The Distance between Two Points

Y
Q (x2, y2)

R
P (x1, y1)

0 L M X

PR= x2 - x1
QR = y2 - y1
Rt.PRQ : PQ2 = PR2 + QR2 ( Pythagoras’ Th:)
PQ2 = (x2 - x1 )2 + (y2 - y1)2

 PQ = ( x 2  x1)2  ( y 2  y1)2
If the distance between two points P(x1, y1) and Q (x2, y2) is denoted by d,

then d= ( x 2  x1 )2  ( y 2  y1 )2

(or) d= ( x1  x 2 )2  ( y1  y 2 )2
Note : This formula is also true for two points P and Q, lying in any
quadrant.

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Example
Find the distance between two points P(3, 0) and Q(0, 4).
Solution
Let P(3, 0) be (x1, y1) and Q(0,4) be (x2, y2).
Using the distance formula,

d = ( x 2  x1)2  ( y 2  y1)2

PQ = (0  3)2  ( 4  0)2

 PQ = 9 16
= 25 = 5 units #

Midpoint formula
B
Y

M D

A
C

y1 y y2

0 x1 x x2 X

M is the midpoint of the line segment joining A(x1, y1) and B(x2, y2).

 AM = MB

Let the coordinates of M be (x, y).

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 ACM  MDB ( AAS)

 AC = MD MC = BD

 x - x`1 = x2 - x y - y`1 = y2 - y
2x = x1 + x2 2y = y1 + y2
x1  x 2 y1  y 2
x= y=
2 2
 x1  x 2 y1  y 2 
M=  2 , 2 
 
The coordinates of the midpoint.
x1  x 2 y1  y 2
x and y 
2 2

Worked Example 1
Find the midpoint of the line segment whose endpoints are A(3,4) and B(-8, -1)
Solution
Let A (3,4) be (x1,y1) and B(-8,-1) be (x2, y2).
Let M be the midpoint of AB.
Using the midpoint formula:
x1  x 2 3  (  8 ) 5
x= = =
2 2 2
y1  y 2 4  ( 1) 3
y= = =
2 2 2
5 3
 Midpoint of AB is (  , ). #
2 2

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Worked Example 2
Find the perimeter of a triangle whose vertices are A(3, 4), B(1,1) and C(5,2).
Solution
AB = (3  1)2  ( 4  1)2 BC = (5  1)2  (2  1)2
= 22  32 = 42  1
= 13  3.606 = 17  4.123

CA = (5  3)2  (2  4)2
= 2 2  (  2 )2
= 8  2.828
 perimeter = (3.606 + 4.123 + 2.828)
= 10.557 units
= 10.6 units (3 significant figures.)

Worked Example 3
The points A(3, -1), B (-1, 2) and C (-4, 6) are the vertices of a triangle.
Show that ABC is an isosceles triangle.
Solution
AB = (3  1)2  ( 1  2)2
= 4 2  (  3 )2
= 5
BC = ( 1  4 )2  (2  6 )2
= 3 2  ( 4 ) 2
=5
So AB = BC

ABC is an isosceles triangle.

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Exercise 7.1
1. A(3, 4), B(4, 4), C(6, 0) and D(–8, –1) are four given points.
Find (a) AB (b) BD (c) CA (d) CD.

2. Three of the vertices of a parallelogram ABCD are A(–3, 1), B(4, 9) and
C(11,–3). Find
(a) the mid point - point of the diagonal AC.
(b) the fourth vertex D.
(c) the length of the diagonal AC.
(d) the perimeter of ABCD.
3. Given that M(p, 7) is the mid-point of the line segment joining the points
A(–3, 1), B(11, q). Find the values of p and q.

4. If the distance between the points A(k, 0) and B(0, k) is 10, find the possible
values of k.

5. The coordinates of two points are A(–2, 6) and B(9, 3). Find the coordi-
nates of the point C on the x-axis such that AC = BC.

6. The vertices of a rectangle are A(–2, –2), B(2, 0), C(1, 2) and D(a, b). Find
(a) the point of intersection of the diagonals.
(b) the coordinates of D.
(c) the area of rectangle ABCD.

7. Find the area of  ABC where A = (–4, 0), B=(–1, 5), C=(9, –1) and
ABˆ C = 90°

8. Show that the points A(3, –2), B(0, 2) and C(–3, 6) lie on a straight line.

9. Find the area of  ABC where A = (3, 7), B(–3, –1), C(7, 4).

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10. The point M (a, 4) is the midpoint of a line segment with endpoints at A(1,3)
and B(5, b). Find the values of a and b.

