JULY – AUGUST 2022

Course Description
This course focus on the application of coordinate systems on the analysis of
straight lines, conics sections and polar curves.

Course Objectives
At the end of this study, the students must able to:
1. Understand the concept of straight line, conic sections and polar
coordinates,
2. Apply various formula on the analysis of straight lines, conic sections,
and polar curves, and
3. Develop critical thinking that can be further enhanced and applied to
engineering courses.

Topic Outline
Part Topic Time Frame Learning Activities &
No. (Hour) Assessments
I Straight Line 6
• Coordinate System
• The Distance Formula
• Inclination: Slope of a Line
• Slope of a straight line
joining two points
• Standard forms of equation
of straight lines
• Distance from a point to a
line
II Conic Sections 8
• Circle • Lecture and
• Parabola presentation
• Ellipse • Exercises/ seat works
• Hyperbola • Assignment
III Polar Coordinates, Equations and 4 • Summative Exam
Graphs
• The Polar Coordinate
Plane
• Relationship between
rectangular and polar
coordinates
• Distance between two
points
• Graphs in polar
coordinates
IV General Assessment 2
 Part I – Analytic Geometry
STRAIGHT LINE

What is analytic geometry?

Analytic geometry also known as coordinate geometry or Cartesian geometry, is the

study of geometry using a coordinate system.

Coordinate System

Draw in a plane two mutually

perpendicular number lines x' x and y' y, one
horizontal and the other vertical. Let their
point of intersection be O, to which we call
the origin and the real number 0 of both the
lines is represented by O. The two lines are
called the coordinate axes. The horizontal
line x'Ox is called the x-axis and the vertical
line y' Oy is called the y-axis.

Suppose P is any point in the plane. Then P can be located by using an ordered
pair of real numbers. Through P draw lines parallel to the coordinates axes meeting x-
axis at R and y-axis at S.
The ordered pair (x, y) gives us
enough information to locate the point P.
Thus, with every point P in the plane, we
can associate an ordered pair of real
numbers (x, y) and we say that P has
coordinates (x, y). It may be noted that
x and y are the directed distances of P
from the y-axis and the x-axis
respectively. The reverse of this technique also provides method for associating
exactly one point in the plane with any ordered pair (x, y) of real numbers. This method
of pairing off in a one-to-one fashion the points in a plane with ordered pairs of real
numbers is called the two-dimensional rectangular (or Cartesian) coordinate
system.
If (x, y) are the coordinates of a point P, then the first member (component) of
the ordered pair is called the x - coordinate or abscissa of P and the second member
of the ordered pair is called the y - coordinate or ordinate of P. Note that abscissa is
always first element and the ordinate is second element in an ordered pair.
The coordinate axes divide the plane into four
equal parts called quadrants. They are defined as
follows:
Quadrant I: All points (x, y) with x > 0, y > 0
Quadrant II: All points (x, y) with x < 0, y > 0
Quadrant III: All points (x, y) with x < 0, y < 0
Quadrant IV: All points (x, y) with x > 0, y < 0

Example 1. Plot the following coordinates: (0,0), 2,3), (-3,1), and (-1.5, -2.5).
Solution:
The Distance Formula
Let A (x1, y1) and B (x2, y2) be two points in the plane. We can find the distance
d = IABI from the right triangle AQB by using the Pythagorean theorem. We have
d = AB = AQ2 + QB2
where:
AQ = IRSI = IOS-ORI
= x2 – x1
QB = ISB - SQI = IOM – ONI
= y2 – y 1
Therefore, takes the form

Example 2. Show that the points A (-1, 2), B (7, 5) and C (2, -6) are vertices of a right
triangle.

Solution: Let a, b and c denote the lengths of the

Plot the coordinates sides BC, CA and AB respectively.

By the distance formula, we have

By Pythagorean Theorem:
a2 = b2 + c2
146 = 73 +73
146 = 146
Therefore, the points are a vertex of a
right triangle.
Example 3. The point C (-5, 3) is the centre of a
circle and P (7, -2) lies on the circle.
What is the radius of the circle?

