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INTRODUCTION TO
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
A Comprehensive Study and Step-by-Step Solutions to
ECZ Mathematics Paper 1 (4024/1)
𝒚-axis
𝟎 𝒙-axis
Copyright © 2024 Chinyama Kaumba J. All rights reserved.
Chinyama Kaumba J 2 0 2 4 0971887395 / 0964588431
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COORDINATE GEOMETRY
Objectives:
By the end of this topic, learners should
1 Define Coordinate geometry.
2 Calculate distance between two points on the straight line.
3 Find the midpoint of two points on the line segment.
4 Calculate the gradient of a straight line.
5 Determine the gradients of parallel and perpendicular lines.
6 Find the equation of a straight line.
Definition
Coordinate geometry is a branch of mathematics which uses the
coordinate system to make sense of geometrical relationships.
The coordinate system is a system which uses Cartesian coordinates to
establish the position of a point or any geometric figure.
The length (distance) of a straight line
The length of a straight line is the distance between the two end points.
It is called the magnitude of two given points.
The length of a line joining two points P(x1, y1) and Q(x2, y2) is given by:
𝑃𝑄 = √(𝑥2 − 𝑥1 )2 + (𝑦2 − 𝑦1 )2
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ | = √𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2
|𝑃𝑄
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Example
Find the length of a straight line joining points P(4, 1) and Q(8, 4).
Solution Alternatively:
𝑷𝑸 = √(𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙𝟏 )𝟐 + (𝒚𝟐 − 𝒚𝟏 )𝟐
= √(𝟖 − 𝟒)𝟐 + (𝟒 − 𝟏)𝟐 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 𝐏𝐎
𝐏𝐐 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ + 𝐎𝐐
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
= √𝟒𝟐 + 𝟑𝟐 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ −𝟒 𝟖
𝐏𝐐 = ( ) + ( )
= √𝟏𝟔 + 𝟗 −𝟏 𝟒
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = ( )𝟒
= √𝟐𝟓 𝐏𝐐
𝟑
= 𝟓 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒔 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ | = √𝒙𝟐 + 𝒚𝟐
|𝐏𝐐
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ | = √𝟒𝟐 + 𝟑𝟐
|𝐏𝐐
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ | = √𝟏𝟔 + 𝟗
|𝐏𝐐
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ | = √𝟐𝟓
|𝐏𝐐
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ | = 𝟓 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒔
|𝐏𝐐
The midpoint of a line segment
The midpoint of a line segment is a point which lies exactly halfway
between two points.
𝑥 +𝑥 𝑦 +𝑦
It is given by the formula: 𝑀. 𝑃 = ( 1 2 , 1 2 )
2 2
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Example
Find the coordinates of the midpoint of a line segment AB where A is (5, 2) and
B is (1, 2).
Solution
𝒙 +𝒙 𝒚 +𝒚
𝑴. 𝑷 = ( 𝟏 𝟐 , 𝟏 𝟐 )
𝟐 𝟐
𝟓+𝟏 𝟐+𝟐
=( , )
𝟐 𝟐
𝟔 𝟒
=( , )
𝟐 𝟐
= (𝟑, 𝟐)
The gradient of a straight
The gradient of a straight line joining two points is a measure of steepness
of the line of those two points.
It is the ratio of the change in y-coordinates to the change in the x-
coordinates.
It is normally denoted by 𝑚.
The gradient of a straight line is constant.
𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑦
∴ 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡(𝑚) =
𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑥
𝑦2 −𝑦1
=
𝑥2 −𝑥1
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Example
Find the gradient of the straight line joining the points (4, 5) and (9, 15).
Solution
𝒚 −𝒚
𝒎= 𝟐 𝟏
𝒙𝟐 −𝒙𝟏
𝟏𝟓−𝟓
=
𝟗−𝟒
𝟏𝟎
=
𝟓
=𝟐
Gradient of parallel lines
If two lines are parallel, their gradients are equal.
