Q.Find the lengths of the medians of the triangle with vertices A(0,0,6), B(0,4,0) and (6,0,0).
Concept understanding — Coordinate Geometry
Coordinate Geometry: Where Algebra Meets Geometry
Imagine you're telling a friend where you left your book in a library. You don't say "near the window" — you say "third shelf, second row, fourth book from the left." You're using numbers to pin down an exact location.
Coordinate geometry does the same thing, but for points on a flat surface. It gives every point a precise address — a pair of numbers — so we can describe shapes, distances, and positions using algebra.
The Big Idea
Before coordinate geometry, geometry was about drawing shapes and proving things with logic alone. Algebra was about numbers and equations. These two worlds seemed separate.
Then René Descartes (a French mathematician) had a simple but revolutionary idea: draw two perpendicular number lines that cross at zero. Now every point on the plane has a unique pair of numbers — its coordinates.
That's it. That's the entire foundation.
The Coordinate System
Take a horizontal line — call it the x-axis. Take a vertical line — call it the y-axis. They cross at a point called the origin, labelled O.
Any point P is located by two numbers:
- Its x-coordinate: how far right (positive) or left (negative) from the origin
- Its y-coordinate: how far up (positive) or down (negative) from the origin
We write this as an ordered pair: (x,y).
The order matters. (3,5) is not the same point as (5,3). The first number is always the horizontal position; the second is always the vertical.
A Concrete Example
Plot the point A(2,3):
- Start at the origin (0,0).
- Move 2 units to the right along the x-axis.
- From there, move 3 units up (parallel to the y-axis).
- Mark the point.
Now plot B(−1,4):
- Start at the origin.
- Move 1 unit left (negative x-direction).
- Move 4 units up.
- Mark the point.
Every point on the plane has exactly one such address. And every pair of numbers corresponds to exactly one point. This one-to-one matching is what makes coordinate geometry powerful.
The Four Quadrants
The axes divide the plane into four regions, called quadrants:
| Quadrant | x-sign | y-sign | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | + | + | (2,3) |
| II | − | + | (−1,4) |
| III | − | − | (−3,−2) |
| IV | + | − | (5,−1) |
Points on the axes themselves (where either coordinate is zero) don't belong to any quadrant.
Why This Matters
Once every point has a number address, we can:
- Calculate distances between points using the Pythagorean theorem
- Find midpoints by averaging coordinates
- Describe lines with equations like y=mx+c
- Solve geometric problems using algebra instead of drawing
The distance between two points (x1,y1) and (x2,y2) is:
d=(x2−x1)2+(y2−y1)2
This is just the Pythagorean theorem in disguise.
The Precise Statement
Coordinate geometry (also called analytic geometry) is the study of geometry using a coordinate system. It establishes a correspondence between:
- Points on a plane and ordered pairs of real numbers
- Geometric figures (lines, circles, curves) and algebraic equations
This correspondence lets us translate geometric problems into algebraic ones, solve them with equations, and translate the answers back into geometric meaning.
A Simple Application
Find the distance between P(1,2) and Q(4,6).
Using the formula:
d=(4−1)2+(6−2)2=32+42=9+16=25=5
The distance is 5 units. You could verify this by plotting the points and drawing a right triangle — the horizontal leg is 3, the vertical leg is 4, and the hypotenuse is 5. The formula just automates that reasoning.
What Comes Next
Once you're comfortable with coordinates, you'll learn to:
- Write equations of lines (y=mx+c)
- Find slopes and intercepts
- Work with circles (x2+y2=r2)
- Solve problems involving midpoints, section formulas, and areas of triangles
But it all rests on this one idea: every point has a number address, and every number address points to exactly one location. That bridge between numbers and space is the heart of coordinate geometry.
Coordinate Geometry is one of the largest, most consistently weighted units across the NCERT Class 9 to 11 Mathematics curriculum, and it's exactly the topic behind searches like "coordinate geometry: definition, formula and examples" or "coordinate geometry important questions class 10". Mastering this foundational bridge between algebra and geometry pays off across CBSE boards, JEE Main, and virtually every state CET exam's geometry section.
Concept: Median length in 3D via the midpoint and distance formulas.
Vertices: A(0,0,6), B(0,4,0), C(6,0,0).
Midpoints of the sides:
MBC=(3,2,0),MAC=(3,0,3),MAB=(0,2,3).
Median lengths (vertex to opposite midpoint):
AMBC=9+4+36=49=7,
BMAC=9+16+9=34,
CMAB=36+4+9=49=7.
The lengths of the medians are 7, 34 and 7.
