MM7 Calculus 1 with Analytic Geometry Module 4: STRAIGHT LINES

I. Competencies:
1.To study the various ways of giving analytic representation(equation) to a line which has
been defined by some geometric condition.
2.Be able to determine the equation of a straight line using the point-slope form, two-point
form, the slope-intercept form, and the intercept form.

II. Notes:
INTRODUCTION
The study of straight lines provides an excellent introduction to analytic geometry. As its
name implies, this branch of mathematics is concerned with geometrical relationships.
However, in contrast to plane and solid geometry, the study of these relationships in
analytic geometry is accomplished by algebraic analysis.
LINES PARALLEL TO THE AXES
Let P1 (x1,y1) be any point in R2. If a line L passing through P1 is parallel to the y-axis, then
all points on L have the same abscissa. Thus L is the graph of the relation {(x,y) | x=x1}.
Then the equation x=x1 generally represents the equation of any line parallel to the y-axis
and passing through an arbitrarily chosen point P1 (x1, y1). For example, the equation of a
line parallel to the y-axis and passing through (-3,4) is x = -3. Fig. 2.1 shows the geometric
representation of this line.

FIGURE 2.1 FIGURE 2.2

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Similarly, a line L which is parallel to the x-axis and passing through P 1 (x1, y1) is the graph
of the relation {(x,y)| y=y1}. Since every point on L satisfies the equation y=y 1, we take y=y1
as the equation of any line parallel to the x-axis and passing through P 1 (x1,y1). For
example, the equation of the line through (2,3) and parallel to the x-axis is y=3. (Fig 2.2)

POINT-SLOPE FORM
We recall in Chapter 1 that the slope of a line is equal to the slope of any segment on the
line. (See Theorem T-1.2). Thus, we may consider a line as a curve of constant direction.
This is an essential property of a line which distinguishes it from other curves which we
shall study in this book.

FIG. 2.3

Consider any line L with slope m ≠ 0 and passing through a given point P 1 (x1, y1). Let
P(x,y) be any point on L distinct from P1 as shown in Fig. 2.3. The slope m of L is the slope
of the segment P1P. That is, by T-1.2, we have

y− y 1
m=
x−x ❑1

The equation above is customarily written in the form

E (2.1) y− y 1=m ( x−x ❑1 )

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Equation E(2.1) represents the equation of any line passing through the point P 1 (x1, y1)
and with slope m. It is called the point-slope form of the equation of a straight line

Example 2.1 Find the equation of the line with slope ¾ and which passes through the point
(-2,5).

Solution: Since m = ¾ and P1 (x1, y1) = (-2,5), then by E(2.1) we have

y-5 = ¾ [x - (-2)]

y-5 = ¾ [x + 2]

or 3x - 4y + 26 = 0

TWO-POINT FORM
If two points P1(x1, y1) and P2(x2, y2), where x1 ≠ x2, are given, then the slope m of the line L
containing P1 and P2 is equal to

y 2− y 1
m=
x 2−x 1

Substituting this expression for m in E (2.1), we see that the equation of the line L through
P1 and P2 is given by

y 2− y 1
E (2.2) y− y 1= for x1 ≠ x2
x 2−¿ x (x −x1 )¿
1

This is called the two-point form of the equation of a straight line.

Example 2.2 Find the equation of the line through the points (2, 3) and (6, 5).

Solution: Let P1=(2 ,3) and P2=( 6 ,5 ) .Then by E (2.2),

5−3
y−3= (x−2)
6−2

or x−2 y +4=0
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It can also be shown that the equation of the line through P1 ( x1 , y 1 ) and P2 (x 2 , y 2 ) can
be written in the form

| |
x y 1
E(2.3) x 1 y 1 1 =0
x2 y2 1

Equation E(2.3) is called the determinant form of the equation of a straight line. To
illustrate the use of this form, consider the same problem in Example 2.2. Substituting the
coordinates of the given points in E(2.3), we have

| |
x y 1
2 3 1 =0
6 5 1

Expanding the determinant on the elements of the first row, we get

x|35 11|− y|26 11|+|26 35|=0

x (3−5 )− y ( 2−6 ) + ( 10−18 ) ¿ 0

−2 x+ 4 y −8 ¿ 0

or x−2 y +4=0

SLOPE INTERCEPT FORM

If a line L intersects the y-axis at a point (0, b), then b is called the y-intercept of the line
(Fig. 2.4). Likewise, if L intersects the x-axis at a point (a, 0), then a is called the x-
intercept of L. Let P1(x1 , y1) = (0,b), then by E(2.1), we have
y - b = m(x - 0)

or solving for y, we get

E (2.4) y= mx + b

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Equation E(2.4) is called the slope-intercept form of the equation of a straight line.

