THE

DISTANCE, MIDPOINT AND

SLOPE OF

OF A LINE
THE DISTANCE FORMULA

• The Distance Formula is a variant of the

Pythagorean theorem that is used for computing
the distance between two points in a coordinate
plane.
PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM REVIEW

• The sum of the squares of the two legs of a triangle is equal to the square of the
hypotenuse (right triangles only)

a +b = c
c 2 2 2
a

b
PRACTICE

• Find the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle with leg lengths of 9 ft and
12 ft.

9 ft c

12 ft
 y ( x2 , y2 )

( x1 , y1 )

x
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d

( x1 , y1 )

x
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d

( x1 , y1 )
x2

x
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d
x1
( x1 , y1 )
x2

x
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d
x1
( x1 , y1 ) ( x2 − x1 )
x2

x
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d

( x1 , y1 )
( x2 − x1 )
x
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d

( x1 , y1 ) y2
( x2 − x1 )
x
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d

( x1 , y1 ) y2
( x2 − x1 )
y1
x
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d
( y2 − y1 )
( x1 , y1 ) y2
( x2 − x1 )
y1
x
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d
( y2 − y1 )
( x1 , y1 )
( x2 − x1 )
x
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d
( y2 − y1 )
( x1 , y1 )
( x2 − x1 )
x
c = a +b
2 2 2

d = ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 + y1 )
2 2 2
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d
( y2 − y1 )
( x1 , y1 )
( x2 − x1 )
x
c = a +b
2 2 2

d = ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 + y1 )
2 2 2
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d
( y2 − y1 )
( x1 , y1 ) a
( x2 − x1 )
x
c = a +b
2 2 2

d = ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 + y1 )
2 2 2
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d
( y2 − y1 )
( x1 , y1 ) a
( x2 − x1 )
x
c = a +b
2 2 2

d = ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 + y1 )
2 2 2
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d
b (y 2 − y1 )

( x1 , y1 ) a
( x2 − x1 )
x
c = a +b
2 2 2

d = ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 + y1 )
2 2 2
 y ( x2 , y2 )
d
b (y 2 − y1 )

( x1 , y1 ) a
( x2 − x1 )
x
c = a +b
2 2 2

d = ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2 2
d = ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2 2

d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2
d = ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2 2

d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2
 ( x1 , y1 ) ( x2 , y2 )

d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2
 ( x1 , y1 ) ( x2 , y2 )

d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
Find the distance between the two
points: ( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2

d= ( −1 ) +( 3 )
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2

d= ( −1 ) +( 3 )
2 2
 x1 y1 x2 y2
( 3, 1 ) ( 2 , 4 )
d= ( x2 − x1 ) + ( y2 − y1 )
2 2

d= ( 2 − 3) + ( 4 − 1)
2 2

d= ( −1 ) +( 3 )
2 2
d= ( −1 ) +( 3 )
2 2

d= 1 + 9
d= ( −1 ) +( 3 )
2 2

d= 1 + 9
d= ( −1 ) +( 3 )
2 2

d= 1 + 9
d= ( −1 ) +( 3 )
2 2

d= 1 + 9
d= ( −1 ) +( 3 )
2 2

d= 1 + 9

d = 10
Example:

Find the radius of a circle given that the center

is at (2,-3) and the point (-1,-2) lies on the
circle.
𝑑 = 𝑥2 − 𝑥1 2 + (𝑦2 − 𝑦1 )2
𝑑 = (2 − (−1))2 + (−3 − (−2))2
𝑑 = (3)2 + (−1)2
𝑑 = 9+1
𝑑 = 10

Then the radius of a circle is 10

or about 3.16
 THE MIDPOINT FORMULA
• The midpoint between the two point (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) and (𝑥2 , 𝑦2 ) is:

𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙𝟏 𝒚𝟐 + 𝒚𝟏
𝒎𝒅 = ( , )
𝟐 𝟐
Example:

Find the coordinates of the midpoint of the line

8 4 4 6
between 𝐴(− , ) and 𝐵(− , ) .
3 5 3 5
 𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙𝟏 𝒚𝟐 + 𝒚𝟏
𝒎𝒅 = ,
𝟐 𝟐

𝟒 −𝟖 𝟒 𝟔
− + +
𝒎𝒅 = 𝟑 𝟑 , 𝟓 𝟓
𝟐 𝟐
𝒎𝒅 = (−𝟐, 𝟏)

8 4
𝐴(− , )
3 5
4 6
𝐵(− , )
3 5
Example:

P is the midpoint of AB. A has coordinates (-5,4),

and P has coordinates (-1,3).
Find the coordinates of B.
 𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙𝟏 𝒚𝟐 + 𝒚𝟏
𝒎𝒅 = ,
𝟐 𝟐
−𝟓+𝒙𝟏 𝟒+𝒚𝟏
(-1,3) = ,
𝟐 𝟐

for x
−𝟓+𝒙𝟏
-1=
𝟐
−2 = −5 + 𝒙𝟏
3 = 𝒙𝟏

for y
𝟒+𝒚𝟏
A(-5,4) 3=
𝟐
6 = 4 + 𝒚𝟏
P (-1,3)
2 = 𝒚𝟏 Point B (3, 2)
SLOPE OF A LINE

Slope indicates the direction of the line. It is usually denoted by the letter “m”.

Slope is also defined as the ratio of the directed change in vertical distance to the
corresponding change in horizontal distance as the point moves along the line in either,
where ∆𝒙 = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙𝟏 called the run and ∆𝒚 = 𝒚𝟐 − 𝒚𝟏 called the rise.

∆𝒚
𝒎=
∆𝒙
TYPES OF SLOPES
 ∆𝒚
𝒎=
∆𝒙
𝟔−𝟐
𝒎=
𝟑−𝟏
𝒎=𝟐
STRAIGHT LINES EQUATIONS
EXAMPLES

Find the equation of the line passing

through the points (-3, 4) and (4, -2).

Two Point Form

𝑦 − 𝑦1 𝑥 − 𝑥1
=
Point slope 𝑦2 − 𝑦1 𝑥2 − 𝑥1
6 𝑦−4 𝑥+3
𝑦−4= − 𝑥+3 =
7 −2 − 4 4 + 3
7 𝑦 − 4 = −6 𝑥 + 3 𝑦−4 𝑥+3
=
7𝑦 − 28 = −6𝑥 − 18 −6 7
𝟔𝒙 + 𝟕𝒚 − 𝟏𝟎 = 𝟎 𝟕 𝒚 − 𝟒 = −𝟔 𝒙 + 𝟑
7𝑦 − 28 = −6𝑥 − 18
𝟔𝒙 + 𝟕𝒚 − 𝟏𝟎 = 𝟎
Find the equation of the line that
6
intersects at (-3, 4) and has a slope of − .
7

𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡
𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑏
𝟔
𝒚=− 𝒙+𝟒
𝟕
𝟕𝒚 = −𝟔𝒙 + 𝟐𝟖
𝟔𝒙 + 𝟕𝒚 − 𝟐𝟖 = 𝟎