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( x 1 , y 1 ) and Q(x 2 , y 2 ) .

As triangles PRS∧PQT are similar;

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

:. x−x 1=x 2−x

2 x=x 2+x 1

x 2+ x 1
x=
2
Similarly,
y2 + y1
y=
2
Hence, the co-ordinates of the mid-point of the line joining (x 1 , y 1 ) and (x 2 , y 2 ) are:

[ X 2+ X 1 Y 2 +Y 1
2
,
2 ]
Example 1:- Find the mid-point ‘R’ of the line segment AB where A=(1,5) and B=(−3 ,−1).
 x 2+ x 1 1+(−3) 1−3 −2
Solution:- x= = = = =−1 and
2 2 2 2
y 2 + y 1 −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( x 1 , y1 ) and B( x 2 , y 2 ) 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) x
PB PT TB 0 L M N

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−x 1 y − y 1
= =
m2 x 2−x y 2− y

The first two relation give

m1 x−x 1
= ∨m1 x 2−mx=m2 x−m2 x1
m2 x 2−x
 m1 x2 +m2 x1
Or x ( m1 +m2 )=m1 x 2+ m2 x1 ∨x=
m1 +m2
AP KP
Similarly, from the relation = ,we get
PB TB
m 1 y− y 1 m 1 y 2 +m 2 y 1
= which eventually gives y=
m 2 y 2− y m1 +m 2

Hence, the co-ordinate of the point ( x , y ) diving a line joining ( x 1 , y 1) and ( x 2 , y 2 ) in the m1 : m2
m 1 x 2+ m2 x 1 m y +m y
are given as x= , y= 1 2 2 1
m1+ m2 m1 +m 2

Note that these results applies to extend division, with either m1 or m 2 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 ) +3 X 8 −14+24 10
x= = = 2
2+3 5 5
2 X 4 +3 X 9 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.

Then D= [ −4+ 2 6+ 5
2
,
2 ][
= −1 ,
11
2 ] y

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

2
D

-6 -4 -2 2 4 6 x
-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

y=
2X ( 112 )+1 X (−2) = 11−2 = 9 =3
2+1 3 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
=
AQ 2
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 = ( 1<3, therefore A lies on the left of P)
AQ 1

A P Q
1

3
 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∧Q are ( 3,2 )∧(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) (3 p , q) and (q ,3 p)
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∈ x , in going
from one point to another on a line.
L

P2(x2,y2)
Y
y1
P(x1,y1)

X1
 ∆ x=x 2−x 1 Is the change in x as the variable x increases or decreases from x 1 to
x2 and ∆ y = y 1− y 2 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 2− y 1
m= =
∆ x x 2−x 1
y 2− y 1
If θ is the angle of inclination to the slope of L, then m=tan θ= ;θ is called
x 2−x 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
3−2 2
The slope m 1 of the points P1 and P3 on L is
8−5
m 2= =3
3−2
Therefore, m=,m1=m2=3 implies that the slope of the line L is 3.

Since m=tan θ ,i . e tanθ=¿ 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 )∧( 3 ,−2 ) ( b ) ( 13 ,−4 ) ∧(11,8)