Coordinate Geometry THE EQUATION OF （协调几何方程）.pdfVIP

Co-ordinate Geometry THE EQUATION OF STRAIGHT LINES This section refers to the properties of straight lines and curves using rules found by the use of cartesian co-ordinates. The Gradient of a Line. As we have met the gradient of a line at GCSE but we will now formally define it as the “rate of change of y with respect to x”. It is visually the steepness or slope of the line and is often denoted by the letter “m”. (Due to the idea being developed by a French man named Rene Decartes. The French for to climb is MONTER) Gradient (m) = change in y Change in x Consider y (x , y ) 2 2 2 Therefore gradient = y 2 −y1 x −x 2 1 θ y1 (x , y ) 2 2 OR x1 x2 Gradient = Tan θ Now consider the general situation. OR y 2 −y1 GRADIENT (m) = x −x 2 1 Where two co-ordinate pairs are known. Example 1. Find the gradient of the line adjoining A = (2, 4) and B = (5, 9). Decide which point will represent (x y ) 2, 2 and which will represent (x , y ) 1 1 They must work as a pair and must not be mixed up. gradient = y 2 −y1 x −x 2 1 m = 4 – 9 2 – 5 m = -5 -3 m = 5/3. N.B. The same gradient will result from the calculation if the co-ordinates were chosen the other way around. Try it and che