LINES AND

FIRST DEGREE
EQUATIONS
Math 14

Plane and Solid Analytic

Geometry

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the student is
expected to be able to:
Define and determine the general
equation of a line
Define and determine the different
standard equations of line
Determine the directed distance from a
point to a line
Determine the distance between parallel
lines

STRAIGHT LINES
A straight line is a locus of a point
that moves in a plane with constant
slope. It may also be referred to simply
as a line which contains at least two
distinct points.

LINES PARALLEL TO A
COORDINATE AXIS
If a straight line is parallel to the
y-axis, its equation is x = k, where k is
the directed distance of the line from
the y-axis. Similarly, if a line is parallel
to the x-axis, its equation is y = k,
where k is the directed distance of the
line from the x-axis.

DIFFERENT STANDARD
FORMS OF THE EQUATION
OF A STRAIGHT LINE
A. POINT-SLOPE FORM:
If the line passes through the point (x1, y1),
y y1
m

then the slope of xthe

.
x1 line is
Rewriting
we
y y1 the
m x equation
x1
have
which is the standard
equation of the point-slope form.

The equation of the line through a

given point P1 (x1, y1) whose slope
is m.
y
m
U sin g slope formula,
m

y - y1
and multiplying
x - x1

P1 x1 , y1

both sides by x - x1 will

give us m x - x1 y - y1

or y - y1 m x - x1 which
is known as the point slope form.

P x , y

EXAMPLE:
Find the general equation of the line:
a.through (2,-7) with slope of 2/5
b.through the point (-3, 4) with slope
of -2/5

B. TWO-POINT FORM:
If the line passes through the points (x1, y1)
y y1
m 2
and
x2 x1
(x2, y2), then the slope of the line is
y2 y1
x x1
y y1 .
x2 x1
Substituting it in the point-slope formula,
we have

The equation of the line through

points P1 (x1, y1) and P2 (x2, y2)
y
Using the slope m

y2 y1
x2 x1

P1 x1 , y1

and substituting it to the point slope form will give us

y2 y1
x x1
y - y1
x2 x1
which is known as the
two - point form.

P x , y
x

P2 x2 , y2

EXAMPLE:
Find the general equation of the line:
a.passing through (4,-5) and (-6, 3)
b.passing through (2,-3) and (-4, 5)

C. SLOPE-INTERCEPT FORM:
Consider a line not parallel to either axes of
the coordinate axes. Let the slope of the
line be m and intersecting the y-axis at
y b
m

point (0, b), then the slope of the line is

x 0
. Rewriting the equation, we have
y mx b
which is the standard equation of
the slope-intercept form.

The equation of the line having

the slope, m, and y-intercept (0, b)
y

U sin g slope formula,

y-b
m
and multiplying
x -0
both sides by x will
give us mx y - b and
therefore y mx b
which is known as the
slope - intercept form.

0 ,b
P x , y

EXAMPLE:
a.Find the general equation of the line with
slope 3 and y-intercept of 2/3.
b.Express the equation 3x-4y+8=0 to the
slope-intercept form and draw the line.

D.INTERCEPT FORM:
Let the intercepts of the line be the points
b
(a, 0)
m
a
b
and (0, b).y Then
x 0 slope of the line
b the
a
x its
y
and
1
a isb
equation
. Simplifying
the equation
we have
which is the standard

The equation of the line whose x and

y intercepts are (a, 0) and (0, b)
respectively.
y

U sin g point - slope formula,

b
y - b - x 0 and multiplying
a
both sides by a will give us
ay - ab bx. Then by re arranging the equation to make
all the terms positive will become
bx ay ab and dividing both
x y
sides by ab will give us 1
a b
which is known as the intercept
form.