Consider two lines, L1 with gradient m1 and L2with gradient m2
𝒚 𝒎𝟏 𝒎𝟐
𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐
∴ 𝒎𝟏 = 𝒎𝟐
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Gradients of perpendicular lines
If two lines are perpendicular, the product of their gradients is -1
If L1 has gradient 𝑚1 and L2 has gradient 𝑚2 , then 𝒎𝟏 𝒎𝟐 = −𝟏.
𝒚
𝑳𝟐 𝑳𝟏
Multiplying gradients for perpendicular lines L1 and L2 shows that
𝒎𝟏 × 𝒎𝟐 = −𝟏.
The equation of a straight line
To find the equation of a straight line when given two points, we follow the
following steps:
𝑦 −𝑦
(i) Use the given points to find the gradient 𝑚 = 2 1.
𝑥2 −𝑥1
(ii) Take the gradient together with one of the points and feed them into one
of the general standard form for the equation of a straight line either
𝒚 = 𝒎𝒙 + 𝒄 or 𝒚 − 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒎(𝒙 − 𝒙𝟏 ).
(iii) Write out the equation 𝒚 = 𝒎𝒙 + 𝒄 replacing 𝒎 and 𝒄 with their values.
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Example
Find the equation of a straight line that passes through the points (2, 3) and
(4, 4)
Solution
Method 1 Method 2
(𝟐, 𝟑) 𝒂𝒏𝒅 (𝟒, 𝟒) (2, 3) and (4, 4)
𝒚𝟐 −𝒚𝟏 𝒚𝟐 −𝒚𝟏
𝒎= 𝒎=
𝒙𝟐 −𝒙𝟏 𝒙𝟐 −𝒙𝟏
𝟒−𝟑 𝟒−𝟑
= =
𝟒−𝟐 𝟒−𝟐
𝟏 𝟏
= =
𝟐 𝟐
𝒚 − 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒎(𝒙 − 𝒙𝟏 ) 𝒚 = 𝒎𝒙 + 𝒄
𝟏
𝟏 𝟒 = (𝟒) + 𝒄
𝒚 − 𝟑 = (𝒙 − 𝟐) 𝟐
𝟐
𝟒= 𝟐+𝒄
𝟐𝒚 − 𝟔 = 𝒙 − 𝟐
𝟒−𝟐 =𝒄
𝟐𝒚 = 𝒙 − 𝟐 + 𝟔
𝒄=𝟐
𝟐𝒚 = 𝒙 + 𝟒
𝟏
∴𝒚= 𝒙+𝟐
𝟐
𝟐𝒚 = 𝒙 + 𝟒
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2018.P1.Oct
(a) Find the equation of a straight line passing through (1, 5) and (2, 10).
(b) The point (5, 2) is the midpoint of a straight line joining A(𝒙, 𝟗) and B(3, 𝒚).
Find the value of 𝒙 and the value of 𝒚.
Solution
(a) (1, 5) and (2, 10)
𝒚 −𝒚
𝒎= 𝟐 𝟏
𝒙𝟐 −𝒙𝟏
𝟏𝟎−𝟓
𝒎=
𝟐−𝟏
𝟓
=
𝟏
=𝟓
𝒚 − 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒎(𝒙 − 𝒙𝟏 )
𝒚 − 𝟓 = 𝟓(𝒙 − 𝟏)
𝒚 − 𝟓 = 𝟓𝒙 − 𝟓
𝒚 = 𝟓𝒙 − 𝟓 + 𝟎
𝒚 = 𝟓𝒙
(b) A(𝒙, 𝟗) 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑩(𝟑, 𝒚)
𝒙𝟏 +𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟏 +𝒚𝟐
M.P = ( , )
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙+𝟑 𝟗+𝒚
(5, 2) = ( , )
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙+𝟑
5=
𝟐
𝒙 + 𝟑 = 𝟏𝟎
𝒙 = 𝟏𝟎 − 𝟑
𝒙=𝟕
𝟗+𝒚
2=
𝟐
𝟗+𝒚= 𝟒
𝒚= 𝟒−𝟗
𝒚 = −𝟓
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2019.P1.Nov
(a) A and B are points with coordinates (-3, 3) and (5, 9) respectively. Find the
length of AB.
