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(Sec 3) Coordinate Geometry (Challenging Questions) Solutions

1. A triangle has vertices A (0, 2), B (8, 2) and C (4, 6).

(a) Find the lengths of AB, BC, and AC.
(b) Show that the triangle ABC is an isosceles triangle.
(c) Find the area of triangle ABC

8  0    2  2 
2 2
(a) length of AB 

 64
 8 units (ans)

 6  2    4  8
2 2
length of BC 
 16  16
 32
=4 2 units (ans)

 6  2   4  0
2 2
length of AC 
 16  16
 32
=4 2 units (ans)

(b) Since BC and AC have identical lengths, ABC is an isosceles triangle. (ans)

(c) y

.C (4, 6)
h=6–2
=4

A (0, 2) . . B (8, 2)

1
The area of triangle ABC   8  4
2

 16 units 2 (ans)
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2. The coordinates of triangle ABC are A (2, 2), B (10, 2), C (2, 6).
(a) Find the lengths of AB, BC, and AC.
(b) Show that the triangle ABC is a right‒angled triangle.
(c) Find the perpendicular distance from A to the line BC

C (2, 6) .

A (2, 2) . B (10, 2)
x
0

10  2    2  2 
2 2
a) length of AB 
 64
 8 units (ans)

 2  10    6  2 
2 2
length of BC 
 64  16
 80
= 4 5 units (ans)

 2  2   6  2
2 2
length of AC 
 16
= 4 units (ans)

 
2
b) BC²  80  80
AB²   8   64
2

AC²   4   16
2

Since BC² = AB² + AC², by Pythagoras Theorem, ABC is a right-angled triangle. (ans)

c) Let h = perpendicular distance from A to the line BC

1
Area of triangle ABC   8  4
2
 16 units 2

1
16  4 5h
2
h  3.58 unit (ans )
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3. The diagram shows a triangle with three points, A, B and C. The points A and B have the
coordinates (4, 0) and (10, 0) respectively.
(a) State the coordinates of C.
(b) Calculate the length of
(i) AB,
(ii) BC,
(c) Hence, find the area of the triangle ABC

8 . C

2 A
. .B x
0 2 4 6 8 10

(a) coordinates of C (0, 8) (ans)

10  4    0  0 
2 2
(b) length of AB 
 36
 6 (ans)

10  0    0  8
2 2
length of BC 
 100  64
 164
 12.8 units (ans )

1
(c) area of the triangle ABC   6  8
2

 24 units 2 (ans)

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4. Given the diagram as shown.

Find (a) the equation of AB
(b) the equation of AC
(c) the equation of BC
(d) the area of triangle ABC

8 . C (4, 8)
6
A (0, 4)
4
.
2
. B (4, 0) x
0 2 4 6 8

(a) A (0, 4) and B = (4, 0)

40
gradient 
04
4
=
4
= 1

The equation of AB is y  4  (1)( x  0)

y   x  4 (ans )

(b) A (0, 4) and C (4, 8)

84
gradient 
40
4
=
4
=1

The equation of AC is y  4  (1)( x  0)

y  x  4 (ans )

(c) Line BC is parallel to the y-axis, m = undefined ( ∞ )

x  4 ( ans )

1
(d) the area of triangle ABC   8  4
2
 16 units 2 (ans)

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1
5. Given the diagram as shown and the gradient of AC is 
4
Find (a) the equation of the line AC
(b) the equation of the line DC
(c) the coordinates of B and C
(d) the area of trapezium OBCD

A (0, 2)

B x
O

C
D (0, ‒1)

1
(a) Given gradient of AC = 
4
1
The equation of a straight line AC is y  2   ( x  0)
4
1
y   x  2 (ans)
4
(b) Gradient of DC = 0

The equation of the line DC is y = ‒1 (ans)

1
(c) When y = 0, (0)   x  2
4
1
x2
4
x 8 Coordinates of B is (8, 0) (ans)

1
When y = ‒1, (1)   x  2
4
1
x  2 1
4
x  12 Coordinates of C is (12, 1) (ans)

1
(d) the area of trapezium OBCD  8  12  (1)
2
 10 units 2 (ans)

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6. Given that P (2, 6) and Q (‒2, 1).