A median runs from a vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side. Using the 3D midpoint and distance formulas, the three medians have lengths 7, 34 and 7.
Why this works
A median joins a vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side. So for each median we do exactly two things: find the midpoint of the opposite side, then measure the distance from the vertex to that midpoint. The vertices lie in 3D space, but the method is identical to the 2D case — every point simply carries a third coordinate.
Midpoint of (x1,y1,z1) and (x2,y2,z2): (2x1+x2, 2y1+y2, 2z1+z2).
Distance between them: (x2−x1)2+(y2−y1)2+(z2−z1)2.
Step-by-step solution
The vertices are A(0,0,6), B(0,4,0) and C(6,0,0).
Median from A to side BC. Midpoint of BC:
MBC=(20+6, 24+0, 20+0)=(3,2,0).
AMBC=(3−0)2+(2−0)2+(0−6)2=9+4+36=49=7.
Median from B to side AC. Midpoint of AC:
MAC=(20+6, 20+0, 26+0)=(3,0,3).
BMAC=(3−0)2+(0−4)2+(3−0)2=9+16+9=34.
Median from C to side AB. Midpoint of AB:
MAB=(20+0, 20+4, 26+0)=(0,2,3).
CMAB=(0−6)2+(2−0)2+(3−0)2=36+4+9=49=7.
Two medians came out equal (7 each) — a hint that the triangle is isosceles.
The lengths of the medians are 7, 34 and 7.
Showing the 12 most recent of 22 on this concept.
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04174 marksMCQQ.Let O be the origin and P be a point on a line such that OP is perpendicular to that line. If OP makes an obtuse angle α with the x-axis, OP=5 and sinα=53 , then the equation of the line is (A) 3x−4y−25=0 (B) 4x+3y+25=0 (C) 3x−4y+25=0 (D) 4x−3y−25=0 (E) 4x−3y+25=0
›Reveal solutionSolution
The line is the perpendicular to OP at its foot; use the normal form xcosα+ysinα=p with p=OP=5.
Since OP is perpendicular to the line, OP is the normal from the origin and p=OP=5. The angle is obtuse with sinα=53, so cosα=−1−259=−54.
The normal form of the line is xcosα+ysinα=p:
−54x+53y=5.
Multiplying by 5: −4x+3y=25, i.e. 4x−3y+25=0.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (E).
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04174 marksMCQQ.If the foci of the hyperbola a2x2−b2y2=1 coincide with the foci of the ellipse 49x2+36y2=1 , then the value of a2+b2 is equal to (A) 25 (B) 36 (C) 85 (D) 169 (E) 13
›Reveal solutionSolution
The shared focal distance c satisfies c2=13; for the hyperbola a2+b2=c2.
For the ellipse 49x2+36y2=1, c2=49−36=13.
The hyperbola's foci coincide, so its focal parameter is the same: for a2x2−b2y2=1, c2=a2+b2=13.
Therefore a2+b2=13.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (E).
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04174 marksMCQQ.If the distance between the foci of an ellipse is 4 and its eccentricity is 21 , then the length of its latus rectum is (A) 4 (B) 8 (C) 6 (D) 12 (E) 10
›Reveal solutionSolution
From 2c=4 and e=21 get a,b2, then a2b2.
Distance between foci 2c=4⇒c=2. Eccentricity e=ac=21⇒a=4.
b2=a2−c2=16−4=12.
Length of latus rectum =a2b2=42⋅12=6.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (C).
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04184 marksMCQQ.A point C lies on the perpendicular bisector of the straight-line segment joining the points A(−3,−6) and B(13,−6). If the point C lies in the first quadrant and the distance between the point C and the midpoint of AB is 8 units, then the coordinates of C are (A) (5,1) (B) (5,2) (C) (5,3) (D) (5,4) (E) (5,5)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The perpendicular bisector is x=5; the point 8 units from (5,−6) in the first quadrant is (5,2).
A(−3,−6) and B(13,−6) share y=−6, so their midpoint is M=(5,−6) and the perpendicular bisector is the vertical line x=5.
Points on it at distance 8 from M: (5,−6±8)=(5,2) or (5,−14). The first-quadrant point is C=(5,2).
✓Final answerThe correct option is (B).
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04184 marksMCQQ.If the eccentricity and the length of latus rectum of an ellipse are, respectively, 51 and 548, then the length of the major axis of the ellipse is (A) 5 (B) 6 (C) 8 (D) 10 (E) 12
›Reveal solutionSolution
Combine LR =a2b2 with b2=a2(1−e2) to get a=5, so major axis 2a=10.
