COORDINATE GEOMETRY OF LINES TEST

1.

Find the gradients of the following lines: a) b) c) y = 4x 1 y = 3 2x 2y + 3x = 6. [1] [1] [2]

2.

Points A, B and C have coordinates A = (1, 3), B = (3, 7) and C = (7, 5). i) ii) iii) Calculate the length of the line AB. Leave your answer in surd form. Calculate the gradients of the lines AB and BC. What can you conclude about the lines AB and BC ? [2] [3] [2]

3.

Find the equation of the line which passes through the points A(3, 3) and B(5, 4). Give your answer in the form ax + by = c where a, b and c are integers. [4] Find the co-ordinates of the points where the line intersects the axes. [2]

4.

Points A and B have co-ordinates (1, 5) and (3, 7) respectively. The line l passes through the midpoint of AB and is perpendicular to the line AB. Find the equation of the line l. [6]

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5.

The straight line p has the equation 3x 4y + 8 = 0. The straight line q is parallel to p and passes through the point with coordinates (8, 5). a) Find the equation of q in the form y = mx + c. [4]

The straight line r is perpendicular to p and passes through the point (4, 6). b) Find the equation of r in the form ax + by + c = 0, where a, b and c are integers. Find the coordinates of the point where lines q and r intersect.

[4] [4]

c)

6.

Given that the straight line passing through the points A(2, 3) and B(7, k) has gradient 1 2 , a) b) find the value of k, find the equation of the perpendicular bisector of AB in the form ax + by + c = 0. [3]

[6]

Total = 44 marks

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Solutions. 1. a) b) c)

The gradient of y = 4x 1 is simply 4. The gradient of y = 3 2x is simply 2. Rearrange to get 2y + 3x = 6 2y = 6 3x y = 3 1.5x Gradient = 1.5. Use the distance formula, AB =
= ( x 2 x1 ) 2 + ( y 2 y1 ) 2

(1) (1)

(1) (1)

2.

i)

ii)

iii)

22 + 4 2 = 20 units. (2) y y1 Using the gradient formula, gradient AB = 2 (1) x 2 x1 7 3 = 31 = 2. (1) 57 Similarly, gradient BC = 7 3 (1) =1 2 . The lines AB and BC are not parallel since they possess different gradients. However, if we multiply the respective gradients we obtain an answer of 1. This means that the two lines are perpendicular. (2)

3.

Required line has equation y = mx + c, where of course m is the gradient of the line. 4 3 Thus m = = 1 2 . 5 3 Therefore, the line has equation y = 1 2 x + c for some constant c which must be determined. Since the line passes through A(3, 3), substitute x = 3, y = 3 to obtain c = 3 2 . Hence, the line has equation y = (after multiplying by 2 etc.)
1 2

(1) (1)

(1) (1)

x+

3 2

, or 2y x = 3

The line cuts the y-axis where x = 0 which means that y = The line cuts the x-axis where y = 0 which means that 0 =
x = 3.

1 2 1 2

0+
x+
3 2

3 2

3 2

(1) (1)

and hence

4.

Draw a diagram!
B

l : y = mx + c

First thing, the coordinates of M, the midpoint of AB, is =

x1 + x2 2

y1 + y2 2

)
M

1 + (3) 2

5+7 2

) = (1, 6).
7 5 =1 2 . 3 1
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(1)

Also, the gradient of AB =

(1)

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Hence, the gradient, m, of the line l satisfies m 1 2 = 1 (since the product of the gradients of perpendicular lines equals 1) m = 2. Therefore, the line has equation y = 2x + c for some constant c which must be determined. Since the line passes through M(1, 6), substitute x = 1, y = 6 to obtain c = 8. Hence, the line has equation y = 8 2x. 5. Draw a diagram!
(4, 6) p

(1) (1) (1) (1)

r (8, 5)

a)

First, rearrange the formula for p

3x 4y + 8 = 0 3x + 8 = 4y

y= 3 (1) 4 x + 2. 3 3 This means that the gradient of p = 4 and hence the gradient of q = 4 (since the lines are parallel). (1) Therefore, the line q has equation y = 3 x + c for some constant c which must 4 be determined. (1) Since the line passes through (8, 5), substitute x = 8, y = 5 to obtain c = 1. Hence, the line has equation y = 3 (1) 4 x 6.
b) The gradient, m, of the line r satisfies m gradients of perpendicular lines equals 1) m=4 3 .
4 3 3 4

= 1 (since the product of the (1)

Therefore, the line has equation y = x + c for some constant c which must be determined. (1) Since the line passes through (4, 6), substitute x = 4, y = 6 to obtain c= 2 (1) 3 . Hence, the line has equation y = 4 3 x + 3y + 4x 2 = 0. c)
2 3

which can be rearranged to get (1)

Solve y = 3 4 x 6 and 3y + 4x 2 = 0 simultaneously to find the coordinates of the point where the lines q and r intersect. (1)
18 Solve to get x = 16 5 , y = 5 . (Take care with this!)

(3)

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6.

a)

Using the gradient formula, the gradient of AB = So, if this gradient =

1 2

k (3) = 7 2

k +3 5

(1)

then

k +3 5

1 2

and hence k = 1 2 .
b) Draw a diagram!

2(k + 3) = 5 1 2k + 6 = 5

(1) (1)
B

First thing, the coordinates of M, the midpoint of AB, is =

x1 + x2 2
9 2

y1 + y2 2
7 4

)
A

2+7 2

(3) + (0.5) 2

)=(

).

(1)

Also, the gradient of AB =

1 2

.
1 2

Hence, the gradient, m, of the required line satisfies m product of the gradients of perpendicular lines equals 1) m = 2.

= 1 (since the (1)

Therefore, the line has equation y = 2x + c for some constant c which must be determined.
7 Since the line passes through M ( 9 2 , 4 ) , substitute x = 9 2

(1)

,y=7 4 to obtain (1)

c=

29 4

. y = 2x + y + 2x =
29 4

Hence, the line has equation which can be rearranged to give and hence 4y + 8x 29 = 0.

(1)

29 4

Which is the form required by the question.

(1)

Total = 44 marks

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