Straight Line

01 Slope of a Straight Line

If the line makes an angle θ with positive direction of x-axis, then tan θ is called slope of the line and is denoted by m.

02 Various forms of Line 03 Angle Between Two Lines 04 Family of Lines

Let the slope of the lines a1x + b1 y + c1 = 0 and
01 Slope intercept form: The line with slope a 2 x + b 2 y + c 2 = 0 are respectively m1 and m2 and If the
m and y intercept c is y=mx+c angle between these lines be θ, then Family of lines which are parallel
02 Slope point form : The line with slope m
to the line ax + by + c = 0
m1 − m 2 a b −a b is ax + by + λ = 0 where λ ∈ R
and passing through the point (x1 , y1) is tanθ = = 1 2 2 1
y-y1=m(x-x1).
1 + m1m 2 a1a 2 + b1b 2

03 Two point form : The line passing through (a) Condition for the lines to be parallel is
the point (x1, y1) and (x2 , y2 ) is a1 b1 Family of lines which is
m1 = m 2 or = perpendicular to the line
y 2 − y1 a 2 b2
y − y1 = ( x − x1 ) ax + by + c = 0 is bx − ay + λ = 0
x 2 − x1 (b) Condition for the lines to be coincidential is
where λ ∈ R
a1 b1 c1
04 Intercept form : = =
a 2 b2 c2
x y Family of lines passing through the
+ =1 (c) Condition for the lines to be perpendicular is intersection point of
a b
m1m 2 = −1 L1 = a1x + b1 y + c1 = 0
Here, a and b are x intercept and y intercept and L 2 = a 2 x + b 2 y + c 2 = 0 is
respectively which may be positive or negative a1a 2 + b1b 2 = 0
L1 + λL 2 = 0 where, λ ∈ R

05 Normal form : The line whose normal

makes an angle α with positive x axis and

05 Distance between a Point and a line

has length =p is

x cos α + γ sin α = p.
Let ( x1 , y1 ) be the given point and ax + by + c = 0 be the given line then distance between them, is
06 6. Distance or parametric form :
x − x1 y − y1 ax1 + by1 + c
= =r p=
cosθ sinθ a 2 + b2
07 General form of line : The equation
ax + by + c = 0 where a and b are not
simultaneously zero is called general
form of line.
06 Distance between Two Parallel Lines
Note Let the equation of two parallel lines be ax + by + c = 0 and ax + by + c′ = 0,
c
(a) x- intercept made by ax + by + c = 0 is − . c − c'
a then distance between them is given by P =
c
(b) y- intercept made by ax + by + c = 0 is − . a 2 + b2
b Note
 a 
(c) Slope of the line ax + by + c = 0 is  −  . 01 If the foot of perpendicular drawn from point ( x , y ) to the line ax + by + c = 0 be (h,k), then,
1 1
 b h − x1 k − y1
(d) Area of triangle which the line ax+by+c=0  ax + by + c 
= = −  1 2 12 
makes with coordinate axes 2
a b  a +b 
c
= . α − x1 β − y1  ax + by + c 
2ab 02 If the image of point ( x , y )in the line mirror ax + by + c = 0 be ( α,β ) , then
1 1
a
=
b
= −2  1 2 12 
 a +b 

07 Concurrent Lines 08 Comparison of Two Points with Respect to a Line

Three or more lines are said to be concurrent if
they have only one point in common Let the
three concurrent lines are a r x + b r y + c r = 0
Let the given line be
where r = 1, 2,3, then 1. If L ( x1 , y1 ) .L ( x 2 , y 2 ) > 0
L ( x, y ) = ax + by + c = 0 2. If L ( x1 , y1 ) .L ( x 2 , y 2 ) < 0
a1 b1 c1 and the points are P ( x1 , y1 ) and points P and Q lies on the points P and Q lies on the
same side of line L=0 opposite side of line L=0
∆ = a 2 b2 c2 = 0 Q ( x 2 , y2 ) , then

a 3 b 3 c3
Note
If lines are concurrent ∆ must be zero but
∆ = 0 not necessarily imply the lines are
concurrent.
 09 Angle Bisectors of Angle Between Two Lines
The equations of angle bisectors of the angle between the lines a1x + b1 y + c1 = 0 and a 2 x + b 2 y + c 2 = 0
is given by

a1x + b1 y + c1 a 2 x + b2 y + c2
=±
2 2
a +b
1 1 a 22 + b 22

Note
In the above equation if c1 and c2 are of same sign, then taking the sign same as the sign of a1a 2 + b1b 2 we always get angle
bisector of the given lines. Also by taking + in above formula we get the bisector of that angle region which contains origin.

1. Equation of straight line passing through given point ( x1 , y1 ) and making a given angle α with the given line
m − tanα m + tanα
y = mx + c, are y − y1 = ( x − x1 ) or y − y1 = ( x − x1 )
1 + m tanα 1 − m tanα
2. The image of the line ax + by + c = 0 in the line x = λ is a ( 2λ − x ) + by + c = 0
3. The image of the line ax + by + c = 0 in the line y = λ is ax + b ( 2λ − y ) + c = 0

10 Non-homogeneous equation of degree 2

2 2
The equation ax + 2hxy + by + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0 ... (i) is called non-homogeneous equation of degree 2.
a hg
Let, ∆ = h b f
gf c
1. Equation (I) represents a pair of straight lines if ∆ = 0, h 2 ≥ ab, g 2 ≥ ac and f 2 ≥ bc.

2. If lines given by (I) have from y = m1x + c1 and y = m 2 x + c2 , then m1 + m 2 = −

2h a
, m1m 2 = , m1 − m 2 =
2 h 2 − ab
b b a+b
2 h 2 − ab
3. If angle between the lines given by (I) be θ, then tanθ = a+b
2
Condition for line pair (I) to represents a pair of parallel lines is h = ab
Condition for line pair (I) to represents a pair of perpendicular lines is a + b = 0
g 2 − ac f 2 − bc
4. If the line pair given by (I) be the pair of parallel lines, then distance between them is = 2 or 2
a (a + b) b (a + c)
5. Condition for the line pair (I) to represent coincidental lines is h 2 = ab and g 2 = ac and f 2 = bc
6. Point of intersection of the lines given by (I) is  hf − bg2 , hg − af2  = ( α,β )
 ab − h ab − h 
( x − α) − ( y − β) ( x − a )( y − β )
2 2

7. Equation of angle bisector of the angle between line pair (I) is =

a−b h

Note
2 2
In homogeneous case, ax + 2hxy + by = 0 replace g, f , c by 0.

11 Points to Remember

01 Equation of lines perpendicular to the lines ax 2 + 2hxy + by 2 = 0 is given by bx 2 − 2hxy + ay 2 = 0

02 2 2 2
Two pair of straight lines viz. a1x + 2h1xy + b1 y = 0 and a 2 x + 2h 2 xy + b 2 y = 0 have
2

2
a1 b1 a1 h1 h1 b1
(a) a line in common if =4
a 2 b2 a 2 h 2 h 2 b2

a1 h1 b1
(b) both lines in common if = = .
a 2 h 2 b2

03 Equation of line pair joining the point of intersection of curve ax 2 + 2hxy + by 2 + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0 and line lx + my = 1 with origin is given by
ax 2 + 2hxy + by 2 + ( 2gx + 2fy )( lx + my ) + c ( lx + my ) = 0
2