With e=51, b2=a2(1−e2)=a2(1−251)=2524a2.
Latus rectum =a2b2=a2⋅2524a2=2548a. Setting this equal to 548:
2548a=548⇒a=5.
Major axis =2a=10.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (D).
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04184 marksMCQQ.The latus rectum of the hyperbola 9(3x−7)2−8(4y+3)2=1 is (A) 21 (B) 316 (C) 4 (D) 34 (E) 1
›Reveal solutionSolution
Normalizing to (x−37)2/1−(y+43)2/21=1 gives a2=1, b2=21, so LR =1.
Write 3x−7=3(x−37) and 4y+3=4(y+43):
99(x−37)2−816(y+43)2=1(x−37)2−1/2(y+43)2=1.
So a2=1 and b2=21.
Latus rectum =a2b2=12⋅21=1.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (E).
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04214 marksMCQQ.If the length of the major axis of an ellipse is thrice the length of the minor axis, then its eccentricity is equal to (A) 322 (B) 32 (C) 21 (D) 21 (E) 221
›Reveal solutionSolution
Major axis =3×minor axis means a=3b, giving e=322.
Length of major axis =2a, minor axis =2b. Given 2a=3(2b), so a=3b. Then
e=1−a2b2=1−9b2b2=1−91=98=322.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (A).
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04214 marksMCQQ.If O is the origin and C is the midpoint of A(−2,1) and B(4,−3), then OC is (A) i^+j^ (B) −i^+−j^ (C) 21i^+21j^ (D) i^−j^ (E) −i^+j^
›Reveal solutionSolution
The midpoint of A(−2,1) and B(4,−3) is (1,−1), giving OC=i^−j^.
Midpoint:
C=(2−2+4,21+(−3))=(1,−1).
With O the origin, OC=i^−j^.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (D).
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04224 marksMCQQ.The x-intercept and y-intercept of a line are three times and four times of the x-intercept and y-intercept of the line 3x+2y=6, respectively. Then the equation of the line is (A) 2x−y=12 (B) 2x+y=12 (C) 2x−y=−12 (D) x+2y=12 (E) 2x+2y=12
›Reveal solutionSolution
Get the base line's intercepts, scale them, then form the intercept-form equation.
For 3x+2y=6: x-intercept =2 (set y=0), y-intercept =3 (set x=0).
New x-intercept =3×2=6; new y-intercept =4×3=12.
Intercept form: 6x+12y=1. Multiply by 12: 2x+y=12.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (B).
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04224 marksMCQQ.If the foci and vertices of an ellipse are respectively (±2,0) and (±3,0) then its eccentricity is (A) 32 (B) 35 (C) 32 (D) 21 (E) 21
›Reveal solutionSolution
Read a from the vertices and c from the foci; eccentricity is c/a.
For the ellipse, a=3 (vertices (±3,0)) and c=2 (foci (±2,0)).
Eccentricity e=ac=32.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (A).
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04224 marksMCQQ.The equation of a hyperbola is 9x2−16y2=144. If A and S are, respectively, the focus and the vertex of one section of the hyperbola, then the length of AS is (A) 25 (B) 23 (C) 21 (D) 2 (E) 1
›Reveal solutionSolution
Put the hyperbola in standard form, find a and c, then AS=c−a.
9x2−16y2=144⇒16x2−9y2=1, so a2=16, b2=9.
c2=a2+b2=25⇒c=5; vertex at (4,0), focus at (5,0).
Length AS=5−4=1.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (E).
- KEAM 2025Set eng-2025-04234 marksMCQQ.The length of major axis and minor axis of an ellipse are, respectively, m and n. If m2−n2=45 and the eccentricity of the ellipse is 35, then the length of the major axis is (A) 13 (B) 6 (C) 12 (D) 18 (E) 9
›Reveal solutionSolution
The major axis length is 9.
Concept and Intuition
With major axis m=2a and minor axis n=2b, m2−n2=4(a2−b2)=4a2e2. Use the given eccentricity to solve for a.
Step-by-Step Solution
- m2−n2=4a2−4b2=4(a2−b2)=4a2e2.
- e2=5/9, so 4a2⋅95=45⇒920a2=45⇒a2=20.25, a=4.5.
- Major axis m=2a=9.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing m,n (axis lengths) with a,b (semi-axes).
- Using b2=a2e2 instead of a2−b2=a2e2.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (E) — 9.
ANSWER: E
🎓Unlock everything free for 14 days
- ✓Full step-by-step solutions
- ✓Concept-first explanations
- ✓Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
- ✓PYQ mapping + timed mock tests
Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.