Find (a) the length of the line segment PQ
(b) the gradient of PQ
(c) the equation of the line which is parallel to PQ and passing through the point
(8, 8)

 2  (2)    6  1
2 2
length of PQ 
 16  25
 41 units (ans)

6 1
gradient of PQ 
2  (2)
5
=
4

5
Gradient of line which is parallel to PQ is (ans)
4
5
The equation of the line passing through the point (8, 8) is y  8  ( x  8)
4
5
y  x  10  8
4
5
y  x  2 (ans)
4

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7. The diagram shows a straight line 4x + 2y ‒ 20 = 0 passes through the points A and B
Find (a) the coordinates of points A and B
(b) the area of triangle OAB
(c) the shortest distance from O to line AB

A
.

0
. B
x

(a) 4x + 2y ‒ 20 = 0

2y = ‒ 4x + 20

y  2 x  10

when x = 0, y = ‒ 2 (0) + 10

= 10

Coordinates of A = (0, 10) (ans)

when y = 0, (0) = ‒ 2x + 10

x=5

Coordinates of B = (5, 0) (ans)

1
(b) the area of triangle OAB   5 10
2
 25 units 2 (ans)

(c) Let h = shortest distance from O to line AB

 0  5  10  0 
2 2
length of AB 
 25  100
 125
1
area of triangle OAB   125  h  25
2
h = 4.47 units (ans)
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8. Given the diagram below,

(a) Find the gradient of AB.
(b) The point C lies on the y-axis such that AB = BC. Find the coordinates of C.
(c) Find the equation of BC
(d) The line CB is extended and cuts the x-axis at D. Find the coordinates of D.

5 1
(a) gradient of AB 
40
4
=
4
= 1 (ans)

y
(b) C

B (4, 5)

5‒1=4

A (0,1)
x
0 D

Coordinates of C is (0, 9) (ans)

(c)
95
gradient of BC 
04
4
=
4
= 1

The equation of BC is y  5  (1)( x  4)

y  x  4  5
y   x  9 (ans )

(d) When y = 0, (0)   x  9

x9

Coordinates of D is (9, 0) (ans)

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9. Given the diagram below (not drawn to scale),

y A (10, 8)
.
.
D (1, 6)
. B (k, 5)
. P

.Q 0
.
C (8, 0)
x

Find
(a) the length of AC
(b) the value of k, given that point B lies on AC,
(c) the equation of CD

A line with equation 14y – 7x ‒ 42 = 0 intersects CD at the point P and cuts the x-axis at Q.
(d) find the coordinates of P and of Q

10  8  8  0 
2 2
(a) the length of AC 
 4  64
 68 unit (ans)

80
(b) gradient of AC 
10  8
8
=
2
=4

equation of AC is y – 0 = 4 (x – 8)

y  4 x  32

At B (k, 5), (5)  4(k )  32

37  4k
37
k
4
1
 9 ( ans )
4

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60
(c) gradient of CD 
1 8
6
=
7
6
equation of CD is y  0   ( x  8)
7
7 y  6 x  48 (ans )

(d) 14y – 7x ‒ 42 = 0

14y = 7x + 42

7x + 42 = 2 (‒ 6x + 48)

7 x + 42 = ‒12x + 96

19 x = 54

x = 2.8

14y = 7 (2.8) + 42

= 61.6

y = 4.4

Coordinates of P is (2.8, 4.4) (ans)

when y = 0, 14 (0) – 7x ‒ 42 = 0

7x = ‒ 42

x=‒6

Coordinates of Q is (‒ 6, 0) (ans)

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10. The line CD has an equation 2x = y + 6 and cuts the x-axis at D

The line AD cuts the x-axis and y-axis at D and B respectively.
Given that the line AC is parallel to the x-axis
Find
(a) the coordinates of C
(b) the equation of the line AC
(c) the coordinates of D
(d) the equation of the line AB
(e) the area of triangle ABC

y
B .
D

0
. x

C
. .A (7, ‒ 6)
2x = y + 6

(a) 2x  y  6

when x = 0, y = ‒ 6

coordinates of C is (0, ‒ 6) (ans)

(b) AC is parallel to the x-axis, y = ‒ 6

The equation of the line AC is y = ‒ 6 (ans)

(c) When y = 0, 2 x  (0)  6

x=3

coordinates of D is (3, 0) (ans)

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0  (6)
(d) gradient of AD 
37
6

4
3

2

3
gradient of AB  gradient of AD  
2
3
The equation of the line AB is y  (6)   ( x  7)
2
3 21
y6  x
2 2
3 21 12
y  x 
2 2 2
3 9
y  x
2 2
2 y  3 x  9 (ans )

(e) When x = 0, 2y = ‒3 (0) + 9

9
y
2
9
Coordinates of B is (0, )
2

1
The area of triangle ABC   AC  BC
2
1 9
  (7)  (6  )
2 2
1 21
 7
2 2
 36.75 units 2 (ans )

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