Point & Straight Line

System of Co-ordinates
1.1 Cartesian Co-ordinates :
Let XOX and YOY be two perpendicular straight lines drawn through any
point O in the plane of the paper. Then
1.1.1 Axis of x : The line XOX is called axis of x.
1.1.2 Axis of y : The line YOY is called axis of y.
1.1.3 Co-ordinate axes : x axis and y axis together are called axis of co-
ordinates or axis of reference.
1.1.4 Origin : The point ‘O’ is called the origin of co-ordinates or the
Origin.
1.1.5 Oblique axis : If both the axes are not perpendicular then they are
called as Oblique axes.
1.1.6 Cartesian Co-ordinates : The ordered pair of perpendicular distance
from both axis of a point P lying in the plane is called Cartesian Co-
ordinates of P. If the Cartesian co-ordinates of a point P are (x, y)
then x is called abscissa or x coordinate of P and y is called the
ordinate or y co-ordinate of point P.
Y
x
P(x,y)
X y

O X

Y
 Note :
➢ Co-ordinates of the origin is (0, 0).
➢ y co-ordinate on x-axis is zero.
➢ x co-ordinate on y-axis is zero.
1.2 Polar Co-ordinates :
y
Let OX be any fixed line which is usually called the P(r,q)
initial line and O be a fixed point on it. If distance r
of any point P from the pole O is ‘r’ and  XOP = q
x
q, then (r, q) are called the polar co-ordinates of a O
point P. If (x, y) are the Cartesian co-ordinates of a
point P, then x = r cosq ; y = r sinq
𝑦
and 𝑟 = 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 q= tan –1
𝑥
Distance Formula
The distance between two points P(x1, y1) and Q(x2, y2) is given by
PQ = (𝑥1 − 𝑥2 )2 +(𝑦1 − 𝑦2 )2
Note :
➢ Distance of a point P(x, y) from the origin = 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2
➢ Distance between two polar co-ordinates A(r1, q1) and B(r2, q2) is given by
𝐴𝐵 = 𝑟12 + 𝑟22 − 2𝑟1 𝑟2 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 )
Ex.2, Q.12
Q. Let A = (3, 4) and B is a variable
point on the lines |x| = 6. If AB  4,
then the number of positions of B
with integral coordinates is -
(A) 5 (B) 4 (C) 6 (D) 10
Ans. [A]
Q. In the figure shown, OABC is a
rectangle with dimensions OA = 3
units and OC = 4 units. AD = 1.5
units then slope of diagonal OB
will be-
1 y
(A) C
2
2 B
(B)
3
x
1 O D
(C)
2
A
1
(D) Ans. [C]
3
Section Formula
Co-ordinates of a point which divides the line segment joining two points
P(x1, y1) and Q(x2, y2) in the ratio m1 : m2 are.
𝑚1 𝑥2 +𝑚2 𝑥1 𝑚1 𝑦2 +𝑚2 𝑦1
(i) For internal division = ,
𝑚1 +𝑚2 𝑚1 +𝑚2
𝑚1 𝑥2 −𝑚2 𝑥1 𝑚1 𝑦2 −𝑚2 𝑦1
(ii) For external division = ,
𝑚1 −𝑚2 𝑚1 −𝑚2
𝑥1 +𝑥2 𝑦1 +𝑦2
(iii) Co-ordinates of mid point of PQ are put m1 = m2 ; ,
2 2
Note :
➢ Co-ordinates of any point on the line segment joining two points P(x1, y1)
and Q(x2, y2) are
𝑥1 +𝜆𝑥2 𝑦1 +𝜆𝑦2
, , (l  – 1)
2 2
➢ Lines joins (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is divided by
(a) x axis in the ratio = – y1 / y2
(b) y axis in the ratio = – x1 / x2
if ratio is positive divides internally, if ratio is negative divides externally.
➢ Line ax + by + c = 0 divides the line joining the points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) in
𝑎𝑥1 +𝑏𝑦1 +𝑐
the ratio –
𝑎𝑥2 +𝑏𝑦2 +𝑐
Ex.2, Q.13
Q. If the point (x1 + t(x2 – x1), y1 + t(y2 – y1))
divides the join of (x1, y1) and (x2, y2)
internally, then Ans. [B]
(A) t < 0 (B) 0 < t < 1
(C) t > 1 (D) t = 1
Ex.2, Q.10
Q. If P divides OA internally
in the ratio l1 : l2 and Q
divides OA externally in the
ratio l1 : l2, then OP, OA and
OQ in Ans. [C]
(A) A.P.
(B) G.P.
(C) H.P.
(D) none of these
Co-ordinate of Some Particular Point
Let A(x1,y1), B(x2, y2) and C(x3, y3) are vertices of
any triangle ABC, then
5.1 Centroid :
The centroid is the point of intersection of the A
medians (Line joining the mid point of sides
and opposite vertices).
F 2 E
Centroid divides the median in the ratio of
2 : 1. Co-ordinates of centroid G
𝑥1 +𝑥2 +𝑥3 𝑦1 +𝑦2 +𝑦3 1
G , B C
3 3 D
5.2 Incentre :
A
The incentre of the point of intersection of
internal bisector of the angle. Also it is a
centre of a circle touching all the sides of a
triangle. F E
1
Co-ordinates of in centre
𝑎𝑥1 +𝑏𝑥2 +𝑐𝑥3 𝑎𝑦1 +𝑏𝑦2 +𝑐𝑦3
, where a, b, c are B
𝑎+𝑏+𝑐 𝑎+𝑏+𝑐 C
D
the sides of triangle ABC.
Note :
➢ Angle bisector divides the opposite sides in the ratio of remaining sides
𝐵𝐷 𝐴𝐵 𝑐
eg. = =
𝐷𝐶 𝐴𝐶 𝑏
➢ Incentre divides the angle bisectors in the ratio (b + c):a, (c + a):b, and
(a + b):c
➢ Excentre : Point of intersection of one internal angle bisector and other
two external angle bisector is called as excentre. There are three excentre
in a triangle. Co-ordinate of each can be obtained by changing the sign of
a, b, c respectively in the formula of In centre.
5.3 Circumcentre :
(x ,y )
It is the point of intersection of A 1 1
perpendicular bisectors of the sides of a
triangle. It is also the centre of a circle
passing vertices of the triangle. If O is D
O
the circumcentre of any triangle ABC,
(x2,y2) (x3,y3)
then OA2 = OB2 = OC2 B E C
Note :
➢ If a triangle is right angle, then its
circumcentre is the mid point of
hypotenuse.
5.4 Ortho Centre :
It is the point of intersection of perpendicular drawn from vertices on opposite
sides (called altitudes) of a triangle and can be obtained by solving the equation
of any two altitudes.
(x ,y )
A 1 1

