Rectangular Y

Co-ordinates
The rectangular coordinate system consists of two
real number lines that intersect at a right angle. The
horizontal number line is called the x-axis, and the
vertical number line is called the y-axis. These two
number lines define a flat surface called a plane, and O
each point on this plane is associated with an ordered X
pair of real numbers (x, y). The first number is called
the x-coordinate, and the second number is called
the y-coordinate. The intersection of the two axes is Z
known as the origin,which corresponds to the point

o(0, 0).
Let P(x1,y1,z1) and Q(x2,y2,z2) be two given points in space with respect to a set of rectangular axes OX, OY and OZ.
The position vector of the points P and Q are given by

𝑂𝑃 = x1 𝑖 + y1 𝑗 + z1 𝑘 and 𝑂𝑄 = x2 𝑖 + y2 𝑗 + z2 𝑘

Thus the distance between the two points P(x1,y1,z1) and Q(x2,y2,z2) is given by

𝐏𝐐 = √{ 𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙𝟏 𝟐 + 𝒚𝟐 − 𝒚𝟏 𝟐 + 𝒛𝟐 − 𝒛𝟏 𝟐}
The coordinates of a point R, which divides the line joining the two points P(x1,y1,z1) and Q(x2,y2,z2) in the
ratio m1:m2 are given by

𝑚1𝑥2+𝑚2𝑥1 𝑚1𝑦2+𝑚2𝑦1 𝑚1𝑧2+𝑚2𝑧1

𝑚1+𝑚2
, 𝑚1+𝑚2
,
𝑚1+𝑚2

Note :
𝑚1
If is positive, then R divides the line PQ internally
𝑚2

𝑚1
If is positive, then R divides the line PQ externally
𝑚2
If the point R bisects the line PQ joining the two points
P(x1,y1,z1) and Q(x2,y2,z2), m1=m1 and the coordinates of R
are,

𝒙𝟏+𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟏+𝒚𝟐 𝒛𝟏+𝒛𝟐 R

𝟐
, 𝟐
,
𝟐
Let ABC be a triangle, the coordinates of the vertices are
A(x1,y1,z1), B(x1,y2,z2) and C(x3,y3,z3) respectively. Let AD
be the median of the triangle. Thus G is the middle point of
BC. A
Therefore, the co-ordinantes of D are,
𝒙𝟐+𝒙𝟑 𝒚𝟐+𝒚𝟑 𝒛𝟐+𝒛𝟑
𝟐
, 𝟐 , 𝟐
G
Now if G is the center of gravity of the triangle ABC, then G
divides the median AD in the ratio 2:1
B C
D
𝒙𝟏+𝒙𝟐+𝒙𝟑 𝒚𝟏+𝒚𝟐+𝒚𝟑 𝒛𝟏+𝒛𝟐+𝒛𝟑
𝑮=
𝟑
, 𝟑
,
𝟑
If 𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 are the angles which a given directed line makes
with the positive directions of the axes of x, y and z
respectively then cos𝛼, 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽, 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛾 are called the direction
cosines of the line. Direction cosines are generally y
P
denoted by the letters l, m, n respectively.

O
X
Any three numbers a, b and c which are proportional to the
direction cosines l, m, n respectively of a given line are called
the direction ratios of the given line. Z
P’
Let a, b, c the direction ratios of a line whose direction cosines are l, m, n. Now from definitions of direction
ratios we have,

𝑙 𝑚 𝑛 𝑙2+𝑚2+𝑛2 1
= =𝑐 = = ±
𝑚 𝑏 𝑎2 +𝑏2 +𝑐 2
𝑎2 +𝑏2 +𝑐2

1 𝑏 𝑐
𝑙= ± , m= ± , n= ±
𝑎2 +𝑏2 +𝑐 2
2 2
𝑎 𝑎

Where the same sign either (+) axis or (-) axis is to be chosen throughout.
Hence if a, b, c be three numbers proportional to the direction cosines of OP, then the actual direction cosines
of OP are,

𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
, ,
2 2 2
𝑎 𝑎 𝑎
Let A be a given point and CD the given straight line. Draw perpendicular AB from A to CD,
where B is the foot of the perpendicular. The foot of the perpendicular B is called the
projection of the given point A one the given line CD.

C D
B