Lesson 4

CLASS: SSS 1
SUBJECT: Further Maths
TOPIC: THE STRAIGHT LINE
CONTENT: (I) Mid- point of a segment (ii) Gradient of a straight line (iii) Distances between two
points (iv) Conditions for parallelism and perpendicularity.
SUB-TOPIC : MID-POINT OF A LINE SEGMENT
y Q(x2,y2)
y2-y
R(x,y)
y-y1

P(x1,y1) S

x
O x-x1 x2-x1
In the Cartesian plane above ,let 𝑅(𝑥, 𝑦) be the mid-point of the line segment 𝑃𝑄, with the
coordinate 𝑃(𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) and 𝑄(𝑥2 , 𝑦2 ) .
As triangles 𝑃𝑅𝑆 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑃𝑄𝑇 are similar;
𝑃𝑅 𝑃𝑆
= 𝑆𝑇
𝑅𝑄

Since R is the mid-point, 𝑃𝑅 = 𝑅𝑄, 𝑃𝑆 = 𝑆𝑇

:.𝑥 − 𝑥1 = 𝑥2 − 𝑥
2𝑥 = 𝑥2 + 𝑥1
𝑥2 +𝑥1
𝑥= 2

Similarly,
𝑦2 +𝑦1
𝑦= 2

Hence, the co-ordinates of the mid-point of the line joining (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) and (𝑥2 , 𝑦2 ) are:
𝑋2 +𝑋1 𝑌2 +𝑌1
[ , ]
2 2

Example 1:- Find the mid-point ‘R’ of the line segment 𝐴𝐵 where 𝐴 = (1,5) and 𝐵 =
(−3, −1).
𝑥2 +𝑥1 1+(−3) 1−3 −2
Solution:- 𝑥 = = = = = −1 and
2 2 2 2
 𝑦2 +𝑦1 −1+5 4
𝑦= = =2=2
2 2

The 𝑅 = ( −1,2)
The mid-point of a line segment is a special into ratio; In this case, the ratio is /:/
The following are other cases of dividing a line segment in given ratios :
i. Internal division:
Let 𝐴(𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) and 𝐵(𝑥2 , 𝑦2 ) be the two given points on a line segment 𝐴𝐵 which
divides it in the given ratio 𝑚1 : 𝑚2 . It is required to find the co-ordinates of P.
Suppose they are (𝑥, 𝑦), as illustrated in the cartesian graph sketch below:

B(x2,y2)
y
P(x,y) T

A(x1,y1) k
With the letterings on the graph and similar triangles
𝐴𝑃 𝐴𝐾 𝐾𝑃
= = − − − − − − − −(1)
𝑃𝐵 𝑃𝑇 𝑇𝐵 0 L M N x
Now, AP: PB=M1:M2,
AK = MN = ON – OM = X2-X
KP = MP- MK = MP- LA = y-y1
TB = NB – NT = NB – MP = y2-y
∴ From (i) we have
𝑚1 𝑥−𝑥1 𝑦−𝑦1
=𝑥 =𝑦
𝑚2 2 −𝑥 2 −𝑦

The first two relation give

𝑚1 𝑥−𝑥1
= 𝑜𝑟 𝑚1 𝑥2 − 𝑚𝑥 = 𝑚2 𝑥 − 𝑚2 𝑥1
𝑚2 𝑥2−𝑥

𝑚1 𝑥2 +𝑚2 𝑥1
Or 𝑥(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 ) = 𝑚1 𝑥2 + 𝑚2 𝑥1 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 𝑚1 +𝑚2

𝐴𝑃 𝐾𝑃
Similarly, from the relation 𝑃𝐵 = 𝑇𝐵 ,we get
𝑚1 𝑦−𝑦1 𝑚1 𝑦2 +𝑚2 𝑦1
=𝑦 which eventually gives 𝑦 =
𝑚2 2 −𝑦 𝑚1 +𝑚2
Hence, the co-ordinate of the point (𝑥, 𝑦) diving a line joining (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) and (𝑥2 , 𝑦2 ) in the
𝑚1 𝑥2 +𝑚2 𝑥1 𝑚1 𝑦2 +𝑚2 𝑦1
𝑚1 : 𝑚2 are given as 𝑥 = , 𝑦=
𝑚1 +𝑚2 𝑚1 +𝑚2

Note that these results applies to extend division, with either 𝑚1 or 𝑚2 taken as negative
Example 2:-
Find the co-ordinates of the point which divides the line joining the poits (8,9) and (-7,4)
interally in the ratio 2:3 .
SOLUTION:-
The co-ordinates of the point is obtained by substitution,
2 𝑋 (−7)+ 3𝑋8 −14+24 10
𝑥= = = 2
2+3 5 5
2 𝑋 4+3𝑋9 8+27 35
𝑦= = = = 7 (-4,6) , (2,2) and (2,5) respectively.
2+3 5 5

