Chapter 18: Coordinate Geometry
18.1 The Cartesian Plane
The coordinate plane is a two-dimensional grid used to locate points. It consists of:
X-axis (horizontal line)
Y-axis (vertical line)
Each point is represented as (x, y).
Example:
The point (3,4) means:
3 steps to the right on the X-axis
4 steps up on the Y-axis
18.2 Distance and Midpoint Formulas
Distance Formula:
d=(x2−x1)2+(y2−y1)2d = sqrt{(x_2 - x_1)^2 + (y_2 - y_1)^2}d=(x2−x1)2+(y2−y1)2
Example:
Find the distance between (1, 2) and (4, 6).
d=(4−1)2+(6−2)2d = sqrt{(4 - 1)^2 + (6 - 2)^2}d=(4−1)2+(6−2)2d=32+42=9+16=25=5d = sqrt{3^2 + 4^2} = sqrt{9 + 16} = sqrt{25} = 5d=32+42=9+16=25=5
Midpoint Formula:
M=(x1+x22,y1+y22)M = left(frac{x_1 + x_2}{2}, frac{y_1 + y_2}{2}right)M=(2x1+x2,2y1+y2)
Example:
Find the midpoint of (2, 8) and (6, 4).
M=(2+62,8+42)=(82,122)=(4,6)M = left(frac{2+6}{2}, frac{8+4}{2}right) = left(frac{8}{2}, frac{12}{2}right) = (4,6)M=(22+6,28+4)=(28,212)=(4,6)
Real-World Applications:
Coordinate geometry is used in GPS navigation, robotics, video game development, and city planning.
Exercises
Find the distance between (-2,3) and (4,7).
What is the midpoint of (5,2) and (-1,6)?
Plot the points (3,5), (-2,-4), and (0,2) on a coordinate plane.