FIG. 2.4

Example 2.3 Find the equation of the line with y-intercept 2 and slope 3/4.

Solution: Since b = 2 and m = 3/4, then by E(2.4).

y = ¾ x + 2 or 3x – 4y + 8 = 0

Example 2.4 Write the equation 3x+4y-12 = 0 in the slope-intercept form and find the slope
and y-intercept.

Solution: 3x + 4y – 12 = 0

4y = -3x + 12

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 −3 x +12
y=
4

y = (-3/4)x + 3

Hence, the slope is m = -3/4 and the y-intercept is b = 3.

INTERCEPT FORM
Consider again Fig. 2.4 and let P1 (x1, y1) = (a,0) and P2 (x2, y2) = (0,b). Then by E(2.2), we
have

b−0
y−0= (x−a)
0−a
−b
y= (x−a)
a
ay =−bx +ab
bx +ay =ab
If a, b ≠ 0, then we can divide both sides of the equation above by ab to obtain the form

x y
E (2.5) + =1
a b

Equation E(2.5) is called the intercept form of the equation of a straight line.

Example 2.5 Find the equation of the line with x-intercept 5 and y-intercept -4.

Solution: Here a = 5 and b = -4, Hence by E(2.5),

x y
+ =1∨4 x−5 y−20=0
5 −4

A slanting line will always form a right triangle with the coordinate axes. To illustrate a
particular case, consider Fig. 2.4 Since the area of any triangle is

Area A = ½ (base times altitude)

Then the area of the right triangle which a line forms with the coordinate aces is

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 A = ½ | product of the intercepts|
or A = ½ |ab|

when a = x-intercept and b = y-intercept. Since the intercepts are either positive or
negative, then we use the absolute value symbol | | so that we shall always obtain A > 0.
To find the x-intercept of a line whose equation is given, we simply set y = 0 and solve for
x. Similarly, to find the y-intercept, we set x = 0 and solve for y.

Example 2.6 Find the area of the triangle which the line 2x-3y+6 = 0 forms with the
coordinate axes.

Solution: When y = 0, we get x = -3 and when x = 0, we get y = 2. Hence a = - 3 and b = 2.

The required area is

A = ½ | ab |

= ½ | (-3)(2) |

= ½ | -6 |

=3

III- IV. Exercises/Written Activities/ Performance Tasks: (Show your solutions).

1. Find the equation of the line that passes through (3, -4) and is perpendicular to the
line 5x +12y-10=0.

2. Find the equation of a line which passes through the two points ( 4, 3) and (-5,-6).

3.Find the equation of the line with slope -5/6 and passing through (3, -4). Sketch the
graph.

4.Find the equation of the line that is the perpendicular bisector of the segment
determined by (2,4) and (-6,8)

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 5.The vertices of a triangle are A (3,3), B (-1, -5) and C(6,0).Find the equation of the
line through A and parallel to the side BC.

6.Find the equation of the line with the points (1,2) and (3,8).

7-9. The vertices of the triangle are (0,1), B (6,3) and C (3,8). Find the equations of the
sides.

10. Find the equation of the line with slope 1/5 and x intercept 3.

11. Find the equation of the line with x intercept 5 and y intercept 2.

12. Find the equation of the line through (-3,1), perpendicular to x-2y +3 = 0

VI.References:
Felicianio and Uy, 1994 Modern Analytic Geometry

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The laws of Nature are written in the language of mathematics...the symbols are triangles,
circles, and other geometrical figures, without whose help it is impossible to comprehend a
single word. Galileo Galilei

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