11. Use the distance formula to find the distance between

(a) A (0, 0) and B (3, 4)
(b) P (1, 2) and Q (6, 14)
(c) P (3, 8) and Q (-5, -7)
(d) A(5, 0) and B (-7, -5)
(e) P( 2 , 0) and Q (0, 2 )

12. Find the perimeter of a triangle whose vertices are O(0, 0), A(0, 4) and B(3, 0).

13. PQR has vertices P(8, 0), Q(-3, 2) and R(10, 2).
(a) Find the length of each side.
(b) Find the area of PQR.

14. The vertices of a quadrilateral are D(4, -3), E(7, 10), F(-8, 2) and G(-1,-5).
Find the length of each diagonal.

15. A triangle has vertices P(0, 7), Q(5, -5) and R(10, 7). Locate the points and find
the length of altitude to the shortest side.

16. Prove that A(2, 3), B(-1, -1) and C(3,–4) are vertices of an isosceles triangle.

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Rise and run
Let the coordinates of A be (x1, y1) and those of B be (x2, y2)
Rise is the vertical distance between A and B.

 BC = rise = y2 - y1 = vertical change.

Run is the horizontal distance between A and C.

 AC = run = x2- x1 = horizontal change.

B(x2, y2)

rise

A(x1, y1) C
run

Gradient of a line segment

The gradient of a line segment is defined as the ratio of rise to run and it is
denoted by m.
rise
m
run
y  y1 y y
 m 2 (or) m 1 2
x 2  x1 x1  x 2

Note : ‘Gradient’ is also known as ‘slope’.

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Example
Find the gradient of the line segment with endpoints A(4, 3) and B(2, 7).
Solution
Let A(4, 3) be (x1, y1) and B (2, 7) be (x2, y2).
y 2  y1
Using the gradient formula, m  x  x
2 1

73
Gradient of AB = = –2.
24

Properties of gradient
1. Gradient of a horizontal line is 0.
2. Gradient of a vertical line is undefined.
3. If the line segment is ascending from left to right the gradient is positive.
4. If the line segment is descending from left to right, the gradient is negative.
m=0
m
>0 <0
m

5. If l1 is parallel to l2 then m1= m2. 2

=
m 1

6. If l1 is perpendicular to l2 then m1•m2= -1.

m2
=

Horizontal and Vertical

1. If the two points have the same y coordinates then, the line joining these two
points, is horizontal.

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Example (x1, k) (x2, k)

2. If the two points have the same x - coordinates then the line joining these
two points, is vertical.

(h, y1)

(h, y2)

Exercise 7.2
1. The coordinates of P and Q are given below. Find the gradient of the line
PQ where possible.
(a) P(4, 3), Q (2, 7) (b) P(2, –2), Q (2, 5)
(c) P(2, 3), Q (–4, 7) (d) P(–6, 3), Q (2, 9)
(e) P(–2, 3), Q (–8, 9) (f) P(–4, 2), Q (2, 2)
(g) P(–8,–4), Q (–4, 2) (h) P(–6, 2), Q (–2, –4)
(i) P(–4, –2), Q (4, 2) (j) P(–2, 2), Q (2, –6)

2. Which pair of points given below will determine horizontal lines? Which ones,
vertical lines?
(a) (5, 7) and (–3, 7) (b) (0, 6) and (6, 0)
(c) (2, –1) and (2, 0) (d) (3, 3) and (5, 5)
(e) (0, 5) and (0, 9) (f) (–3, 4) and (2, 4)

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3. The vertices of a quadrilateral are the points A(1, 4), B(3, 2), C(4, 6) and
D(2, 8). Show that it is a parallelogram.

4. Determine the slope of each side of the quadrilateral whose vertices are
A(5, 6), B(13, 6), C(11, 2) and D(1, 2). What kind of quadrilateral is it?

5. Given the points E(-4, 0), G(3, 5) and K(8, -2). Show that EG is perpendicu-
lar to GK.

6. Prove that the quadrilateral with vertices A(-2, 2), B(2, -2), C(4, 2) and
D(2, 4) is a trapezoid with perpendicular diagonals.

Well-known straight line equations

The graph of a linear equation is a straight line.
1. General form
Ax + By + C = 0 where A, B and C are constants.

2. Slope-intercept form

y = mx + c where m is the gradient and c is the

(o, c) intercept on Y axis.

X
0

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 Example
2x + 3y = 1
3y = -2x + 1
2 1
y=  x
3 3
Comparing with the slope-intercept form,
2
m=  #
3

3. Point-slope form
y - y1 = m( x - x1) where m is the gradient and
(x1, y1) is a point on this line.
)
,y
1
(x
1

Worked Example 1
Find the gradient of
(a) x + 2y - 5 = 0 (b) 3x + 4y - 5 = 0 (c) 2y + 7 = 0.

Solution
(a) x + 2y - 5 = 0
2y = -x + 5
1 5
y=  x
2 2
1
 The gradient is  2 .

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 (b) 3x + 4y - 5 = 0
4y =  3x  5
3 5
y=  x
4 4
3
 The gradient is  4 .

