Conic Sections

    Circle

       General equation of a circle with the center S(p, q) - translated circle
         Equation of the circle with the center at the origin O(0, 0)
       Circle through three points

Circle

General equation of a circle with the center S(p, q) - translated circle

A circle with the center at the point S (p, q) and radius r is a set of all points P (x, y) of a plane to whom
the
distance from the center,   SP  =  r  or

 is the general equation of a circle with the center S(p, q).

Equation of the circle with the center at the origin O(0, 0),

Example:  A circle passes through points A(2, 4) and B(2, 6) and its center lies on a line x + 3y  8 = 0.
Find equation of the circle.

Solution:   The intersection of the chord AB   bisector and the given line is the center S  of the circle, since
the bisector is normal through the midpoint M, then

 As the bisector is perpendicular to the line AB 

Equation of the bisector

M(0, 5) and mn =  2  =>  y  y1 = m( x  x1),

gives       y  5 = 2(x  0)   or   2x  + y  5 = 0.

So, the equation of the circle,     (x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2    =>    (x + 1)2 + (y  3)2 = 10.

Circle through three points

 A circle is uniquely determined by three points not lying on the same line. If given are
points, A, B and C then the intersection of any pair of the perpendicular bisectors of the sides of the
triangle ABC is the center of the circle.

Since all three points lie on the circle, their coordinates

must satisfy equation of the circle

(x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2.
Thus, we obtain the system of three equations in three
unknowns p, q and r. 
 Example:  Find equation of a circle passing through three points, A(2, 6), B(5, 7) and C(6, 0).

Solution:   The coordinates of the points, A, B and C plug into equation  (x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2,

Thus, the equation of the circle through points A, B and C,    (x  2)2 + (y  3)2 = 25.

Copyright © 2004 - 2020, Nabla Ltd.  All rights reserved.

    Conic Sections
    Circle and Line

       Line circle intersection

       Equation of a tangent at a point of a circle with the center at the origin
       Equation of a tangent at a point of a translated circle

Circle and Line

Line circle intersection

A line and a circle in a plane can have one of the three positions in relation to each other, depending on the
distance d of the center S (p, q) of the circle  

(x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2  from the line Ax + By + C = 0,

where the formula for the distance:
If the distance of the center of a circle from a line is
such that: 

  d < r,    then the line intersects the circle in two points,

  d = r,    the line touches the circle at only one point,

  d > r,    the line does not intersect the circle, and they
have no common points.

Example:  At which points the line  x + 5y + 16 = 0  intersects the circle  x2 + y2  4x + 2y  8 = 0.
Solution:   To find coordinates of points at which the line intersects the circle solve the system of
equations: 

So, the line intersects the circle at points,  A(4, 4) and  B(1, 3).

Example:  Find equation of a circle with the center at S(1, 20) which touches the line  8x + 15y  19 = 0.  
Solution:   If a line touches a circle then the distance between the tangency point and the center of the
circle
 d = DS   = r  i.e.,

thus, equation of the circle  (x  1)2 + (y  20)2 = 289.

We can use another method to solve this problem. Since,

the normal n through the center is perpendicular to the
tangent t then the direction vector sn  is perpendicular to the
direction vector st  . Therefore, as mt = sy/sx = 8/15 then
so, equation of the normal is

As the tangency point D is the common point of the tangent and the normal then, putting coordinates of the 
radius vector of the normal into equation of the tangent determines a value of the parameter  to satisfy
that 
condition, as

then, these variable coordinates of the radius vector put into equation of the tangent

follows    8 · (1 + 8) + 15 · (20 + 15)  19 = 0    =>   289 = 289    =>    =  1

so, the radius vector of the tangency point

therefore the tangency point  D(7, 5). The radius of the circle, since

This result we can check by plugging the coordinates of the tangency point into equation of the circle, that is

D(7, 5)   =>   (x  1)2 + (y  20)2 = 289,    (7  1)2 + (5  20)2 = 289   =>  (8)2 + ( 15)2 = 289
therefore, the tangency point is the point of the circle.

Equation of a tangent at a point of a circle with the center at the origin

The direction vector of the tangent at the point P1 of a circle and the radius vector of P1 are perpendicular to
each other so their scalar product is zero.
Points, O, P1 and P in the right figure, determine
vectors,

the scalar product written in the components gives,

x1x + y1y = r2

This is equation of a tangent at the point P1(x1, y1) of a  

circle with the center at the origin.
Equation of a tangent at a point of a translated circle (x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2

The direction vector of the tangent at the point P1(x1, y1), of a circle whose center is at the point S(p, q),
and the direction vector of the normal, are perpendicular, so their scalar product is zero.