Solution: The radius of the circle is the distance

from C to P. By the distance formula,
we have

Problem Set
1. Find the distance between (-2, 2) and (-2, -3). (Ans. 5)
2. Find the lengths of sides of the triangle with the given points as vertices A (4,1),
B (2, -1), C (-1,5). (Ans. AB=2.83, BC = 6.71, AC = 6.40)
3. The vertices of the base of an isosceles triangle are P (1,2) and R (4, -1). Find
the ordinate of the third vertex if its abscissa is 6. (Ans. The third vertex is at Q
(6,4))
4. Find the equation of the locus of points equidistant from A (1,1) and B (6,3).
(Ans. 10x + 4y = 43)
5. Find the equation of the locus of points whose distance from (3,2) is 5. (Ans. x2
+ y2 -6x – 4y – 12 = 0)

Inclination: Slope of a Line

Inclination of a Line: The angle a (0° <a <180°) measured counterclockwise
from positive x-axis to a non-horizontal straight-line l is called the inclination of l.
 Observe that the angle a in the different positions of the line l is a, 0° and 90°
respectively.
Slope or gradient of a line: When we walk on an inclined plane, we cover
horizontal distance (run) as well as vertical distance (rise) at the same time.
It is harder to climb a steeper inclined plane. The measure of steepness (ratio
of rise to the run) is termed as slope or gradient of the inclined path and is denoted by
m.

In analytical geometry, slope or gradient m of a non-vertical straight line with

α as its inclination is defined by: m: tanα
If l is horizontal its slope is zero and if l is vertical then its slope is undefined.
If 0 < α < 90°, m is positive and if 90° < α < 180°, then m is negative

Slope or Gradient of a Straight Line Joining Two Points

If a non-vertical line l with inclination
α passes through two points P (x1, y1) and
Q (x2, y2), then the slope or gradient m of l
is given by

The two lines l1 and l2 with respective slopes m1 and m2 are

(i) parallel if m1 = m2
−1
(ii) perpendicular if 𝑚1 = or 𝑚1 𝑚2 + 1 = 0
𝑚2

Example 4. Show that the points A (-3, 6), B (3, 2) and C (6, 0) are collinear.
Solution: We know that the points A, B and C are collinear if the line AB and BC have
the same slopes. Here Slope of

Slope of AB = Slope of BC
Thus A, B and C are collinear.
Example 5. Show that the triangle with vertices A (1, 1), B (4, 5) and C (12, -1) is a
right triangle.
Solution:

Standard Forms of Equations of Straight Lines

Intercepts:
• If a line intersects x-axis at (a, 0), then a is called
x-intercept of the line.
• If a line intersects y-axis at (0, b), then b is called
y-intercept of the line.

Slope-Intercept form of Equation of a Straight Line

Theorem: Equation of a non-vertical straight line with slope m and y intercept c
is given by:

Where: m = slope
C = y-intercept
Example 6. Find an equation of the straight-line if

a. Its slope is 2 and y-intercept is 5

b. It is perpendicular to a line with slope -6 and its y-intercept is 4/3.
Solution:
a. m =2 and c = 5
Thus y = 2x + 5 (Slope-intercept form: y=mx+c) is the required equation.
b. The slope of a given line is -6 and the slope of the line perpendicular to it
is 1/6. Thus, the required equation of the line is
Do it on your own!
Example 7. A line has slope 3 and y-intercept of -4. Find the equation. (Ans. y=3x-4)
Example 8. Reduce the equation x+12y+16=0 to the slope-intercept form.
1 4
(Ans. 𝑦 = − 𝑥− )
12 3
Point-slope form of Equation of a Straight Line
Theorem: Equation of a non-vertical straight-line l with slope m and passing
through a point Q (x1, y1) is:

Example 9. Find the equation of the line through (-3,1) with slope 3/2.
Solution: x1 = -3, and y1 = 1
𝑦 − 𝑦1 = 𝑚(𝑥 − 𝑥1 )
3
𝑦 − 1 = [𝑥 − (−3)]
2
3
𝑦 − 1 = (𝑥 + 3)
2
2𝑦 − 2 = 3𝑥 + 9
3𝑥 − 2𝑦 + 11 = 0 𝑜𝑟 2𝑦 − 3𝑥 − 11 = 0

Two-point form of Equation of a Straight Line

Theorem: Equation of a non-vertical straight line passing through two points Q
(x1, y1) and R (x2, y2) is

