1. Solving Problems Involving Lines and Points
MX 234

2. Starter 1) Plot and join these coordinates A(4,1) B(3,4) C(0,3) D(1,0)
The shape is a…
2) What is the coordinate of the
4th vertex of the parallelogram:
E(-1,1) F(2,-3) G(0,-4) H(?,?)
3) Plot to find the midpoint of the
line joining J(-4,-2) & K(0,3)

3. The Distance Between Two Points
Coordinate geometry describes shapes using the coordinates of points. It’s the study of geometric problems using algebraic methods.
A sketch will often help you understand the problem, but always show your working

4. The Distance Between Two Points
The distance between A (3,2) and B (7,2) is the distance between the x coordinates.
Length AB = 7 – 3
= 4
This is the change in x.

5. The Distance Between Two Points
The distance between C (4,2) and D (4,5) is the distance between the y coordinates.
Distance from C to D = 5 – 2
= 3
This is the change in y.

6. To find the distance between points on other straight lines we use the theorem of Pythagoras
Find the distance between A (2,1) and B (6,4)
Step 1: Draw a diagram
Mark A and B and form a right angled triangle ABT
Step 2: Find the lengths of AT and BT
Length AT = change in x
= 6 – 2
= 4
Length BT = change in y
= 4 – 1
= 3
Step 3: Apply the theorem of Pythagoras
= AT2 + BT2 =
= 25
so AB = 5
So the distance between A and B is 5 units.
B (6,4)
A (2,1) T

7. What is the length of the line segment joining P (-3,4) and Q (2,-5)?
Step 1: Draw a diagram
Step 2: Find the lengths
of the sides
Length QT = 2 – -3
= 5
Length PT = 4 – -5
= 9
Step 3: Apply the theorem of Pythagoras
PQ2 = QT2 + PT2 =
= 106
so PQ =
The length of PQ is 10.3 units (1dp). P T Q

8. Find the distance between the following pairs of points
A (0,5) and B (0,2)
C (-1,1) and D (-3,6)
E (-2,6) and F (8,6)
G (1,6) and H (5,3)
I (-6,-4) and J (1,3)
M (-4,5) and N (3,2) 3
√29 10 5
7√2 or 9.9
√58 or 7.62

9. The Formula for the distance between two points
Two general points A (x1, y1) and B (x2, y2)
Step 1: The diagram
Step 2: The lengths of the
sides
length AT = change in x
= x2 – x1
length BT = change in y
= y2 – y1
Step 3: by Pythagoras
AB2 = AT2 + BT2
= (x2 – x1)2 + (y2 – y1)2
So AB = √ (x2 – x1)2 + (y2 – y1)2
B (x2, y2) T
A (x1, y1)

10. Find the distance between A (3,-2) and B (-4,-1)
Let A (3,-2) be (x1,y1) then x1=3 & y1=-2
If B (-4,-1) is (x2,y2) then x2=-4 & y2=-1
Substitute into the formula
AB = √ (x2 – x1)2 + (y2 – y1)2
= √ (-4 – 3)2 + (-1 – -2)2
= √ (-7)2 + 12
= √ 50 =
= 7.07 (3 sf)

11. Use the formula to find the distance between (1,2) and (5,7)
By finding the lengths of each side of the triangle joining the points A (-3,4), B (3,5) and C (2,-1), decide whether triangle ABC is scalene, isosceles or equilateral.
Use the theorem of Pythagoras to show that the triangle joining the points P (2,7), Q (4,-1) and R (-2,6) is a right angled triangle.
MX234 page 5

12. 1.
= √ (5 – 1)2 + (7 – 2)2
= √
= √ 41
= 6.403
= √ (-6 – -2)2 + (-8 – -3)2

13. 2.
A (-3,4)
B (3,5)
Length AB = √ (3 – -3)2 + (5 – 4)2
= √ 37
= 6.083
Length BC = √ (3 – 2)2 + (5 – -1)2
Length AC = √ (-3 – 2)2 + (4 – -1)2
= √50
= 7.071
Since length AB = length BC, ABC is isosceles
C (2,-1)

14. Length PQ = √ (4 – 2)2 + (-1 – 7)2
= √ 68
Length RP = √ (2 – -2)2 + (7 – 6)2
= √ 17
Length RQ = √ (4 – -2)2 + (-1 – 6)2
= √85
If RP2 + PQ2 = RQ2, then PRQ is right angled.
RP2 + PQ2 = (√17)2 + (√68)2 =
= 85
= RQ2
So PQR is a right angled triangle
P (2,7)
R (-2,6)
Q (4,-1)

