Straight Lines and

Rectilinear Figures
Distance Formula
Let P(x
1
,y
1
) and Q(x
2
,y
2
) be any two points in the
rectangular coordinate plane.
2
2 1
2
2 1
) ( ) ( y y x x PQ + =
Using Pythagoras theorem, the distance between
P and Q is given by :
Exercise 8.2
P.4
Section Formula
If P(x,y) divides the line segment joining A(x
1
,y
1
)
and B(x
2
,y
2
) internally in the ration h:k, then
the x- and y-coordinates of P are given by :
k h
hy ky
y
k h
hx kx
x
+
+
=
+
+
=
2 1 2 1
,
Mid-point Formula
2
,
2
2 1 2 1
y y
y
x x
x
+
=
+
=
If P(x,y) divides the line segment joining A(x
1
,y
1
)
and B(x
2
,y
2
) internally in the ration 1:1, then
the x- and y-coordinates of P are given by :
Exercise 8.3
P.10
Area of Triangles
OBN + AMNB - OAM = OAB
OAB + OBC + OCA = ABC
become +ve
after timing
become- ve
after timing
Area of Polygons
Exercise 8.4
P.16
Slope of Straight Line
(1) If P (x
1
,y
1
) and Q(x
2
,y
2
) are any two points on a
straight line , then the slope (gradient, m)
of the line is given by :
2 1
2 1
2 1
_ , x x where
x x
y y
m =

=
Slope of Straight Line
(2) If a straight line L makes a positive angle ()
with the x-axis, its slope (m) is given by :
u tan = m
Slope of Straight Line
If a straight line is parallel to
x-axis, its slope is zero.
If a straight line is parallel to
y-axis, its slope is infinite
(undefined, ).
Parallel Lines and Perpendicular Lines
Let l
1
and l
2
be two straight lines with
slopes m
1
and m
2
respectively.
(1) If l
1
// l
2
, then m
1
= m
2
.
Conversely, if m
1
= m
2,
then l
1
// l
2


Parallel Lines and Perpendicular Lines
Let l
1
and l
2
be two straight lines with
slopes m
1
and m
2
respectively.
(2) If l
1
l
2
, then m
1
m
2
=

-1.
Conversely, if m
1
m
2
= -1,

then l
1
l
2.


The Angles between Two Lines
| o u =
) tan( tan | o u =
| o
| o
u
tan tan 1
tan tan
tan
+

=
2 1
2 1
1
tan
m m
m m
+

= u
(-ve rejected)
L
1
with slope m
1
L
2
with slope m
2



x
y
0
Exercise 8.5
P.22
Equation of a Straight Line
(1) Pointslope Form
y - y
1
= m(x x
1
)
Equation of a Straight Line
(2) Two-point Form
1 2
1 2
1
1
x x
y y
x x
y y

Equation of a Straight Line

(3) Intercept Form
1 = +
b
y
a
x
Equation of a Straight Line
(4) Slopeintercept Form
y = mx + c
Equation of a Straight Line
(5) General Form
Ax + By + C = 0
If A = 0, then the straight line is
parallel to x-axis.
If B = 0, then the straight line is
parallel to y-axis.
Normal Form
(slope of PN)x(slope of OM) = -1
1 tan
cos
sin
=

u
u
u
p x
p y
u u u u cos ) cos ( sin ) sin ( p x p y =
u u u u
2 2
cos cos sin sin p x p y + =
0 ) cos (sin sin cos
2 2
= + + u u u u p y x
0 sin cos = + p y x u u
x
y
0
p
M
N
P(x,y)

Conversion of General Form to Normal Form
To find the distance of the straight line
Ax + By + C = 0 from the origin. ----- (1)
Normal form : xcosu + ysinu -p = 0 ------(2)
k
C
p
B A
=

= =
u u sin cos
,
) 1 (
) 2 (
) 4 ........( sin
) 3 ........( cos
kB
kA
=
=
u
u
(3)
2
+ (4)
2
) ( sin cos
2 2 2 2 2
B A k + = + u u
2 2
1
B A
k
+
=
0
2 2
=
+
+ +
B A
C By Ax
Exercise 8.6
P.36
Conversion of General Form to Normal Form
To find the distance of the straight line
Ax + By + C = 0 from the origin. ----- (1)
Normal form : xcosu + ysinu -p = 0 ------(2)
k
C
p
B A
=

= =
u u sin cos
,
) 1 (
) 2 (
) 4 ........( sin
) 3 ........( cos
kB
kA
=
=
u
u
(3)
2
+ (4)
2
) ( sin cos
2 2 2 2 2
B A k + = + u u
2 2
1
B A
k
+
=
0
2 2
=
+
+ +
B A
C By Ax
The determination of the sign depends on the following :
(1) If C0, we have .
Therefore the sign is chosen opposite to that
of C so as to make the constant term in the
normal form negative.

(2) If C = 0, we have .
Therefore the sign is chosen the same as that
of B because when C = 0, p will be equal to
zero and 0o<180o. Therefore the
coefficient of y (ie sin) must be non-
negative.
p
B A
C
=
+
2 2
p
B A
B
=
+
2 2
Distance between a Point and a Line
(x
1
,y
1
)
d
Ax + By + C = 0
x
y
0
2 2
1 1
B A
C By Ax
d
+
+ +
=
Distance between To Parallel Lines
d
Ax + By + C
1
= 0
x
y
0
Ax + By + C
2
= 0
2 2
1 2
B A
C C
d
+

=
Exercise 8.7
P.43
Families of Straight Lines
(A) Parallel Lines
(B) Lines Passing through a
Given Point
(C) Lines Passing Through the
Intersection of Two Given
Lines
(A) Parallel Lines
Consider the line L : 2x + 3y - k = 0
2x + 3y - k = 0
3y = - 2x + k
3 3
2 k
x y + =
3
2
= slope
3
int
k
ercept y =
x
y
0
1
3
2
= x y
x y
3
2
=
3
1
3
2
+ = x y
1
3
2
+ = x y
k = -3
k = 0
k = 1
k = 3
(B) Lines Passing through a Given Point
x
y
0
(1,2)
k = 0
k = 1
k = 2
k = -2
k = -1
k is the slope.
Consider the point-slope form of a line
L : y 2= k(x 1), where k is real.
(C) Lines Passing Through the Intersection of Two Given Lines
x
y
0
L
1
L
2
L

Consider two lines
L
1
: A
1
x + B
1
y + C
1
= 0
L
2
: A
2
x + B
2
y + C
2
= 0
The equation L :
(A
1
x + B
1
y + C
1
) + k(A
2
x + B
2
y + C
2)
= 0
is a straight line passing through the point of
intersection of L
1
and L
2
where k is a real number.
Exercise 8.8
P.51