(c) 2y + 7 = 0
2y = -7
7
y= 
2
 The gradient is 0.
7
Note : y=  is in the form.
2
7
y = mx + c, when m = 0 and c =  .
2

Worked Example 2
The coordinates of P and Q are given. Find the gradient of the line PQ where
possible.
(a) P (-5, 6), Q(-4, 8) (b) P (3, -2), Q(0, -5) (c) P (-3, -5), Q(-3, 2)

Solution
86
(a) Gradient =
 4  ( 5)
=  14

 5  ( 2)
(b) Gradient =
03
=1

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 2  ( 5 )
(c) Gradient =
 3  ( 3)
7
= (undefined)
0
The gradient does not exist for this line.
Exercise 7.3
1. Write down the gradient of each line.
3
(a) y = x  2 (b) y = x + 8
2
(c) y = - 4x + 2 (d) y = 1000x + 4

2. For each of the following equations, find the gradient, where possible. Name
two pairs of parallel lines.
(a) 5y - 3x +1 = 0 (b) 3y + 4x - 5 = 0
(c) x + 3y - 5 = 0 (d) 3y - 7 = 0
(e) 3x - 9 = 0 (f) 3x - 5y - 10 = 0
(g) 6y + 2x + 7 = 0 (h) 3y + 2x = 0
(i) 4y + 3x -10 = 0 (j) 14 - 6y = 0

3. For each of the following lines, state whether the gradient is positive, nega-
tive, zero or undefined.
(a) y (b) y
2 2

1 1

-2 -1 0 1 2 x -2 -1 0 1 2 x
-1 -1

-2 -2

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 y
(c)
2

-2 -1 0 1 2 x
-1

-2

4. Name the gradient and y-intercept for each of the following.

2
(a) y =  x  5 (b) y = 100x - 3
3
(c) x + 3y = 12 (d) 3x - y + 8 = 0
(e) 7y - 8x - 4 = 0 (f) x + y + 15 = 97x
3 2
(g) x y 1 (h) 2x + 3y = 8 + 5x + y
5 3

5. Find the equation of the straight line with the given gradient and y-intercept.
(a) gradient 5; y - intercept 4 (b) gradient 0; y - intercept -2
(c) gradient -3; y - intercept 5 (d) gradient 2; y - intercept 0
1
(e) gradient 1 ; y - intercept 3 (f) gradient 0; y - intercept 0
2
1 1
(g) gradient  ; y - intercept -2 (h) gradient 4; y - intercept 
2 2

6. For each of the following lines, determine the gradient and y-intercept, where
possible, and write down the equations.

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 y y
(a) (b)
4 4

2 2

x x
-4 -2 0 2 4 -4 -2 0 2 4
-2 -2

-4 -4

(c) y (d) y
4 4

2 2

-4 -2 0 2 4 x -4 -2 0 2 4 x
-2 -2

-4 -4

7. Find the equations of the lines having the following gradients and passing
through the given points and draw their graphs.
(a) 21 , (3, 4) (b) 3, (-7, 2)
(c) -3, (4, 5) (d) -6, (6, -6)

8. If the gradient between the points (4, b) and (7, 5) is 2, find the value of b.

9. If the gradient between the points (6, –2) and (a, 5) is 14, find the value of a.

10. Given that the points A(2, 1), B(5, 4) and C(7, c) are collinear, find the value
of c.

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11. The vertices of  ABC are A(2, 4), B(9, 4) and C(7, 11).
(a) Find the area of ABC.
(b) Calculate the length of BC.
(c) Calculate the length of the perpendicular drawn from A to BC.

12. Three of the vertices of a parallelogram ABCD are A(–2,3), B(7,12) and
C(11,–5). Find
(a) the midpoint of the diagonal AC,
(b) the fourth vertex D,
(c) the length of the diagonal BD.

13. The points (2, –5), (0, 3) and (–3, k) lie on a straight line, find the value of k.

14. Find the equation of the straight line joining each of the following pairs of
points.
(a) (0, 3) and (1, 5) (b) (0, –3) and (5, 3)
(c) (2, 1) and (7, 1) (d) (5, 7) and (5, –2)
(e) (–3, –2) and (–5, 3) (f) (6, 0) and (0, 7)
(g) (–1, 9) and (9, –4) (h) (1, 10) and (–1, –11)

xy
15. Given that the line = 1 passes through (0, 3) and (5, 1). Find the value
a b
of a and of b and the gradient of the line.

16. The straight line 2y = kx + 6c is parallel to the line 5x + 4y = 7 and passes

through the point (1, 8). Find the value of k and of c.

17. The distance between the points A(1, 2k) and B(1 – k, 1) is 11 9k . Find
the possible values of k.

18. The lines (k + 2)x + 5 = 3y and (k + 3)y = 2x – 6 are parallel. Find the value(s)
of k.

19. The point A(–3, 8), B(–5, –2) and C(k, 13) lie on the same straight line. Find
(a) the value of k.
(b) the equation of the line which passes through the mid-point of AB
and the point (4, –6).

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