0 ,b
P x , y
a ,0

EXAMPLE:
Find the general equation of the line:
a.with x-intercept of 2 and y-intercept of
-3/4
b.through
(-2,
7)
with
intercepts
numerically equal but of opposite sign

E. NORMAL FORM:
Suppose a line L, whose equation is to be
found, has its distance from the origin to
angle of inclination
be equal to p. Let the
of p be

L
p
b
p
b
sin
sin

Since p is perpendicular to L, the slope of p is

equal to the negative reciprocal of the slope
1
cos
m
cot , or m
L.
tan

sin

Substituting in the slope-intercept form,

cos
p
y
y =
mx x+
b , we obtain
sin

sin

x cos
y sin
normal
p
Simplifying,
wehave
the
form of the
straight line

Reduction of the General Form to the

Normal Form A
B
B
The slope of the line Ax+By+C=0 is A . The
B
slope
tan of p which is perpendicular to the line is
A
B
therefore
. Thus,
sin
2
2

B
A
cos .
2
2

B
From Trigonometry, we obtain
A2 the
B 2 values
A

A B
A Bdivide through
and A B
. If we
the general
A
B
C
x
y
2
2
2
2
equation
line
,
A Bof the
straight
A B
A2by
B2
x cos y sin p
we have
C
2

A2 B 2

Transposing the constant to the right, we

EXAMPLE:
1.Reduce 5x+3y-4=0 to the normal form.
Solution :

A5

B3

C -4

A2 B 2 25 9 34
thus ,

5x
3y
4

0
34
34
34

2.
Find the equation of a line parallel to
the line 4x-y+8=0 passing at a distance
3 from the point (-2,-4).
Solution :
The equation of a line parallel to the given line and
pas sin g through 2 ,4 is
4 x y 4 2 4 4 x y 4

Re ducing to the normal form, we have

4x
y
4

16 1 16 1 16 1
4x
y
4

17 17 17
The equations of the required lines, in the normal form, would be

4x
y
4

3 17

17 17 17

4 x y 4 3 17

or

PARALLEL AND PERPENDICULAR

LINES
The lines Ax+By+C=0 and Ax+By+K=0
are parallel lines. But, the lines
Ax+By+C=0 and Bx-Ay+K=0 are
perpendicular
EXAMPLE:
Findlines.
the general equation of the
line:
a. through (-3, 8) parallel to the line 6x5y+15=0
b. through (6,-1) and perpendicular to the line
4x-5y-6=0
c. passing through (-1, 5) and parallel to the
line through (1 ,3) and (1,-4)

DIRECTED DISTANCE FROM A POINT

TO A LINE
Ax1 By1 C
d

directed distance
from
2
2
A B

The
y1) to the

A2 B 2

the point P(x1,

A2 B 2
A2 , where
B2

line Ax+By+C=0 is
the sign of B is
Taken into consideration for the sign of the
. If B>0, then it is
and B<0,
then it is
. But if B=0, take the
sign of A.

note :
if d 0, the point
is above the line
if d 0, the point
is below the line

P1 x1 , y1

d1 0

Ax1 By1 C 0
x
d2 0

P2 x2 , y2

EXAMPLE:
a.Find the distance of the point (6,-3)
from the line 2x-y+4=0.
b.Find the equation of the bisector of the
acute angle for the pair of lines L1:
11x+2y-7=0 and L2: x+2y+2=0.
c.Find the distance between the lines
3x+y-12=0 and 3x+y-4=0

EXERCISES:
1. Determine the equation of the line
passing through (2, -3) and parallel to
the line passing through (4,1) and (2,2).
2. Find the equation of the line passing
through point (-2,3) and perpendicular
to the line
2x 3y + 6 = 0
3. Find the equation of the line, which is
the perpendicular bisector of the
segment connecting points (-1,-2) and
(7,4).
4. Find the equation of the line whose
slope is 4 and passing through the point
of intersection of lines x + 6y 4 = 0

5. The points A(0, 0), B(6, 0) and C(4, 4)

are vertices of triangles. Find:
a. the equations of the medians and
their intersection point
b. the equations of the altitude and
their intersection point
c.
the equation of the perpendicular
bisectors of the sides and their
intersection points

Exercises:
1. Find the distance from the line 5x = 2y +
6 to the points
a.
(3, -5)
b.
(-4, 1)
c.
(9, 10)
2. Find the equation of the bisector of the
pair of acute angles formed by the lines 4x
+ 2y = 9 and 2x y = 8.
3. Find the equation of the bisector of the
acute angles and also the bisector of the
obtuse angles formed by the lines x + 2y 3
= 0 and 2x + y 4 = 0.

REFERENCES
Analytic Geometry, 6th Edition, by Douglas F. Riddle
Analytic Geometry, 7th Edition, by Gordon
Fuller/Dalton Tarwater
Analytic Geometry, by Quirino and Mijares