(b) In the diagram below, A is the point (0, 4) and B is the point (2, 0) and O is
the origin. 𝒚
A(0, 4)
𝒙
O B(2, 0)
Find the equation of the straight line through O which is parallel to the line AB.
Solution
(a) A(-3, 3) and B(5, 9)
AB = √(𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙𝟏 )𝟐 + (𝒚𝟐 − 𝒚𝟏 )𝟐
= √(𝟓 + 𝟑)𝟐 + (𝟗 − 𝟑)𝟐
= √𝟖𝟐 + 𝟔𝟐
= √𝟔𝟒 + 𝟑𝟔
= √𝟏𝟎𝟎
= 𝟏𝟎 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒔
(b) A(0, 4) and B(2, 0)
𝒚 −𝒚
𝒎 = 𝒙𝟐 −𝒙𝟏
𝟐 𝟏
𝟎−𝟒
𝒎 = 𝟐−𝟎
−𝟒
= 𝟐
= −𝟐
𝒚 − 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒎(𝒙 − 𝒙𝟏 )
𝒚 − 𝟎 = −𝟐(𝒙 − 𝟎)
𝒚 = −𝟐𝒙 + 𝟎
𝒚 + 𝟐𝒙 = 𝟎
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2020.P1.Nov
(a) The points A and B are (−𝟓, 𝟏𝟓) and (𝟑𝒘, 𝒘) respectively. Given that the
midpoint of the straight line joining A and B is (5, 10), find the value of 𝒘.
(b) P is the point (3, 1) and Q is another point such that the gradient of the line
𝟏
PQ is − . Write down the equation of PQ.
𝟐
Solution
(a) A(−𝟓, 𝟏𝟓) 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑩(𝟑𝒘, 𝒘)
𝒙𝟏 +𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟏 +𝒚𝟐
M.P = ( , )
𝟐 𝟐
𝟑𝒘−𝟓 𝒘+𝟏𝟓
(5, 10) = ( , )
𝟐 𝟐
𝟑𝒘−𝟓
5=
𝟐
𝟑𝒘 − 𝟓 = 𝟏𝟎
𝟑𝒘 = 𝟏𝟎 + 𝟓
𝟑𝒘 = 𝟏𝟓
𝟏𝟓
𝒘=
𝟑
𝒘=𝟓
(b) 𝒚 − 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒎(𝒙 − 𝒙𝟏 )
𝟏
𝒚 − 𝟏 = − (𝒙 − 𝟑)
𝟐
𝟐𝒚 − 𝟐 = −𝟏(𝒙 − 𝟑)
𝟐𝒚 − 𝟐 = −𝒙 + 𝟑
𝟐𝒚 + 𝒙 = 𝟑 + 𝟐
𝟐𝒚 + 𝒙 = 𝟓
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2021.P1.Nov
(a) Find the equation of a straight line passing through the points (3, 4) and (7,
12).
(b) Find the equation of a straight line which is perpendicular to the line
𝟐𝒚 − 𝒙 = 𝟑 and passing through the point (−𝟒, 𝟏).
Solution
(a) (3, 4) and (7, 12)
𝒚 −𝒚
𝒎= 𝟐 𝟏
𝒙𝟐 −𝒙𝟏
𝟏𝟐−𝟒
𝒎=
𝟕−𝟑
𝟖
=
𝟒
=𝟐
𝒚 − 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒎(𝒙 − 𝒙𝟏 )
𝒚 − 𝟒 = 𝟐(𝒙 − 𝟑)
𝒚 − 𝟒 = 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟔
𝒚 = 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟔 + 𝟒
𝒚 = 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟐
(b) 𝟐𝒚 − 𝒙 = 𝟑
𝟏 𝟑
𝒚= 𝒙+
𝟐 𝟐
𝟏
𝒎𝟏 =
𝟐
𝒎𝟏 × 𝒎𝟐 = −𝟏
𝒎𝟐 = −𝟐
𝒚 − 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒎(𝒙 − 𝒙𝟏 )
𝒚 − 𝟏 = −𝟐(𝒙 + 𝟒)
𝒚 − 𝟏 = −𝟐𝒙 − 𝟖
𝒚 + 𝟐𝒙 = −𝟖 + 𝟏
𝒚 + 𝟐𝒙 = −𝟕
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2022.P1.Nov
(a) Find the gradient of the line passing through the points A(𝟒, −𝟔) and B(2, 4).
