Sec 5 Maths P2

Chapter 2
COORDINATE GEOMETRY IN THE (x, y) PLANE

2.1 Midpoints and Perpendicular Bisectors (Page 26)

• The midpoint of a line segment with endpoints (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) and (𝑥2 , 𝑦2 )
is
𝑥1 + 𝑥2 𝑦1 + 𝑦2
( , )
2 2

• The perpendicular bisector of a line segment is the straight line which

is perpendicular to that line segment and passes through the midpoint
of the line segment.

Example 1 (Page 26)

Given: A= (−3,8); B= (5,4); AB is a diameter of a circle.
To find: the centre of the circle
The centre of the circle is the midpoint of AB.
−3+5 8+4
The centre = ( , ) = (1,6)
2 2

Example 2 (Page 26)

Given: PQ is a diameter of a circle. Centre = (2, −2); P = (8, −5)
To find: coordinates of Q
Let Q = (𝑎, 𝑏).
 The centre of the circle is the midpoint of PQ.
8+𝑎 −5+𝑏
( , ) = (2, −2)
2 2
8+𝑎 −5+𝑏
=2 and = −2
2 2

𝑎 = − 4 and 𝑏=1
⸫ Q = (− 4,1)

Exercise 2A (Page 27)

No. 4 (Page 17)

4𝑎 3𝑏 2𝑎 5𝑏
Given: R= ( ,− ); S = ( , ); RS is a diameter of a circle.
5 4 5 4

To find: the centre of the circle

The centre of the circle is the midpoint of RS.
1 4𝑎 2𝑎 1 3𝑏 5𝑏 3𝑎 𝑏
The centre = ( ( + ), (− + )) = ( , )
2 5 5 2 4 4 5 4

No. 6 (Page 17)

3 4 1
Given: J= ( , ); K = (− , 2); JK is a diameter of a circle.
4 3 2

The centre lies on the line with 𝑦 = 8𝑥 + 𝑏

To find: the value of b
The centre of the circle is the midpoint of JK.
1 3 1 1 4 1 5
The centre = ( ( − ), ( + 2)) = ( , )
2 4 2 2 3 8 3

Since the centre lies on the line, it satisfies the equation of the line.
 𝑦 = 8𝑥 + 𝑏.
5 1
=8× +𝑏
3 8
2
⸫𝑏=
3

Example 3 (Page 28)

Given: A = (−1,4); B = (5,2); AB is a diameter of a circle.
C in the centre.
Line l passes through C and is perpendicular to AB
To find: the equation of line l
The centre C is the midpoint of AB.
−1 + 5 4+2
C=( , ) = (2,3)
2 2
2−4 1
The slope of AB = 𝑚1 = =−
5+1 3

The slope of line l = 𝑚2 = 3

The equation of the line l is
𝑦 − 3 = 3(𝑥 − 2)
𝑦 − 3 = 3𝑥 − 6
𝑦 = 3𝑥 − 3