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    Circles and Distance

     

    The Distance Formula

    Recall that the Pythagorean Theorem states that if a, b, c are sides of a right triangle with c the hypotenuse, then

            a2 + b2 = c2

    Let (x,y) be a point in the plane.  Then if we draw the triangle with one vertex at the origin, one at (x,y) and one at (x,0) then we have a right triangle which has one leg of length x and the other of length y.  The length of the hypotenuse is the distance from the origin to the point (x,y).  By the Pythagorean Theorem, this distance is

            The xy-axes, the point (x,y) a distance d from the origin, showing the right triangle with sides of length x, y, and d.

     

     

            \( d = \sqrt{x^2+y^2} \)

     


    Exercise: 

    Find the distance from the origin to the point (5,12)

            


    We can generalize this notion to find the distance between two points (x1,y1and (x2,y2) 

    We draw the triangle and see that the length of its legs equal

            x2 - x1   and    y2 - y1

            Graph of the right triangle with points (x1,y1), (x2,y2), and (x2,y1).  It shows side lengths x2 - x2 and y2 - y2 and hypothenuse sqrare root of (x2 - x1)squared + (y2 - y1) squared.

    Therefore the distance from (x1,y1) to (x2,y2is

     

             \( d = \sqrt{(x_2 - x_1)^2+(y_2 - y_1)^2} \)

     

    Example

    Find the distance from (2,-3) to (-1,4)

     

    Solution:  

    We use the distance formula:

            \( d = \sqrt{(-1 - 2)^2+(4 - (-3))^2} = \sqrt{9+49} = \sqrt{58}\)

     


     

    Circles

    Recall that a circle with radius r and center (h,k) is defined by the set of point of distance from the point (h,k).  If (x,y) is on the circle then the distance from (h,k) to (x,y) is r.  The distance formula tells us thatGraph of the circle with center (h,k), radius r and showing the line segment from the center to the point (x,y) on the circle.

            (x - h)2  + (y - k)2 = r2

    This is called the standard form of the equation of the circle.

     

    Example

    The equation of the circle with radius 3 centered at (1,2) is

            (x - 1)2 + (y - 2)2  =  9

     


    Example:  Find the center and radius of the circle

            x2 + y2 - 4x + 6y - 12  =  0

    We must get the equation into standard form by completing the squares.  We have

            x2 - 4x   + y2 + 6y  =  12

            -4/2  =  -2      and      6/2  =  3

            (-2)2  =  4      and      32  =  9

    Adding and subtracting we have

            x2 - 4x + 4 - 4 + y2 + 6y + 9 - 9  =  12

            (x - 2)2 + (y + 3)2  =  12 + 4 + 9  =  25  =  52

    So that the center of the circle is (2,-3) and the radius is 5.

     

    Back to the Conics Page

     

    Lecture Notes is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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