Analytic

Geometry
Unit 1.7
Equation of Locus

By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 1

Definition
It is a scientific fact that the earth revolves around the sun in an
elliptical counterclockwise orbit as viewed from the north pole.
This elliptical path is formed by tracing the various positions of
the earth at different instances throughout the year.
This path is referred to as the LOCUS.

By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 2

Locus of Points
In analytic geometry, the locus is a set of points that follows an
established rule or that satisfies a certain set of conditions.
It is a line or curve set on the two-dimensional coordinate plane
and is associated with an equation called the equation of locus.
Consider the horizontal line
segment AB.
Examine the set of points which
are equidistant from A and B. A B
The most obvious is the
midpoint of AB.

https://www.cuemath.com/geometry/locus/#:~:text=The%20above%20equation%20can%20be,45%20which%20is%20an%20ellipse.

By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 3

Locus of Points
Let’s continue examining
other points which are
equidistant from A and B.
Notice that the set of points
A B
form a vertical line.
This line is the perpendicular
bisector of horizontal line
segment AB.

https://www.cuemath.com/geometry/locus/#:~:text=The%20above%20equation%20can%20be,45%20which%20is%20an%20ellipse.

By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 4

Equation of Locus A(–4,3 )

Now let’s place the line segment

AB over the coordinate plane.
and let its endpoints be A(–4,3)
and B(3,–3).
Let the distance from Point A to a
point on the perpendicular
bisector be dA.
Correspondingly, let the distance
from Point B to the same point on
the perpendicular bisector be dB.
We can denote the points on the
perpendicular bisector as P(x,y) B(3,–3)
and dA and dB as PAIRED equal
distances.
By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 5
Equation of Locus (distance from A to P = distance from B to P)
Point A: (x  x A )  (y  y A )  (x  xB )  (y  yB )
2 2 2 2
(xA,yA)
= (–4,3) (x  ( 4))2  (y  3)2  (x  3)2  (y  ( 3))2
Point B: (x  4)2  (y  3)2  (x  3)2  (y  3)2
(xB,yB)
= (3,–3) (x 2  8x  16)  (y 2  6y  9)  (x 2  6x  9)  (y 2  6y  9)
Any point x  8x  y  6y  25  x  6x  y  6y  18
2 2 2 2

on bisector:
P(x,y) 8x  6y  25  6x  6y  18
14x  12y  7  0
dA = dB
This is the equation of the perpendicular bisector of line segment AB.
By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 6
Equation of Locus
• There is no specific formula to come up with the equation of a
locus because of the various conditions that can exist.
• However, the distance formula will surely come in handy.
• Let us see three more examples of finding the equation of a
locus of points.
1) Write the equation of the locus of points that has a distance of
5 units from the point (3,–2).
2) Find the equation of a locus of points such that each point is
equidistant from the point (5,4) and the x-axis.
3) Determine the equation of a locus of a point such that the
difference of its distances from (–2,1) and (2,1) is 6 units.
By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 7
Equation of Locus
1) Write the equation of the locus of a point that has a distance of
5 units from the point (3,–2).
(distance from A to P = 5) (x  x A )2  (y  y A )2  5

Point A: (x  3)2  (y  ( 2))2  5

(xA,yA)
= (3,–2) (x  3)2  (y  2)2  52

Any point (x 2  6x  9)  (y 2  4y  4)  25
in the locus: x 2  6x  9  y 2  4y  13  25  0
P(x,y)
x  6x  y  4y  3  0
2 2
d = 5 units
This is the equation of a circle.
By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 8
 (3,–2) r=5

This is the graph of the circle with center at (3,–2) and radius equal to 5 units.
By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 9
Equation of Locus
2) Find the equation of a locus of points such that each point is
equidistant from the point (5,4) and the x-axis.
(distance from A to P = y) (x  x )2  (y  y )2  y
A A
Point A:
(xA,yA) (x  5)2  (y  4)2  y
= (5,4)
(x  5)2  (y  4)2  y 2
Any point (x 2  10x  25)  (y 2  8y  16)  y 2
in the locus:
P(x,y) x 2  10x  25  y 2  8y  16  y 2  0
Distance x 2  10x  8y  41  0
from P to
x-axis = y This is the equation of a parabola
By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 10
 (5,4)

x-axis

This is the graph of the parabola where

all points on it are equidistant from (5,4) and from the x-axis.
By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 11
Equation of Locus
3) Determine the equation of a locus of a point such that the sum
of its distances from (–2,1) and (2,1) is equal to 6 units.
(distance from A to P + distance from B to P = 6)
Point A:
(xA,yA) (x  x A )2  (y  y A )2  (x  xB )2  (y  yB )2  6
= (–2,1)
Point B: (x  2)2  (y  1)2  (x  2)2  (y  1)2  6
(xB,yB)
= (2,1) (x  2)2  (y  1)2  6  (x  2)2  (y  1)2
Any point
in the locus: (x  2)2  (y  1)2  36  12 (x  2)2  (y  1)2  (x  2)2  (y  1)2 
P(x,y)
d=6
By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 12
(x  2)2  (y  1)2  36  12 (x  2)2  (y  1)2  (x  2)2  (y  1)2 

(x 2  4x  4)  (y 2  2y  1)
 36  12 (x 2  4x  4)  (y 2  2y  1)  (x 2  4x  4)  (y 2  2y  1)

x 2  4x  y 2  2y  5  36  12 x 2  4x  y 2  2y  5  x 2  4x  y 2  2y  5

12 x 2  4x  y 2  2y  5  36  x 2  4x  y 2  2y  5  (x 2  4x  y 2  2y  5)
12 x 2  4x  y 2  2y  5  36  8x

 
2
12 x 2  4x  y 2  2y  5  (36  8x)2

144(x 2  4x  y 2  2y  5)  1,296  576x  64x 2

By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 13

144(x 2  4x  y 2  2y  5)  1,296  576x  64x 2
144x 2  576x  144y 2  288y  720  1,296  576x  64x 2
144x 2  576x  144y 2  288y  720  1,296  576x  64x 2  0

80x 2  144y 2  288y  576  0

This is the equation of an ellipse.

By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 14

 6 units
6 units
(–2,1) (2,1)

6 units

This is the graph of the ellipse where

The sum of the distance from P(x,y) to (–2,1) and
the distance from P(x,y) to (2,1) equals 6 units.
By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 15
Think about This!
1) Determine the equation of a locus of a point such that
the difference of its distances from (2,3) and (2,–5) is
equal to 10 units.
2) If the two vertices of a triangle ABC are A(–4,4) and
B(0,1) and angle B is a right angle, what is the locus of
the third vertex?
3) Two vertices of a triangle PQR are P(–3,5) and Q(1,2).
Find the locus of points of the third vertex such that
the area of the triangle PQR is 10 square units.

By; JOG Professor Melchor Pacer 16