Points, O, S, P1 and P in the right figure, determine vectors,

Sinc
their scalar product is zero, that is
e

Therefore,   is vector equation of a tangent at the point of a translated circle, 

or, when this scalar product is written in the component
form,  (x1  p) · (x  p) + (y1  q) · (y  q) = r2
it represents the equation of the tangent at the point P1 (x1, y1), of a circle whose center is at S(p, q).

Example:  Find the angle formed by tangents drawn at points of intersection of a line x  y + 2 = 0 and
the circle  x2 + y2 = 10.

Solution:  Solution of the system of equations gives coordinates of the intersection points,

Plug coordinates of  A and B into equation of the tangent:

Example:  At intersections of a line x  5y + 6 =  0 and the circle x2 + y2  4x + 2y   8 = 0 drown are
tangents, find the area of the triangle formed by the line and the tangents.

Solution:  Intersections of the line and the circle are also tangency points. Solutions of the system of
equations are coordinates of the tangency points,

(1)  x  5y + 6 = 0     =>    x =  5y    6    =>   (2)

(2)  x2 + y2  4x + 2y   8 = 0
                                                
(5y    6)2 + y2  4(5y   6) + 2y   8 = 0
 y2  3y  + 2 = 0,    =>   y1 = 1  and   y2 = 2
                               x1 =  5 · 1  6 = 1,    =>   A(1,
1),
                               x2 =  5 · 2  6 = 4,      =>    B(4, 2).
Rewrite the equation of the circle into standard form,

(x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2

   x2 + y2  4x + 2y   8 = 0    =>   (x  2)2 + (y + 1)2 = 13,   thus  S(2, 1) and  r = 13.

Plug tangency points A and B into equation of the tangent,
A(1, 1)  and  B(4, 2)    =>   (x1  p) · (x  p) + (y1  q) · (y  q) = r2
(1  2) · (x 2) + (1 + 1) · (y + 1) = 13    =>    t1 ::    3x + 2y  5 = 0,
 (4  2) · (x 2) + (2 + 1) · (y + 1) = 13     =>    t2 ::    2x + 3y  14 = 0.
Solution of the system of equations of tangents determines the third vertex C of the triangle,
 3x  + 2y  5 = 0    Tangents are perpendicular since their slopes satisfy the
condition,  m1 = m2.     
   2x  + 3y  14 = 0,       C(1, 4)
                                 
The triangle ABC is right isosceles, whose area  A = 1/2 · AC  2 = 1/2 · (22 + 32)2 = 13/2 square units.

Copyright © 2004 - 2020, Nabla Ltd.  All rights reserved.

    Conic Sections
    Circle and Line

       Condition of tangency - Condition for a line to be the tangent to a circle

         Condition for a line to be the tangent to the circle with the center at the origin O(0, 0)
         Condition for a line to be the tangent to the translated circle
       Tangents to a circle from a point outside the circle - use of the tangency condition

Condition of tangency - Condition for a line to be the tangent to a circle

Condition for a line to be the tangent to the circle with center at the origin O (0, 0)

A line touches a circle if the distance of the center of the circle to the line is equal to the radius of the circle, 
i.e., if d = r.

The distance of the center S (0, 0) of a circle  x2 + y2 = r2  from a line  y = mx + c  or  mx  + y  c = 0,

and after squaring obtained is   r2·(m2 + 1) = c2   the condition for a line  y = mx + c  to be a tangent to 
the circle  x2 + y2  = r2.

Condition for a line to be the tangent to the translated circle  (x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2

In this case, the distance d of the center S(p, q) of the circle to a line  mx  + y  c = 0
( or  y = mx + c ), must be equal to the radius r  of the circle, thus

after squaring obtained is   r2·(m2 + 1) = (q m p  c)2

the condition for a line  y = mx + c  to be a tangent to a translated circle with the center at S(p, q).

We can derive the same conditions using the tangency criteria which implies that the discriminant of the
system of equations of a line and a circle, in that case, must be zero.
Then will the system have only one solution, i.e., the line and the circle will have only one common point, the
tangency point. 

1)  The condition for a line  y = mx + c  to be tangent to the circle  x2 + y2  = r2,

    (1)    y = mx + c           plugging (1) into (2) gives the quadratic equation,

    (2)    x2 + y2 = r2                         (m2 + 1) · x2 + 2mc  · x + c2  r2 = 0   and according to the condition,
                               
D  = b2 4ac = 0 or   (mc)2 4(m2 + 1)(c2  r2) = 0 gives  r2·(m2 + 1) = c2  the tangency condition.