Solution:- Recall :
The centroid of a triangle is the point of intersection of its median.
Let AD be the median bisecting its base.
−4+2 6+5 11
Then 𝐷 = [ , ] = [−1, 2 ]
2 2 y

(-4,6)A 6
C(2,5)
4

2
D

-6 -2 2 4 6 x
-4
-2 B(2,-2)

-4

The point on 𝐴𝐷 which divides it internally in the ratio 2:1 is the centroid. If (𝑥, 𝑦) are co-
ordinates of the centroid, then
2 𝑋 (−1)+ 1 𝑋(2) −2+2
𝑥= = =0
2+1 2
 2 𝑋 ( 11
2
)+1 𝑋 (−2) 11−2 9
𝑦= = =3=3
2+1 3

∴ The centroid is (0,3)

Another case of interal division is as shown in the segment 𝑃, 𝑄 below

P 3 A 2 Q
2 2

We say A divides PQ internally in the ratio 3:2

𝑃𝐴 3
=2
𝐴𝑄

1. Eternal division

A
P Q
1

We say A divides PQ externally (i.e outside PQ) in the ratio 3 : -1

𝑃𝐴 −3
i.e 𝐴𝑄 = ( 1<3, therefore A lies on the left of P)
1

A P Q
1

𝐴 divides 𝑃𝑄 externally in the ratio -1:3

𝑃𝐴 −1
i.e 𝐴𝑄 = 3
Example 4
The point C divides the line 𝐴𝐵 where the co-ordinates of
𝑃 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑄 𝑎𝑟𝑒 (3,2)𝑎𝑛𝑑 (4,1) respectivelly in the ratio 3:2 .Find the co-ordinate

Solution

A(3,2) B(4,1) C(x,y)

3 𝑋 4+(−2)𝑋 3 12−6
𝑥= = =6
3+(−2) 1
3 𝑋 1+(−2)𝑋 3 3−4
𝑦= = = −1
3+(−2) 1
Hence, the co-ordinates of C are (6,1)

EVALUATION:
1. Find the co-ordinates of the mid-points of the lines joining the following pairs of
points;
(a) (3,6) and (5,8) (b) (3𝑝, 𝑞) and (𝑞, 3𝑝)
2. Find the mid-points of the sides of triangle whose vertices are
𝐴(1, −1), 𝐵(4, −1), 𝐶(4,3)
Sub-Topic 2: Gradient of a straight line
The gradient of a line is defined as the ratio increase in 𝑦 ÷ 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑥 , in
going from one point to another on a line.
L

P2(x2,y2)
Y
∆𝑦 = 𝑦2− y1
P(x1,y1)
𝜃
∆𝑥 = 𝑥2 − 𝑥1

𝜃
0 𝑥
X1

Y1
∆𝑥 = 𝑥2 − 𝑥1 Is the change in x as the variable x increases or decreases from x1
to x2 and ∆𝑦 = 𝑦1 − 𝑦2 is the change in y with respect to y1 and y2 .
The slope (gradient) m of a straight line L is defined as
∆𝑦 𝑦 −𝑦
𝑚 = ∆𝑥 = 𝑥2 −𝑥1
2 1
 𝑦 −𝑦
If 𝜃 is the angle of inclination to the slope of L, then 𝑚 = tan 𝜃 = 𝑥2 −𝑥1 ;𝜃 is called
2 1
the angle of slope of the line.

Example 5: Find the slope 𝑚 and the angle of inclination 𝜃 of the L through points
𝑝1 (1,2), 𝑝2 (3,8) and 𝑝3 (2,5)
L
y
10
P2(3,8)
8

6
P3(2,5)
4

2 P1(1,2)

0 1 2 3 4 5 x
Solution:
The slope m of points P1 and P2 on L is
8−2 6
𝑚 = 3−2 = 2 = 3

The slope 𝑚1 of the points P1 and P3 on L is

8−5
𝑚2 = 3−2 = 3

Therefore, 𝑚 =, 𝑚1 = 𝑚2 = 3 implies that the slope of the line L is 3.

Since 𝑚 = tan 𝜃 , 𝑖. 𝑒 tan 𝜃 = 3 ∴ tan−1 (3) = 71.57°
Therefore, the angle of inclination 𝜃 is 71.57°
It can therefore be concluded from the example above that any given line has one and only
one slope.
EVALUATION:
(1) Find the angle between lines L1 , with slope -7 and L2 which passes through (2,-1) and
(5,3)
(2) Find the gradients of the lines joining the following pairs of points :
(𝑎) (5, −4) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (3, −2) (𝑏) ( 13, −4)𝑎𝑛𝑑 (11,8)