Co-Ordinate Geometry – The Circle
Equation of a circle with centre (𝟎𝟎, 𝟎𝟎) and radius 𝒓𝒓 Using Knowledge from the Line
𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦 2 = 𝑟𝑟 2
Distance �(x2 − x1 )2 + (y2 − y1 )2
2 2
𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 = 49 centre (0,0) and radius 7 Can help us find the radius given end points of diameter
Equation of circle with centre (𝒉𝒉, 𝒌𝒌) and radius 𝒓𝒓 Midpoint
x +x y +y
� 1 2 2 , 1 2 2�
(𝑥𝑥 − ℎ)2 + (𝑦𝑦 − 𝑘𝑘)2 = 𝑟𝑟 2
Can help us find the midpoint given end points of diameter.
(𝑥𝑥 − 4)2 + (𝑦𝑦 + 3)2 = 20 centre (4, −3) and radius √20 y2 −y1
Slope m= x2 −x1
General Equation of a circle Equation of a line y − y1 = m(x − x1 )
Can help us find equations of tangents to circle.
𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦 2 + 2𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔 + 2𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 + 𝑐𝑐 = 0
We can also apply the rules of translations to move circles or
find end points of diameter given an endpoint and the centre.
Make sure every term is on the left hand side and that the coefficients of 𝑥𝑥 and 𝑦𝑦 are
equal to 1
Perpendicular Distance from a Point to a Line
1 1
𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥1 + 𝑏𝑏𝑦𝑦1 + 𝑐𝑐
Centre is (−𝑔𝑔, −𝑓𝑓) which is − 2 the coefficient of 𝑥𝑥 and − 2 the coefficient of 𝑦𝑦 𝑑𝑑 = � �
√𝑎𝑎2 + 𝑏𝑏 2
Radius is �𝑔𝑔2 + 𝑓𝑓 2 − 𝑐𝑐, providing 𝑔𝑔2 + 𝑓𝑓 2 − 𝑐𝑐 > 0 Can be used to find distance from
centre of circle to a tangent.
𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦 2 + 10𝑥𝑥 − 6𝑦𝑦 − 2 = 0 Inside, On or Outside a Circle
centre (−5,3) and radius �(−5)2 + (3)2 − (−2) = 6 Put points into the circle for 𝑥𝑥 and 𝑦𝑦
Circles touch Externally 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 < 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 Inside
𝑑𝑑 = 𝑟𝑟1 + 𝑟𝑟2 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 = 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 On the Circle
If circles touch externally the sum of their radii will equal the 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 > 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 Outside
distance between their centres.
Circles touch Internally
𝑑𝑑 = 𝑟𝑟1 − 𝑟𝑟2
If circles touch internally the radii of the large circle minus the We can find where a circle:
smaller will equal the distance between their centres. crosses the 𝐱𝐱 axis by letting y = 0
crosses the 𝐲𝐲 axis by letting x = 0
Intersection of a Line and a Circle Finding Equation of Circle with g, f and c
To find the points where a line meets a circle perform If given 3 points on the circle we can sub in for 𝑥𝑥 and 𝑦𝑦 into:
a simultaneous equation subbing the 𝑥𝑥 or 𝑦𝑦 value of
the line into the circle and solving. 𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦 2 + 2𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔 + 2𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 + 𝑐𝑐 = 0
This gives us three equations in three unknowns 𝑔𝑔, 𝑓𝑓 and 𝑐𝑐 which we solve and put back into original equation.
Points 𝑝𝑝(−4,2) 𝑞𝑞(−2,6) and 𝑟𝑟(4,8) are on the circle 𝑆𝑆. Find the equation of 𝑆𝑆.
The line 𝑥𝑥 − 2𝑦𝑦 − 1 = 0 intersects the circle
𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦 2 + 4𝑥𝑥 − 2𝑦𝑦 − 5 = 0 at the points 𝑝𝑝 and 𝑞𝑞. Find Given two points 𝒑𝒑 and 𝒒𝒒 on the circle and the equation of the line 𝑳𝑳𝟏𝟏 , containing the centre 𝒄𝒄(−𝒈𝒈, −𝒇𝒇)
the coordinates of 𝑝𝑝 and 𝑞𝑞
Sub each point into equation as above to give 2 of the equations.
𝑥𝑥 = 2𝑦𝑦 + 1 Sub (−𝑔𝑔, −𝑓𝑓) in for 𝑥𝑥 and 𝑦𝑦 into line containing the centre to give 3rd equation. Solve all three for 𝑔𝑔, 𝑓𝑓 and 𝑐𝑐 and sub
back into original.
(2𝑦𝑦 + 1)2 + 𝑦𝑦 2 + 4(2𝑦𝑦 + 1) − 2𝑦𝑦 − 5 = 0
5𝑦𝑦 2 + 10𝑦𝑦 = 0 Find the equation of the circle that with points (−4,1) and (0,3) and whose centre lies on the line 𝑥𝑥 − 2𝑦𝑦 + 11 = 0
𝑦𝑦 2 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 0
𝑦𝑦(𝑦𝑦 + 2) = 0 Given two points 𝒑𝒑 and 𝒒𝒒 on the circle and the equation of the tangent at one of these points
𝑦𝑦 = 0 𝑦𝑦 = −2
𝑥𝑥 = 1 𝑥𝑥 = −3 Find the equation of 𝐿𝐿, the line perpendicular to the tangent 𝑇𝑇 passing through the given point of contact. This point
will contain the centre 𝑐𝑐.
Thus the coordinates are (1,0) and (−3, −2) Now we have two points on the circumference of the circle and the equation of the line that contains the centre of the
circle. Solve as above.
Find the equation of the circle which passes through the points 𝑎𝑎(−3, −2) and 𝑏𝑏(0, −1) and where the line
2𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦 + 4 = 0 is a tangent at the point 𝑎𝑎(−3, −2)
Given the Length of the Radius
When given the radius we let it �𝑔𝑔2 + 𝑓𝑓 2 − 𝑐𝑐. Then we square both sides. We have to use the other information in the
question to form two other equations in 𝑔𝑔, 𝑓𝑓 and 𝑐𝑐 and sub these into the first equation to get a quadratic equation in
one variable. In general we end up with two circles that satisfy the given condition.
A circle of radius length √20 contains the point (−1,3). Its centre lies on the line 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 = 0
Find the equations of the two circles that satisfy these conditions.
Equation of a tangent at a given point on the circle
Circles with Axes as Tangents Proof (𝒚𝒚 − 𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂)
Touching the 𝑥𝑥 − 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑔𝑔2 = 𝑐𝑐 1. Find the slope of the radius to the point of tangency
Touching the 𝑦𝑦 − 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑓𝑓 2 = 𝑐𝑐 Radius = −𝑓𝑓 2. Turn this slope upside down and change the sign. This gives us the slope of the tangent.
�𝑔𝑔2 + 𝑓𝑓 2 − 𝑐𝑐 = −𝑓𝑓 3. Use the coordinates of the point of contact and the slope of the tangent at this point in the formula
𝑔𝑔2 + 𝑓𝑓 2 − 𝑐𝑐 = 𝑓𝑓 2
𝑔𝑔2 − 𝑐𝑐 = 0 𝑦𝑦 − 𝑦𝑦1 = 𝑚𝑚(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑥𝑥1 )
𝑔𝑔2 = 𝑐𝑐
Find the equation of a tangent to the circle 𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦 2 − 4𝑥𝑥 + 6𝑦𝑦 − 12 = 0 at the point (5, −7) on the circle.