2)  The condition for a line  y = mx + c  to be tangent to the circle  (x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2,

    (1)    y = mx + c
    (2)    (x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2
                                                      
by plugging (1) into (2) obtained is   (m2 + 1) · x2 + 2(mc  mq p)  · x +  p2 + c2 + q2  r2 2cq = 0
then, from the condition  D = b2 4ac = 0 follows  r2·(m2 + 1) = (q m p  c)2  the tangency condition.

Tangents to a circle from a point outside the circle - use of the tangency condition

Example:  Find the angle between tangents drawn from the point A(1, 7) to the circle x2 + y2 = 25 .
Solution:   Equations of tangents we find from the system formed by equation of the line and the tangency
condition,

  A(1, 7) =>  (1)   y = mx + c  =>   c = m + 7  =>  (2)

                       (2)   r2·(m2 + 1) = c2   
                                                      
            25(m2 + 1) = (m + 7)2

12m2  7m  12  = 0 =>  m1 =  3/4  and   m2 = 4/3

c1 =  3/4 + 7  = 25/4  and   c2 = 4/3 + 7 = 25/3
therefore, the equations of tangents,
t1 ::  y =   (3/4)x + 25/4  and  t2 ::  y =  (4/3)x + 25/3.
Slopes of tangents satisfy perpendicularity condition, that is

m1 =  1/m2  =>     = 90°.
Example:   Find the area of the triangle made by points of contact of tangents, drawn from the point
A(15, 12) to the circle (x  5)2 + (y  2)2 = 20 , and the center S of the circle.
Solution:   From the system of equations formed by equation of the line through point A and the condition
of 
tangency for the circle with the center at S(p, q), we calculate slopes and intersections of tangents, thus 

A(15, 12) =>  (1)  y = mx + c,   c = 12  15m  =>  (2)
                     (2)   r2·(m2 + 1) = (q m p  c)2   
                                                                      
   S(5, 2)  and  r2  = 20   =>   (2)

20·(m2 + 1) = (2 5m  12 + 15m)2

2m2  5m + 2 = 0  =>   m1 = 1/2  and   m2 = 2,

 as  c = 12  15m  then  c1 = 9/2  and  c2 =   18
therefore, the equations of tangents,

t1 ::  y =  (1/2)x + 9/2   and   t2 ::  y =  2x 18.

Coordinates of the tangency points we calculate by solving system of equations formed by equations of
tangents and equation of the circle, thus

and the tangency point D2,

The area of the triangle SD1D2,

Example:   Given is a line  3x + y + 1 = 0 and the circle x2 + y2 6x 4y + 3  = 0, find equations of

tangents to the circle which are perpendicular to the line.

Solution:   Slopes of tangents are determined by condition of perpendicularity, therefore

y = 3x  1,    m  = 3  so that  mt  = 1/3

Example: Find equations of the common tangents to circles x2 + y2 = 13 and (x + 2)2 + (y + 10)2 = 117.
Solution:   Slopes and intersections of common tangents to the circles must satisfy tangency condition of
both circles. Therefore, values for slopes m and intersections c we calculate from the system of equations,

The equation  10 + 2m  c = +3c  does not satisfy given conditions.

The equation  10 + 2m  c = 3c  or  c = 5  m  plugged into (1)

Therefore, the equations of the common tangents are,

Copyright © 2004 - 2020, Nabla Ltd.  All rights reserved.

    Conic Sections
    Circle and Line

       Condition of tangency - Condition for a line to be the tangent to a circle

         Condition for a line to be the tangent to the translated circle
       Tangents to a circle from a point outside the circle - use of the tangency condition examples
       Angle between a line and a circle

Condition of tangency - Condition for a line to be the tangent to a circle

Condition for a line to be the tangent to the circle with center at the origin O (0, 0)

A line touches a circle if the distance of the center of the circle to the line is equal to the radius of the circle, 
i.e., if d = r.

The distance of the center S (0, 0) of a circle  x2 + y2 = r2  from a line  y = mx + c  or   mx  + y  c = 0,

and after squaring obtained is   r2·(m2 + 1) = c2   the condition for a line  y = mx + c  to be a tangent to 
the circle  x2 + y2  = r2.

Condition for a line to be the tangent to the translated circle  (x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2

In this case, the distance d of the center S(p, q) of the circle to a line  mx  + y  c = 0
( or  y = mx + c ), must be equal to the radius r  of the circle, thus

after squaring obtained is   r2·(m2 + 1) = (q m p  c)2

the condition for a line  y = mx + c  to be a tangent to a translated circle with the center at S(p, q).