15. Gradients All the lines in the graph have different slopes
The gradient of the line is defined as:
Gradient = change in y
change in x
= y2 – y1
x2 – x1
MX234 page 6

16. Find the gradient of the line joining P(1,2) and Q(6,4)
Let P (1,2) be the point (x1,y1) then x1 = 1 and y1 = 2.
If Q (6,4) is (x2,y2) then x2 = 6 and y2 = 4.
So gradient of PQ
= y2 – y1
x2 – x1
= 4 – 2
6 – 1
= 2 5 Q P

17. Find the gradient of the line joining S(-2,3) and T(4,-5)
Let S(-2,3) be the point (x1,y2) then x1 = -2 and y1 = 3.
If T(4,-5) is (x2,y2) then x2 = 4 and y2 = -5.
So gradient of ST
= y2 – y1
x2 – x1
= -5 – 3
4 – -2
= -8 6 S T
The gradient of ST is -4/3.

18. Remember Gradient = y2 – y1 x2 – x1
The gradient of any horizontal line is zero.
gradient = 2 – 2
5 – 1
= 0 4
The gradient of any vertical line is undefined.
gradient = 4 – 1
2 – 2
= 3

19. Find the gradients of the line segments joining the following pairs of points
A(2,3) B(6,7)
C(0,4) D(3,-2)
E(-5,6) F(2,-1)
G(3,0) H(-4,0)
I(-3,4) J(-6,8)
K(5,-1) L(5,2) 1 -2 -1
-4/3
The gradient is undefined

20. Gradients and Angles
If you know the gradient of a straight line, you can find the angle the line makes with the positive direction of the x axis.
MX234 page 10

21. Find tan θ, and then θ in the triangle shown.
C (7,4) θ
A (2,1)
B (7,1)
Tan θ = BC AB
= 3 5
= 0.6
θ =
So θ = 310 (2 sf)

22. Remember
The gradient of a line is the tangent of the angle the line makes with the positive direction of the x axis.

23. What is the gradient of the line which meets the x axis at 500?
Gradient = tan θ
= tan 500 =
So the gradient of the line is 1.19 (2dp)
500

24. At what angle does the line with gradient 4 meet the x axis?
Gradient = tan θ
4 = tan θ
θ =
So the line meets the x axis at 760 (2 sf)

25. Find the gradient of the line which meets the x axis at 350
The gradient of PQ is 0.5. At what angle does PQ meet the x axis?
Find the angle which the line joining A (0,-8) and
B (3,-7) makes with the positive direction of the x axis.
Gradient = tan 350
= (4sf)
Tan θ = 0.5
θ = (1dp)
The line PQ meets the x axis at 26.60 x Q P x

26. Find the angle which the line joining A (0,8) and B (3,-7) makes with the positive direction of the x axis.
Gradient AB =
3 – 0
= 1 3
If angle between AB and x axis is θ then
tan θ =
θ = 18.40

27. Finding the Mid-point of a Line Segment
The coordinates of the midpoint M of the line segment joining the points (x1,y1) and (x2,y2) are found using the formula:
M = ( x1 + x2 , y1 + y2 ) x
(x1,y1)
midpoint x
(x2,y2)

28. Find the midpoint of the line segment joining P(-3,4) and Q(-1,-5)
= ( , )
= (-2 , )

29. Find the midpoints of the line segments joining the following points:
a) (1,5) and (7,3) b) (-2,-4) and (4,-10)
2. A (-4,1) , B (2,5) and C (4,-3) are the vertices of a triangle.
P is the midpoint of AB.
Q is the midpoint of BC.
Find the coordinates of P.
Find the coordinates of Q.
Find the length of PQ.
Find the length of AC.
(4,4)
(1,-7)
B(2,5) P
A(-4,1) Q
C(4,-3)

30. c) Length PQ = √(3 - -1)2 + (1 – 3)2 = √ 20 = 4.47 (2dp)
P is (-1,3) b) Q is (3,1)
c) Length PQ = √(3 - -1)2 + (1 – 3)2
= √ 20
= (2dp)
d) Length AC = √(4 - -4)2 + (-3 – 1)2
= √ 80
= (2dp)
B(2,5) P
A(-4,1) Q
C(4,-3)

