COORDINATE GEOMETRY

 The branch of mathematics which deals with points in a coordinate plane

is called ‘Coordinate or Analytical geometry’.
 There is a definite one-one correspondence between the position of point
in a plane and a pair of algebraic numbers called ‘coordinates’. The
coordinates of a point ‘p’ is denoted by p(x,y).
 The horizontal line is called x-axis and the vertical line is called y-axis.
 The point of intersection of two axes is
called ‘origin’ denoted by (0,0).

 Any point lying on x-axis is denoted by (x, o) as its y coordinate is zero.

 Any point lying on y-axis is denoted by (o, y) as its x coordinate is zero.
 Distance between any two points P(x1, y1) and Q(x2, y2) is given by

PQ =√(𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙𝟏 )𝟐 + (𝒚𝟐 − 𝒚𝟏 )𝟐 .
 Distance between any two points P(x1, 0) and Q(x2, 0) is given by
PQ = |𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙𝟏 |
 Distance between any two points P(0, y1) and Q(0,y2) is given by
PQ = |𝒚𝟐 − 𝒚𝟏 |
 The coordinates of the point p which divides the line joining any two
points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) internally in the ratio m:n is given by
𝒎𝒙𝟐 + 𝒏𝒙𝟏 𝒎𝒚𝟐 + 𝒏𝒚𝟏
P(x, y) =( , 𝒎+𝒏 ).
𝒎+𝒏

 The coordinates of the point p which divides the line joining any two
points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) externally in the ratio m:n is given by
𝒎𝒙𝟐 − 𝒏𝒙𝟏 𝒎𝒚𝟐 − 𝒏𝒚𝟏
P(x, y) =( , ).
𝒎−𝒏 𝒎−𝒏

 The midpoint of a line joining any two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is given by
𝒙𝟏 +𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟏 +𝒚𝟐
M(x, y) =( , ).
𝟐 𝟐

 If the ratio in which P divides two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is k:1, then
𝒌𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙𝟏 𝒌𝒚𝟐 + 𝒚𝟏
p =( , 𝒌+𝟏 ).
𝒌+𝟏

 The point of concurrence of medians of a triangle is called its Centroid and

it is denoted by ‘G’ and centroid divides each median in the ratio 2:1.

 If (x1, y1) , (x2, y2) and (x3, y3) are the vertices of a triangle, then its centroid
is given by
𝒙𝟏 +𝒙𝟐 +𝒙𝟑 𝒚𝟏 +𝒚𝟐 +𝒚𝟑
G=( , ).
𝟑 𝟑

 If P, Q on a line segment ̅̅̅̅

𝑨𝑩 are said to be the points of trisection, if P
and Q divides ̅̅̅̅
𝑨𝑩 into three equal points i.e., AP = PQ = QB.
 If P,Q are points of trisection of ̅̅̅̅
𝑨𝑩, then P divides AB in the ratio 1:2 and
Q divides AB in the ratio 2:1.
 Area of triangle AOB formed by the points origin O(0, 0), x-intercept A(x, 0)
𝟏
and y-intercept B(0, y) is given by ∆AOB = 𝟐 xy.
 If (x1, y1) , (x2, y2) and (x3, y3) are the vertices of a triangle, then its area is
given by
𝟏
∆ = 𝟐 |𝒙𝟏 (𝒚𝟐 − 𝒚𝟑 ) + 𝒙𝟐 (𝒚𝟑 − 𝒚𝟏 ) + 𝒙𝟑 (𝒚𝟏 − 𝒚𝟐 )| = 𝟎.

 If three points are collinear, then the area of the triangle formed by these
points is zero.
 If (x1, y1) , (x2, y2) and (x3, y3) are the vertices of a triangle ∆ABC such that
AB = a, BC = b and AC = c then its area is given by

∆ABC =√𝒔(𝒔 − 𝒂)(𝒔 − 𝒃)(𝒔 − 𝒄).

𝒂+𝒃+𝒄
Where s = (semi-perimeter).
𝟐

This is called Heron’s formula.

 The inclination or angle made by a straight line with positive x-axis is
called the slope of the straight line, denoted by ‘m’.
 Slope of a straight line joining any two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is given by
𝒚 −𝒚
m = 𝒙𝟐−𝒙𝟏 .
𝟐 𝟐

 If ‘𝛉’ is the angle made by a line with x-axis, then slope m = tan 𝛉.