CO-ORDINATE GEOMETRY

Coordinate Geometry
Coordinate Geometry is also called Analytical Geometry. It is that branch of geometry in which we use two
numbers, called co-ordinates to indicate the position of a point in a place.

Cartesian Co-ordinate System:

–4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4
–1

–2

–3

–4

The horizontal line is called the x-axis and the vertical line is called the y-axis, and together they are called the
coordinate axis. The point of intersection of these two axis is called the origin.

The x-axis and the y-axis divide the plane into four regions called the quadrants. The signs of the x and y co-
ordinates depend on the quadrant in which the point lies.

Quadrant I : x – coordinate is positive, y - coordinate is positive (+, +)

Quadrant II : x – coordinate is negative, y - coordinate is positive (–, +)

Quadrant III: x – coordinate is negative, y - coordinate is negative (–,–)

Quadrant IV: x – coordinate is positive, y – coordinate is negative (+,–)

Examples:

(1, 5) lies in first quadrant

(–2, +3) lies in second quadrant

(–2, –4) lies in third quadrant

(4, –2) lies in fourth quadrant

The coordinate of origin is (0, 0).

The ‘y’ co-ordinate of every point on x-axis is zero.

The ‘x’ co-ordinate of every point on y-axis is zero.

1
Distance Formula:
Let P(x1, y1) and Q(x2, y2) be any two points on the plane, then the distance between P and Q is represented as
PQ is given by

PQ =  x2  x1  +  y2  y1 
2 2

The distance of the point P(x, y) from the origin (0, 0) = x2 + y2 .

Example: The distance point A(6, 3t) and point B(12, – t ) is 10 units. Find the possible values of t.

Solution: 10 = (12  6)2 + ( t  3t)2

100 = 62 + (– 4t)2 …. Square the both sides

100 = 36 + 16t2
16t2 = 64
t2 = 4
t=2

Example: Point A(h, 2h) and point B(h, –3, 2h + 1) are two points which are equidistant from the origin. Find the
value of h.

Solution: (h  0)2 + (2h  0)2 = (h  3  0)2 + (2h + 1  0)2

h2 + (2h)2 = (h  3)2 + (2h + 1)2

h2 + 4h2 = h2 – 6h + 9 + 4h2 + 4h + 1
5h2 = 5h2 – 2h + 10
2h = 10
h = 5.

Section Formula:
a) Internal Division: If A(x1 y1) and B(x2 y2) are two points in a plane, then the coordinates of the point P
 mx + nx1 my2 + ny1 
which divides the line joining AB internally in the ratio m : n are  2 ,
 m + n m + n 

(x1 y1) (x2 y2)

A m P n B

b) External division: If A(x1 y1) and B(x2 y2) are two points in a plane, then the coordinates of a point P
 mx  nx1 my2  ny1 
which divides the line joining AB in the ratio m : n externally are  2 ,
 m  n m  n 
(x1 y1) (x2 y2)

P A B

(x1 y1) (x2 y2)

A B P

2
 The point P is beyond A and B for external division and it can be either close to B or close to A.

Example: Find the coordinates of point P that divides the straight line that joins E(–6 , 10) and F(4, –5) in the ratio
2 : 3.
E(–6, 10)
Solution: m : n = 2 : 3
2
 nx + mx2 ny1 + my 2 
(x. y) =  1 ,
 m + n m + n  P(x, y)

 (3) ( 6) + (2) (4) (3) (10) + (2) ( 5) 

P(x, y) =  ,  3
 2 + 3 2 + 3 

 18 + 8 30  10 
P(x, y) =  ,  = (–2, 4)
 5 5 
F(4, –5)

Midpoint Formula:
If A(x1, y1) and B(x2, y2) are the two points given and P is the midpoint then m : n = 1 : 1 i.e., (m = n).

 x + x2 y1 + y2 
 The coordinates of the point P are given by  1 , 
 2 2 

Example: Given C(2, 5) is the mid-point of the point B(h, 3) and point D(– 4, k). Find the value of h and k.
Solution: Use the formula,
4 + h k + 3
2= 5=
2 2
h–4=4 k + 3 = 10
h=8 k=7

The Straight Line:

A linear equation of the first degree in two variables x and y represents a straight line.

The equation ax + by + c = 0 is the general form of equation of a line.

I. 2x + 3y + 7 = 0S

II. 3y + 7 = 0 (a = 0). Then the line is parallel to x-axis

III. 2x + 7 = 0 (b = 0). Then the line is parallel to y-axis.

IV. 2x + 3y = 0 (c = 0).Then the line passes through the origin.

All the above four examples are equations of straight line.

