1

The Straight Line and Linearity

G V V Sharma∗

Abstract—Solved problems from JEE mains papers Substituting in (1.6), and simplifying,
related to 2D lines in coordinate geometry are available
10
in this document. These problems are solved using linear nT B = (1.11)
algebra/matrix analysis. −k
−5
nT B = (1.12)
2
1 A straight line through the origin O meets the
resulting in
lines
  10 −5
4 3 x = 10 (1.1) = =⇒ k = 4 (1.13)
  −k 2
8 6 x+5 =0 (1.2) 2 The point !
2
at A and B respectively. Find the ratio in which P= (2.1)
1
O divides AB.
Solution: Let is translated parallel to the line
!  
4 L : 1 −1 x = 4 (2.2)
n= (1.3)
3 √
by d = 2 3 units. If the new point Q lies in
Then (1.1) can be expressed as
the third quadrant, then find the equation of the
nT x = 10 (1.4) line passing through Q and perpendicular to L.
2nT x = −5 (1.5) Solution: From (2.2), the direction vector of L
is !
and since A, B satisfy (1.4) respectively, 1
m= (2.3)
1
nT A = 10 (1.6)
Thus,
2nT B = −5 (1.7)
Q = P + λm (2.4)
Let O divide the segment AB in the ratio k : 1.
However,
Then
kB + A PQ = d (2.5)
O= (1.8)
k+1 =⇒ kP − Qk = |λ| kmk = d (2.6)
d √
∵ O = 0, (1.9) =⇒ λ = ± =± 6 (2.7)
kmk
A = −kB (1.10)
√ √
∵ kmk = mT m = 2 (2.8)
from (2.3). Since Q lies in the third quadrant,
*The author is with the Department of Electrical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad 502285 India e-mail:
gadepall@iith.ac.in. All content in this manual is released under GNU
GPL. Free and open source.
 2

from (2.4) and (2.7), resulting in the augmented matrix

√ !
√ 1
! ! ! !
2 2 − √6 7 −1 −15 7 −1 −15
Q= − 6 = (2.9) ↔
1 1 1− 6 1 −1 −1 0 3 −4
! !
The equation of the desired line is then ob- 3 0 −7 1 7
↔ =⇒ B = − (3.9)
tained as 0 3 −4 3 4

mT (x − Q) = 0 (2.10) ∵ AB k CD,
  √
1 1 x=3−2 6 (2.11)
 
CD : 1 −1 (x − C) = 0
 
3 Two sides of a rhombus are along the lines =⇒ 1 −1 x = 3 (3.10)
 
AB : 1 −1 x + 1 = 0 (3.1) From (3.2) and (3.10),
 
AD : 7 −1 x − 5 = 0. (3.2)
! !
7 −1 5
D= (3.11)
If its diagonals intersect at 1 −1 3

−1
! resulting in the augmented matrix
P= , (3.3) ! !
−2 7 −1 5 7 −1 5
↔
find its vertices. 1 −1 3 0 3 −8
! !
Solution: From (3.1) and (3.2), 3 0 1 1 1
↔ =⇒ D = (3.12)
! ! 0 3 −8 3 −8
1 −1 −1
A= (3.4)
7 −1 5 4 Let k be an integer such that the triangle with
vertices
By row reducing the augmented matrix ! ! !
k 5 −k
A= ,B = ,C = (4.1)
! ! !
1 −1 −1 1 −1 −1 1 −1 −1 −3k k 2
↔ ↔
7 −1 5 0 6 12 0 1 2
! ! has area 28. Find the orthocentre of this trian-
1 0 1 1
↔ =⇒ A = , gle.
0 1 2 2
Solution: Let m1 be the direction vector of BC.
(3.5) Then,
Since diagonals of a rhombus bisect each other, 5+k
!
m1 = , (4.2)
A+C k−2
P=
2 ! If AD be an altitude, its equation can be
−3 obtained as
C = 2P − A = (3.6)
−6
mT1 (x − A) = 0 (4.3)
∵ AD k BC, Similarly, considering the side AC the equation
 
BC : 7 −1 (x − C) = 0 of the altitude BE is
 
=⇒ 7 −1 x = −15 (3.7) mT2 (x − B) = 0 (4.4)
From (3.1) and (3.7), where
! ! !
7 −1 −15 2k
B= (3.8) m2 = , (4.5)
1 −1 −1 −2 − 3k
The orthocentre is obtained by solving (4.3)
 3

and (4.4) using the matrix equation since CF passes through the origin and CF ⊥
!T ! AB. From (5.1) and (5.4),
m1 mT1 A
x= (4.6) 1 1
!
2
!
m2 mT2 B F= (5.5)
1 −1 0
which can be expressed using (4.2), (4.5), (4.3)
and (4.4) as Forming the augmented matrix,
! ! ! ! !
5+k k−2 k2 + 5k + 6k − 3k2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2
x= ↔ ↔
2k −2 − 3k 10k − 2k − 3k2 1 −1 0 0 2 2 0 1 1
! ! !
11 − 4k 1 0 1 1
=k (4.7) ↔ =⇒ F = (5.6)
8 − 3k 0 1 1 1
From (4.1), using the expression for the area From (5.2),
of triangle, 1
!
C = − (A + B) = −2F = −2 (5.7)
1
 
 k 5 −k
−3k k 2  = 56
after substituting from (5.6). Thus,
1 1 1
 
√

 k 5 − k −2k 
 CF = kC − Fk = 3 2 (5.8)
=⇒ −3k 4k 2 + 3k = 56 (4.8) 2 √
=⇒ AB = CF √ = 2 6 (5.9)
1 0 0
 
3
resulting in and the area of the triangle is
(5 − k) (2 + 3k) + 8k2 = 56 (4.9) 1 √
AB × CF = 6 3 (5.10)
2
=⇒ 5k + 13k − 46 = 0 (4.10) 2
23 6 A square, of each side 2, lies above the x-axis
or, k = 2, − (4.11) and has one vertex at the origin. If one of the
5
sides passing through the origin makes an angle
Substituting the above in (4.7) and solving ◦
30 with the positive direction of the x-axis,
yields the orthocentre. then find the sum of the x-coordinates of the
5 If an equilateral triangle, having centroid at the vertices of the square.
origin, has a side along the line Solution: Consider the square ABCD with A =
0, AB = 2 such that B and D lie on the x and
 
1 1 x = 2, (5.1)
y-axis respectively. Then
then find the area of this triangle. Also draw the !
equilateral triangle and two medians to verify 1
A+B+C+D=4 (6.1)
your results. 1
Solution: Let the vertices be A, B, C. From the Multiplying (6.1) with the rotation matrix
given information, !
cos θ − sin θ
A+B+C T= , (6.2)
=0 sin θ cos θ
3
=⇒ A + B + C = 0 (5.2) ! !
cos θ − sin θ 1
T (A + B + C + D) = 4
If AB be the line in (5.1), the equation of CF, sin θ cos θ 1
where
!
cos θ − sin θ
=4 (6.3)
A+B cos θ + sin θ
F= (5.3)
2
is
 
1 −1 x = 0 (5.4)
 4

 
=⇒ 1 0 T (A + B + C + D)
√ 
= 4 (cos θ − sin θ) = 2 3 − 1 (6.4)
◦
for θ = 30 . Draw the square with sides on the
axis as well as the rotated square in the same
graph to verify your result.