D
O

(x2,y2) (x3,y3)
B E C
Note :
➢ If a triangle is right angle triangle, then orthocentre is the point where right
angle is formed.
Remarks :
(i) If the triangle is equilateral, then centroid, incentre, orthocentre,
circumcentre, coincides
(ii) Ortho centre, centroid and circumcentre are always colinear and centroid
divides the line joining orthocentre and circumcentre in the ratio 2 : 1
(iii) In an isosceles triangle centroid, orthocentre, incentre, circumcentre lies
on the same line.
Ex.2, Q.19
Q. If in triangle ABC, A  (1, 10),
circumcentre  (–1/3, 2/3)
and orthocentre  (11/3,
4/3), then the coordinates of
mid-point of side opposite to
A is - Ans. [D]
(A) (1, –11/3) (B) (1, 5)
(C) (1, –3) (D) (1, 6)
Ex.1, Q.8
Q. An equilateral triangle whose
orthocentre is (3, –2), one
side is on x-axis then vertex of
triangle which is not on x-axis
is - Ans. [A]
(A) (3, –6)
(B) (1, –2)
(C) (9, –2)
(D) (3, –3)
Ex.1, Q.9
Q. An equilateral triangle whose
circumcentre is (–2, 5) one
side is on y- axis then length
of side of triangle is-
(A) 6 (B) 2 3
(C) 4 3 (D) 4 Ans. [C]