Slope of Line (m):

The slope is the tangent of the angle which the line makes with the x-axis, in the positive direction. We measure
the angle from the x-axis towards the line, in the anticlockwise direction.

The slope m is given as m = tan . If  is acute, the slope is positive and if  is obtuse, the slope is negative.

3
The slope of a line parallel to x-axis is m = tan 0 = 0. The slope of a line perpendicular to x-axis is m = tan 90 = 
(not defined.)

y 2  y1
Slope of a line passing through 2 points (x1 , y1) and (x2, y2) is .
x 2  x1

Parallel lines:
Two lines are parallel to each other if their slopes are equal. Thus if the slope of line is m, the slope of a line
parallel to it is also m.

Perpendicular Lines:
Two lines are perpendicular to each other if and only if the product of their slopes is –1. Thus if the slope of a line
1
is ‘m’, the slope of a line perpendicular to it is – .
m

Co-linearity:
Three points A(x1, y1), B(x2, y2) and C(x3, y3) are said to be collinear (i.e., lying on the same straight line) if slope of
lines AB and BC are same.

Example: Given the straight line y = tx – 9 and y = 2x + 3 is perpendicular to each other. Find the value of t.
Solution: y = 2x + 3
m1 = 2
y = tx – 9
m2 = t
m1 × m2 = –1
2 × t = –1
2t = –1
1
t=–
2

Standard forms of the equation of a line:

I. Slope Intercept Form: The equation of a straight line having slope m and making an intercept C on y-axis
is y = mx + c.

II. The Two Point Form: The equation of a straight line passing through the points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) where
y 2  y1
x1x2 is y – y1 = (x – x1).
x 2  x1

III. The Point Slope Form: The equation of a straight line passing through the point (x1, y1) and having slope
m is y – y1 = m(x – x1).

4
 IV. Double Intercept Form: The equation of a line making intercepts a and b when a  0 on the x and y axis
x y
respectively is  = 1.
a b

Example: Given the equation of a straight line is 2y = 4x + 5. Determine the slope and the y-intercept of the
straight line.
Solution: 2y = 4x + 5
5
y = 2x +
2
5
Hence, the gradient of the straight line is 2 while and the y-intercept of the straight line is .
2
Example: Given the equation of a straight line is 2y = 3x + 6. Convert the equation into the intercept form. Hence,
state the x-intercept and y-intercept of the straight line.
Solution: 2y = 3x + 6
–3 + 2y = 6
 3x 2y
+ =1
6 6
x y
+ =1
2 3
x y
+ =1
2 3

Hence, the x-intercept of the straight line is –2 and y-intercept of the straight line is 3.

Example: Find the equation of the straight line which has a slope of –3 and passes through the mid-point of the
line joining A(1, 4) and B(7, –2)
 7 + 1 4 + ( 2) 
Solution: Mid-point of AB =  ,  = (4, 1)
 2 2 

The equation of the straight line which has a gradient of –3 and passes through (4, –1) is
y 1
= –3
x 4
y – 1 = 12 – 3x
3x + y – 13 = 0 or y = –3x + 13

Exercise

1. The distance between the points (2, –4) and (2, 3) is ______.

2. The co-ordinates of a point situated on x-axis at a distance of 2 units from y-axis is _______.

3. Point (–2, 5) lie in quadrant ____.

5
4. What point on x-axis is equidistant from the points P(7, 6) and Q(–3, 4)?
a] (0, 4) b] (–4, 0) c] (3, 0) d] (0, 3) e] None of these

5. The points A(0, 6), B(–5, 3) and C(3, 1) are the vertices of a triangle which is:
a] Isosceles b] Right angled c] Equilateral d] None of these e]

6. The slope of the line 2x + 3y + 5 = 0 is:

3 2
a] 2 b] 3 c] d] – e] None of these
2 3

7. The slope of the line joining A(–3, 5) and B(4, 2) is:

3 3 7 7
a] b] c] d] e] None of these
7 7 3 3

8. The ratio in which the line segment joining A(2, –3) and B(5, 6) is divided by x-axis is:
a] 1 : 2 b] 2 : 1 c] 3 : 5 d] 2 : 3 e] None of these

9. The value of k for which the lines 2x + 3y + 7 = 0 and 27x + ky + 25 = 0 are perpendicular is:
a] 9 b] –16 c] –12 d] –18 e] None of these

10. The lines whose equations are x – 2y = 7 and 4y – 2x = 13 are:

a] parallel b] coincident c] intersecting d] perpendicular e] None of these

11. If the points A(2, 3), B(5, k) and C(6, 7) are collinear, the value of k is:
11 3
a] 4 b] c] 6 d] – e] None of these
4 2