1 = m( x − x1 )
5
m = − and ( x1 , y1 ) = (1, −6)
3
5
So y − (−6) = − (x − 1)
3
5 5
y+6= − x+
3 3
5 13
y= − x−
3 3

© Pearson Education Ltd 2019. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free.
4
4 b C(11, 5) and D(−1, 9)
 11 + (−1) 5 + 9 
Midpoint =  ,  = (5, 7)
 2 2 
y2 − y1 9−5 1
The gradient of the line segment CD = = = −
x2 − x1 −1 − 11 3
So the gradient of the line perpendicular to CD is 3.
The equation of the perpendicular line is
y − y1 = m( x − x1 )
m = 3 and ( x1 , y1 ) = (5, 7)
So y − 7 = 3(x − 5)
y = 3x – 8

c Solve the two perpendicular bisectors simultaneously

5 13
− x − = 3x − 8
3 3
−5 x − 13 = 9 x − 24
14 x = 11
11  11  79
x= , so y = 3   − 8 = −
14  14  14
 11 79 
 ,− 
 14 14 

5 X(7, −2) and Y(4, q)

y2 − y1 q − (−2) q+2
The gradient of the line segment XY = = =
x2 − x1 4−7 −3
From the equation of the perpendicular bisector of PQ, y = 4x + b, the gradient is 4
1 1 q+2
Therefore, the gradient of XY = − , so − =
4 4 −3
5
q= −
4

Midpoint of XY =  , = 
( )
 7 + 4 −2 + − 54   11 13 
,− 
 2 2   2 8
11 13
Substituting x = and y = − into y = 4x + b gives
2 8
13  11 
− = 4  + b
8 2
189
b= −
8
189 5
So b = − ,q= −
8 4

© Pearson Education Ltd 2019. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free.
5
Challenge

a P(6, 9) and Q(3, −3)

 6 + 3 9 + (−3)   9 
Midpoint of PQ =  ,  =  ,3 
 2 2  2 
−3 − 9
The gradient of the line segment PQ = =4
3−6
1
So the gradient of the line perpendicular to PQ is − .
4
The equation of the perpendicular line is
y − y1 = m( x − x1 )
1 9 
m= − and ( x1 , y1 ) =  ,3 
4 2 
1 9
So y − 3 = −  x − 
4 2
1 33
y= − x+
4 8
R(−9, 3) and Q(3, −3)
 (−3) + 3 3 + (−9) 
Midpoint of RQ =  ,  = (−3, 0)
 2 2 
3 − (−3) 1
The gradient of the line segment RQ = = −
−9 − 3 2
So the gradient of the line perpendicular to RQ is 2.
The equation of the perpendicular line is
y − y1 = m( x − x1 )
m = 2 and ( x1 , y1 ) = (−3, 0)
So y − 0 = 2(x − (−3))
y = 2x + 6
P(6, 9) and R(−9, 3)
 6 + (−9) 9 + 3 
 3 
Midpoint of PR =  , =
 − ,6
 2 2  2 
3−9 2
The gradient of the line segment PR = =
−9 − 6 5
5
So the gradient of the line perpendicular to PR is − .
2
The equation of the perpendicular line is

y − y1 = m( x − x1 )
5  3 
m= − and ( x1 , y1 ) =  − , 6 
2  2 
5   3 
So y − 6 =−  x −  −  
2   2 
5 15
y − 6 =− x −
2 4
5 9
y= − x+
2 4

© Pearson Education Ltd 2019. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free.
6
Challenge

b Solving each pair of pair of perpendicular bisectors simultaneously

1 33
PQ: y = − x + and RQ: y = 2x + 6
4 8
1 33
− x+ = 2x + 6
4 8
−2 x + 33 = 16 x + 48
18 x = −15
5  5 13
x = − , y = 2− + 6 =
6  6 3
 5 13 
Lines PQ and RQ intersect at the point  − , 
 6 3
5 9
RQ: y = 2x + 6 and PR: y = − x +
2 4
5 9
2 x + 6 =− x +
2 4
8 x + 24 =−10 x + 9
18 x = −15
5  5 13
x = − , y = 2−  + 6 =
6  6 3
 5 13 
Therefore, all three perpendicular bisectors meet at the point  − , 
 6 3

© Pearson Education Ltd 2019. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free.
7