MHB I have no answers for these questions... me

  • Thread starter Thread starter boujeemath
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary
The discussion focuses on solving geometry problems from a Cambridge book, specifically finding equations of lines based on given intercepts and midpoints. For question 22, the midpoint M(4,3) leads to the x-intercept of (8,0) and y-intercept of (0,6), resulting in the line equation y - 0 = (3/4)(x - 8). In question 23, the midpoint (-1,2) is used to derive the line equation with a gradient m, ultimately finding m=2 and the line equation y=2x+4. The calculations confirm that the derived intercepts align with the midpoint condition.
boujeemath
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
I'm working on my geometry during winter break and I'm solving questions from the cambridge book but they don't have worked soutions :((

Screen Shot 2020-07-06 at 12.09.59 pm.png
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
Hi boujeemath, welcome to MHB!

For question 22, we can let the $y$-intercept be $(0,\,a)$ and $x$-intercept be $(b,\,0)$. Since we are told $M(4,\,3)$ is the midpoint of the intercepts, we have

$\left(\dfrac{b}{2},\,\dfrac{a}{2}\right)= (4,\,3)$

That gives us $b=8$ and $a=6$.

Now, you have found the intercepts, can you proceed to find the equation of the line?
 
To follow up, once we have the $x$- and $y$ intercepts, we know the gradient, $m=-\dfrac{y\text{-intercept}}{x\text{-intercept}}=-\dfrac{6}{8}=-\dfrac{3}{4}$.

Therefore, taking $m=-\dfrac{3}{4}$ and the point $(8,\,0)$, we find that the point=gradient form of the straight line is:

$y-0=\dfrac{3}{4}\left(x-8\right)$
 
Problem 23 asks you to, first, write the general equation for a line through the point (-1, 2) with gradient m. I don't know what form you have learned as the general equation for a line through (a, b) with gradient m. One is \frac{y- b}{x- a}= m. Another is y- b= m(x- a) which you can get by multiplying both sides of the first by x- a. Here a= -1 and b= 2. so y- 2= m(x+ 1) or y= m(x+1)+ 2 or y= mx+ m+ 2..

The problem then asks you to find the equation of the specific line when (-1, 2) is "the midpoint of the intercepts with the x and y axes". y- 2= m(x+ 1) "intercepts" the y-axis where x= 0. That is y- 2= m(1) so y= m+ 2. The y-intercept is (0, m+2). It intercepts the x- axis where y= m(x+ 1)+ 2= 0. m(x+ 1)= -2. x+1= -2/m, x= -1- 2/m. The x-intercept is (-1-2/m, 0). The midpoint is (-1/2-1/m, m/2+ 1). You want -1/2- 1/m= -1 and m/2+ 1= 2. Of course, that is asking for one value to satisfy two differential equations. In general we cannot do that but from m/2+ 1= 2 we have m/2= 1 and then m= 2. Putting that into -1/2- 1/m= -1 we get -1/2- 1/2= -1 which is a true statement! The line we want is y= 2(x+ 1)+ 2= 2x+ 4.

ChecK: The line y= 2x+ 4 has x-intercept (0, 4) and y-intercept (-2, 0). The midpoint is ((-2+ 0/2, (4+ 0)/2)= (-1, 2).
 
Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

Similar threads

  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
5
Views
2K