The Distance and
Midpoint Formula
What is the
distance between
the(-2,6)
2 points?
(5,3)
How could
you find
the
distance?
The Distance Formula
The distance
between any two
points with
coordinates (x1,y1)
an (x2,y2) is given
by the following
formula:
2 2
d ( x2 x1 ) ( y2 y1 )
Example 1
Find the distance between the points
with coordinates (3,5) and (6,4).
2 2
d ( x2 x1 ) ( y2 y1 )
2
d (6 3) (4 5) 2 d 10
2 2
3.16
d (3) ( 1) units
d 9 1
Example 2
Determine if A(-
triangle ABC with 3,4)
B(5,2)
vertices
A(-3,4), B(5,2) and
C(-1,-5) is an
isosceles triangle.
(Hint: An isosceles
triangle must have
at least 2 sides of C(-1,-5)
equal length.)
2 2
2
AB (5 3) (2 4) 2 BC ( 1 5) ( 5 2)
2
(8) ( 2) 2 ( 6) 2 ( 7) 2
= 64+4 68 = 36+49 85
2 2 A(-
AC ( 1 3) ( 5 4) 3,4)
2 2
B(5,2)
(2) ( 9)
= 4+81 85
BC and AC have the
same length so triangle
ABC is Isosceles. C(-1,-5)
What is the midpoint of
the line?
(-2,6)
(5,3)
How
could
you find
the
midpoin
t?
The Midpoint Formula
The coordinates of the
midpoint of a line
segment whose
endpoints are (x1, y1)
and (x2, y2) are given
by the following
formula:
x1 x2 y1 y2
( x, y ) ,
2 2
Example 1
Find the midpoint between the
points with coordinates (6,2) and (-
3,-4).
6 3 2 4
( x, y ) ,
2 2
3 2
( x, y ) ,
(1.5, 1)
2 2
( x, y ) (1.5, 1)
Example 2
If the coordinate (2, -3) is the
midpoint of line AB and the
endpoint A is (5, 4), what is the
x1 missing
x2 coordinate
y
y1 yB?
2
x
2 2
5 x 4 y
2 3 (-1, -10)
2 2
4 5 x 6 4 y
1 x 10 y
Example 3
Find the equation of a line that is
perpendicular to the midpoint of a
line that contains the endpoints
(4, 6) and (-2, 4).
Slope of Line: Midpoint:
6 4 2 1 ( x, y ) 4 2 , 6 4 (1,5)
m
42 6 3 2 2
Slope of Line: Equation of Line:
m 3 y 5 3( x 1)