We can derive the same conditions using the tangency criteria which implies that the discriminant of the
system of equations of a line and a circle, in that case, must be zero.

Then will the system have only one solution, i.e., the line and the circle will have only one common point, the
tangency point. 

1)  The condition for a line  y = mx + c  to be tangent to the circle  x2 + y2  = r2,

    (1)    y = mx + c           plugging (1) into (2) gives the quadratic equation,

    (2)    x2 + y2 = r2                         (m2 + 1) · x2 + 2mc  · x + c2  r2 = 0   and according to the condition,
                               
D = b2 4ac = 0 or   (mc)2 4(m2 + 1)(c2  r2) = 0 gives  r2·(m2 + 1) = c2  the tangency condition.
2)  The condition for a line  y = mx + c  to be tangent to the circle  (x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2,

    (1)    y = mx + c
    (2)    (x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2
                                                      
by plugging (1) into (2) obtained is   (m2 + 1) · x2 + 2(mc mq p)  · x +  p2 + c2 + q2  r2 2cq = 0
then, from the condition  D = b2 4ac  = 0 follows  r2·(m2 + 1) = (q m p   c)2  the tangency condition.

Tangents to a circle from a point outside the circle - use of the tangency condition

Example:   Find the area of the triangle made by points of contact of tangents, drawn from the point
A(15, 12) to the circle (x  5)2 + (y  2)2 = 20 , and the center S of the circle.
Solution:   From the system of equations formed by equation of the line through point A and the condition
of 
tangency for the circle with the center at S(p, q), we calculate slopes and intersections of tangents, thus 

A(15, 12) =>  (1)  y = mx + c,   c = 12  15m  =>  (2)
                     (2)   r2·(m2 + 1) = (q m p  c)2   
                                                                      
   S(5, 2)  and  r2  = 20   =>   (2)

20·(m2 + 1) = (2 5m  12 + 15m)2

2m2  5m + 2 = 0  =>   m1 = 1/2  and   m2 = 2,

 as  c = 12  15m  then  c1 = 9/2  and  c2 =   18
therefore, the equations of tangents,

t1 ::  y =  (1/2)x + 9/2   and   t2 ::  y =  2x 18.

Coordinates of the tangency points we calculate by solving system of equations formed by equations of
tangents and equation of the circle, thus

and the tangency point D2,

The area of the triangle SD1D2,

Example:   Given is a line  3x + y + 1 = 0 and a circle x2 + y2 6x 4y + 3 = 0, find equations of

tangents to the circle which are perpendicular to the line.

Solution:   Slopes of tangents are determined by condition of perpendicularity, therefore

y = 3x  1,    m  = 3  so that  mt  = 1/3

x2 + y2 6x 4 y + 3 = 0  =>   (x  3)2 + (y  2)2 = 10
thus,   S(3, 2)  and  r2  = 10.

To find intersections c we use the tangency condition,

r2·(m2 + 1) = (q m p  c)2
10[(1/3)2 + 1] = [2 (1/3)·3  c]2  or (3  c)2 = 100/9

(3  c) =  10/3  so  c1 = 1/3  and  c2 = 19/3.

The equations of tangents are,

t1 ::  y =  (1/3)x 1/3  and  t2 ::  y =  (1/3)x +19/3.

Example: Find equations of the common tangents to circles x2 + y2 = 13 and (x + 2)2 + (y + 10)2 = 117.

Solution:   Slopes and intersections of common tangents to the circles must satisfy tangency condition of
both circles. Therefore, values for slopes m and intersections c we calculate from the system of equations,

The equation  10 + 2m   c = +3c  does not satisfy given conditions.

The equation  10 + 2m   c = 3c  or  c = 5  m  plugged into (1)

Therefore, the equations of the common tangents are,

Angle between a line and a circle

The angle between a line and a circle is the angle formed by the line and the tangent to the circle at the
intersection point of the circle and the given line.

Example:   Find the angle between a line 2x + 3y  1 = 0 and a circle  x2 + y2 + 4x + 2y  15 = 0.

Solution:   Coordinates of intersections of the line and the circle calculate by solving the system,

Rewrite the equation of the circle to standard form,

x2 + y2  + 4x + 2y   15 = 0 =>  (x  p)2 + (y  q)2 = r2

thus, (x + 2)2 + (y + 1)2 = 20,  S(2, 1) and  r2  = 20.
Equation of the tangent at the intersection S1,
S1(4, 3)   =>    (x1  p) · (x  p) + (y1  q) · (y  q) = r2
(4 + 2) · (x + 2) + (3 + 1) · (y + 1) = 20   =>    t ::    x + 2y  10 = 0  or   y = 1/2x + 5
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