31. Collinear Points
If points lie on the same straight line we say they are collinear.
It’s possible to decide whether points are collinear or not by finding the gradients of the line segments connecting the points x x
A, B and C are collinear A B x C Q x P x R x
P, Q and R are not collinear

32. Test for collinear points
If A, B and C are collinear, then the
gradient AB = gradient BC or
gradient AB = gradient AC x C x x B A

33. Do the points A (-4, -17), B (-1 ,-7) and C (6, 13) lie on the same straight line?
Gradient AB = yb – ya Gradient BC = yc - yb
xb – xa ` xc – xb
= =
= = 20
Gradient AB ≠ gradient BC, A, B and C do not lie on the same straight line. y 10
-10 x

34. If A (-3, 11), B (1,3) and C (6, m) are collinear, find m.
Gradient AB = yb – ya so -2 = yc - yb
xb – xa ` xc – xb
= = m - 3
= = m - 3
m = -7
= -2
Since A, B and C are C is the point (6, -7)
collinear, gradient BC = -2 A B C

35. Show the points P (2, -7), Q (-1, -5) and R (-4, -3) are collinear.
2. If K (3, -7), L (-1, a) and M (1, -1) are collinear, find a.
3. Does the midpoint of M of the line segment joining A (6, 0) and B (-2, -2) lie on the same line as the points P (4, -2) and Q (-3, -1)?

36. 1. Show the points P (2, -7), Q (-1, -5) and R (-4, -3) are collinear.
Gradient PQ = Gradient QR =
= = -2
Since gradient PQ equals gradient QR, P, Q and R are collinear.
2. If K (3, -7), L (-1, a) and M (1, -1) are collinear, find a.
Gradient KM = Gradient LM = a - -1
= = a + 1 -2
If K, L and M are collinear, a + 1 = -3
a = 5
MX234 page 16

37. Finding equations of straight lines
You may be given
A graph, so you can find the y intercept and gradient
The gradient of the line and one point on the line
Two points on the line

38. Finding the equation of a straight line from a graph
Use the formule y = mx + c
Find the y intercept. This is ‘c’
Find the gradient. This is ‘m’
Substitute these values into the equation y= mx + c

39. The point gradient equation of a line
(x1 , y1) for the known point
(x , y) to represent any point on the line
m for the gradient y
x (x,y)
x (x1 ,y1)
Gradient = change in y , substituting gives m = y – y1
change in x x – x1
Giving y – y1 = m (x – x1)

40. Find the equation of the line with gradient -3 which passes through (4, -5)
(x1 , y1) = (4, -5) and m = -3
The equation is y – y1 = m (x – x1)
Substituting gives y – -5 = -3 (x – 4)
y + 5 = -3x + 12
y = -3x + 7
The equation of the line is y = -3x + 7

41. The two point equation of a line
You are given two points P(x1,y1) and Q(x2,y2)
m = y2 – y1
x2 – x1
The equation is y – y1 = y2 – y1 (x – x1)

42. Find the equation of a line passing through (1,-2) and (4,5)
The equation is y – y1 = y2 – y1 (x – x1)
x2 – x1
y – -2 = 5 – -2 (x – 1)
4 – 1
y + 2 = 7/3 (x-1)
3(y+2) = 7(x-1)
3y + 6 = 7x – 7
0 = 7x – 3y – 13
The equation of the line is 7x – 3y – 13 = 0
Now do perpendicular lines MX234 page 35

43. Perpendicular lines
The product of the gradients of perpendicular lines is -1.
m1m2 = -1 or m1 = -1 m2

44. Show that the following pair of lines are perpendicular 5x – y + 8 = 0 3x + 15y -7 = 0
5x – y + 8 = 0  y = 5x gradient is 5
3x + 15y – 7 = 0  y = - 1 x gradient is -1
Gradient i x gradient ii = 5 x -1 = -1 5
Since m1m2 = -1, the lines are perpendicular

45. Find the gradient of the line which is perpendicular to y = x + 1
The gradient of the line is
Then m2 = -1 =
The gradient for the perpendicular line is 5 2

46. Mini test on skills
A quadrilateral has coordinates A(-2,6), B(4,9), C(8,1) and D(-4,-5).
Find the midpoint of CD.
Find the gradient of AD.
Find the length of AB.
Find the equation of AD.
Does the point A lie on the perpendicular bisector of CD?
Use coordinate geometry methods to investigate the properties of quadrilateral ABCD.