Locus

topics objectives time

 
 Introduction to Loci use the following loci and the method of 2 weeks
 Locus theorems intersecting loci for sets of points in two
 Intersection of Loci  dimensions which are:
 Further Loci at a given distance from a given point 
at a given distance from a given straight line
equidistant from two given points
 equidistant from two given intersecting
straight lines

D-4 7th ed. CH 8Ex 8A-8C

This section covers Loci within Geometry and Measures.
When a point moves in a plane according to some given conditions the path along
which it moves is called a locus. (Plural of locus is loci.)
For example, the locus of points that are 1cm from the origin is a circle of radius 1cm
centred on the origin, since all points on this circle are 1cm from the origin.
Note: if a point P is ‘equidistant’ from two points A and B, then the distance between P
and A is the same as the distance between P and B, as illustrated in the following diagram

The points on the above line are equidistant from A and B

Don’t let the term 'locus' put you off. Questions on loci (which is the plural of locus) often
don’t use the term.
Example
The diagram shows two points P and Q and radius of the circle is 3cm. On the diagram
shade the region which contains all the points which satisfy both of the following
conditions:
(1) the distance from P is less than 3cm,
(2) the distance from P is greater than the distance from Q.

All of the points on the circumference of the circle are 3cm from P. Therefore all of the
points satisfying the condition that the distance from P is less than 3cm are present in the
circle.
If we draw a line in the middle of P and Q, all of the points on this line will be the same
distance from P as they are from Q. They will be therefore closer to Q, and further away
from P, if they are on the right of such a line.
Therefore all of the points satisfying both of these conditions are shaded in red.
Four important loci

1. The circle - the locus of points which are equidistant from a fixed point, the centre.
2. The angle bisector - the locus of points which are equidistant from two fixed lines.
3. The point which is equidistant from a line segment
4. The perpendicular bisector - the locus of points which are equidistant from two fixed
points A and B.

Standard loci and their diagrams

Example:
The diagram shows the walls of a rectangular shed, ABCD, measuring 8m by 5m. A goat is
tied to the corner of C by a rope 6m long.
The shaded area shows the part the goat can reach.
CONDITION 1 :

A point P moves such that it is always m units from the point Q

Locus formed: A circle with center Q and radius m.

Example :

Construct the locus of a point P at a constant distance of 2 cm from a fixed point Q.

Solution:

Construct a circle with center Q and radius 2 cm.

CONDITION 2 :

A point P moves such that it is equidistant form two fixed points X and Y

Locus formed: A perpendicular bisector of the line XY.

Example:

Construct the locus of point P moving equidistant from fixed points X and Y and XY = 6
cm.

Solution:

Construct a perpendicular bisector of the line XY.

CONDITION 3:

A point P moves so that its perpendicular distance is always m units from a

straight line AB

Locus formed: A pair of parallel lines m units from AB.

Example:

Construct the locus of a point P that moves a constant distance of 2 cm from a straight
line AB and from the points A and B.

Solution:

Construct a pair of parallel lines 2 cm from AB and two semicircular paths of radius
2cm whose center are points A and B respectively .
CONDITION 4:

A point P moves so that it is always equidistant from two intersecting

lines AB and CD

Locus formed: Angle bisectors of angles between lines AB and CD.

Example:

The following figure shows two straight lines AB and CD intersecting at point O.
Construct the locus of point P such that it is always equidistant from AB and CD.

Solution:

Construct angles bisectors of angles between lines AB and CD.

 Five fundamental locus theorems and how to use them

Locus Theorem 1: The locus of points at a fixed distance, d, from the point, P is a circle with the
given point P as its center and d as its radius.

Locus Theorem 2: The locus of the points at a fixed distance, d, from a line, l, is a pair of parallel lines
d distance from l and on either side of l.

Locus Theorem 3: The locus of points equidistant from two points, P and Q, is the perpendicular
bisector of the line segment determined by the two points.

Locus Theorem 4: The locus of points equidistant from two parallel lines, l1 and l2, is a line parallel to
both l1 and l2 and midway between them.

Locus Theorem 5: The locus of points equidistant from two intersecting lines, l1 and l2, is a pair of
bisectors that bisect the angles formed by l1 and l2.

Example 1: A treasure map shows a treasure hidden in a park near a tree and a statue. The map
indicates that the tree and the stature are 10 feet apart. The treasure is buried 7 feet from the base of
the tree and also 5 feet from the base of the stature. How many places are possible locations for the
treasure to be buried? Draw a diagram of the treasure map, and indicate with an X each possible
location of the treasure.

Example 2: The distance between the parallel line l and m is 12 units. Point A is on line l. How many
points are equidistant from lines l and m and 8 units from point A.

Example 3: Maria's backyard has two trees that are 40 feet apart. She wants to place lampposts so
that the the posts are 30 feet from both of the trees. Draw a sketch to show where the lampposts
could be placed in relation to the trees. How many locations for the lampposts are possible?
Intersection of two loci

Sometimes you may be required to determine the locus of a point that satisfies two or more
conditions. We could do this by constructing the locus for each of the conditions and then determine
where the two loci intersect.

Example :

Given the line AB and the point Q, find one or more points that are 3 cm from AB and 5 cm from Q.

Solution:

Construct a pair of parallel lines 3 cm from line AB. Draw a circle with center Q and radius 5 cm.

The points of intersections are indicated by points X and Y.

It means that the locus consists of the two points X and Y.

Example:

Given a square PQRS with sides 3 cm. Construct the locus of a point which is 2 cm from P and
equidistant from PQ and PS. Mark the points as A and B.

Solution:

Construct a circle with center P and radius 2 cm. Since PQRS is a square the diagonal PR would be
the angle bisector of the angle formed by the lines PQ and PS. The diagonal when extended
intersects the circle at points A and B

Note: A common mistake is to identify only one point when there could be another point
which could be found by extending the construction lines or arcs; as in the above examples.
Practice questions - Loci, Locus and Intersecting Loci

Q1. Draw
(i) the locus of a point that moves so that it is always exactly 4 cm from the fixed point X and
(ii) the locus of points less than 4 cm from the fixed point X.

Q2. Draw the locus of points no further than 3 cm from A and no further than 4 cm from B where A
and B are 6 cm apart.

Q3. Draw the locus of a point exactly 3 cm away from straight line AB.

Q4. Draw
(i) the locus of a point equidistant from the points X and Y.
(ii) the locus of points closer to the point X than the point Y.
(iii) the locus of points closer to X than Y but no less than 5 cm from X.

Q5. Draw the locus of points closer to the line AB than the line BC in the rectangle ABCD.

Q6. A dog is on a lead tethered to a post in the corner of a garden. The lead is 5 m long. A cat is free
to roam all parts of the garden but is not allowed within 3 m of the house by its owner. Show the safe
area that the cat can safely roam on the diagram below.