(b) ABC is a straight line. The coordinates of A and B are (2, 1) and (−𝟔, 𝟓)
respectively. Given that B is the midpoint of AC, find the coordinates of C.
Solution
(a) A( 4, -6) and B(2, 4)
𝒚 −𝒚
𝒎= 𝟐 𝟏
𝒙𝟐 −𝒙𝟏
𝟒+𝟔
𝒎=
𝟐−𝟒
𝟏𝟎
=
−𝟐
= −𝟐
(b) A(𝟐, 𝟏) 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑩(−𝟔, 𝟓)
𝒙𝟏 +𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟏 +𝒚𝟐
M.P = ( , )
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙+𝟐 𝒚+𝟏
(-6, 5) = ( , )
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙+𝟐
-6 =
𝟐
𝒙 + 𝟐 = −𝟏𝟐
𝒙 = −𝟏𝟐 − 𝟐
𝒙 = −𝟏𝟒
𝒚+𝟏
5=
𝟐
𝒚 + 𝟏 = 𝟏𝟎
𝒚 = 𝟏𝟎 − 𝟏
𝒚=𝟗
∴ 𝑪(−𝟏𝟒, 𝟗)
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2023.P1.Nov
(a) The point A(−𝟓, 𝟑) and the point B have a midpoint (𝟒, −𝟐). Find the
coordinates of B.
(b) Find the equation of a line parallel to the line 𝟐𝒙 + 𝒚 = 𝟒 passing through
(−𝟓, 𝟑).
Solution
(a) A(−𝟓, 𝟑) 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑩(𝒙, 𝒚)
𝒙𝟏 +𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟏 +𝒚𝟐
M.P = ( , )
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙−𝟓 𝒚+𝟑
(4, -2) = ( , )
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙−𝟓
4=
𝟐
𝒙−𝟓= 𝟖
𝒙 = 𝟖+𝟓
𝒙 = 𝟏𝟑
𝒚+𝟑
-2 =
𝟐
𝒚 + 𝟑 = −𝟒
𝒚 = −𝟒 − 𝟑
𝒚 = −𝟕
∴ 𝑩(𝟏𝟑, −𝟕)
(b) 𝒚 − 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒎(𝒙 − 𝒙𝟏 )
𝒚 − 𝟑 = −𝟐(𝒙 + 𝟓)
𝒚 − 𝟑 = −𝟐𝒙 − 𝟏𝟎
𝒚 + 𝟐𝒙 = −𝟏𝟎 + 𝟑
𝒚 + 𝟐𝒙 = −𝟕
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2024.P1.GCE
(a) Two points A and B have coordinates (−𝟓, −𝟑) and (−𝟏, 𝒂) respectively.
Given that the gradient of the line AB is 2, find the value of 𝒂.
𝟏
(b) The straight line 𝒚 = 𝒙 + 𝒑 passes through the point (−𝟐, 𝟐). Find the
𝟐
coordinates of the 𝒚-intercept.
Solution
(a) A(-5, -3) and B(-1, 𝒂)
𝒚𝟐 −𝒚𝟏
𝒎=
𝒙𝟐 −𝒙𝟏
𝒂+𝟑
𝟐=
−𝟏+𝟓
𝒂 + 𝟑 = 𝟐(−𝟏 + 𝟓)
𝒂 + 𝟑 = −𝟐 + 𝟏𝟎
𝒂+𝟑= 𝟖
𝒂=𝟖−𝟑
𝒂=𝟓
𝟏
(b) 𝒚 = 𝒙 + 𝒑
𝟐
𝟏
𝟐 = (−𝟐) + 𝒑
𝟐
𝟐 = −𝟏 + 𝒑
𝒑=𝟐+𝟏
𝒑=𝟑
(𝟎, 𝟑)
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