Example 10. Find the equation through points (-2,1) and (6, -4).
Solution: x2 = 6, x1= -2, y2 = -4, and y1 = 1
𝑦2 − 𝑦1
𝑦 − 𝑦1 = (𝑥 − 𝑥1 )
𝑥2 − 𝑥1
−4 − 1
𝑦− 1= (𝑥 − (−2))
6 − (−2)
5𝑥 + 8𝑦 + 2 = 0
Do it on your own!
Example 11. Find the equation of the line through points (-4, 2) and (1, 6).
(Ans. 4x – 5y + 26 = 0)

Intercept form of Equation of a Straight Line

Theorem: Equation of a line whose non-zero x
and y-intercepts are a and b
respectively is

Example 12. Write down an equation of the line which cuts the x-axis at (2, 0) and y-
axis at (0, -4).
Solution: As 2 and -4 are respectively x and y-intercepts of the required line, so by
two-intercepts form of equation of a straight line, we have

Example 13. Find an equation of the line through the point P (2, 3) which forms an
isosceles triangle with the coordinate axes in the first quadrant.
Solution: Let OAB be an isosceles triangle so that the line AB
passes through A = (a, 0) and B (0, a), where a is some
positive real number.

Do it on your own!
Example 14. A line passes through (4,3) and has its intercepts numerically equal but
of opposite signs. Find its equation. (Ans. x – y = 1)
Example 15. Write the equation of the line whose x-intercept is 2 and whose y-
intercept is -6. (Ans. 3x – y = 0)
Problem Set
1. Write the equation of the line that is the perpendicular bisector of the given
segment AB. A (-2,4), B (4,0). (Ans. 3x – 2y + 1 = 0)
2. In triangle ABC, find the equation of the altitude drawn from A perpendicular
to side BC. A (0, -4), B (6,2), C (-3, 8). (Ans. 3x – 2y – 8 = 0)
2
3. The equation of a straight line is 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 2. A line is drawn through P (8, -
3
3) perpendicular to this line. What is its equation. (Ans. 3x + 2y – 18 = 0)
4. Find the equation of the line drawn through the origin perpendicular to the line
−3
whose x- and y-intercept are 5 and , respectively. (Ans. 10x + 3y = 0)
2
5. Find the equation of the line with an x-intercept 2 that passes through the
midpoint of the segment joining (3,7) and (5,0). (Ans. 7x – 4y -14 = 0)

Distance from a Point to a Line

Theorem: The distance d from the point P (x1, y1) to the line l: ax + by + c = 0
is given by

Distance between two parallel lines

The distance between two parallel lines is the distance from any point on one
of the lines to the other line.

Example 16. Find the distance between the parallel lines l1: 2x - 5y +13 = 0 and l2: 2x
- 5y + 6 = 0
Solution: First find any point on one of the lines, say l1. If x =1 lies on l1, then y = 3
and the point (1,3) lies on it. The distance d from (1, 3) to l2 is

Do it on your own!
Example 17. Find the distance d from the point P (-1,2) to the line 4x – 3y – 5 = 0.
(Ans. 3)
Example 18. Find the distance between the parallel line L1: 5x – 6y – 7 = 0 and L2:
8√61
5x – 6y + 1= 0. (Ans. )
61

Miscellaneous Problems
1. Find the equation of the line through (2, -7) with slope 2/5.
(Ans. 2x – 5y – 39 = 0)
2. Find the equation of the line passing through (4, -5) and (-6, 3). (Ans. 4x + 5y +
9 = 0)
1
3. Find the equation of the line through (2, 10) parallel to the x-axis. (Ans. y = 10)
4
4. Find the equation of the line through (3, -2) parallel to the y-axis. (Ans. 3x = 4)

5. Find the equation of a line through (5, -7) perpendicular to x-axis. (Ans. x = 5)
6. Find the equation of a line through (-2, 6) perpendicular to the y-axis. (Ans. y =
6)
7. A line passes through (1, 9) and is parallel to the line through (-2, 2) and (4, 5).
Find its equation. (Ans. x – 2y + 17 = 0)
8. What is the equation of the line passing through (4, -7) and perpendicular to the
line through (o, 1) and (3, -3)? (Ans. 3x – 4y – 40 = 0)
9. A line passes through (1, -4) and is parallel to the line 3x – 8y + 1 = 0. Find its
equation? (Ans. 3x – 8y – 35 = 0)
10. A line passes through (-3, -9) and is perpendicular to the line 5x + y – 4 = 0.
Find its equation. (Ans. x – 5y – 42 = 0)