Chapter 1: Problem 9
Find the distance between \((-2,3)\) and the midpoint of the segment joining \((-2,-2)\) and \((4,3)\).
Short Answer
Expert verified
The distance is \(\frac{\sqrt{61}}{2}\).
Step by step solution
01
Find the Midpoint
To find the midpoint of the segment joining \((-2, -2)\) and \((4, 3)\), use the midpoint formula: \(\left(\frac{x_1 + x_2}{2}, \frac{y_1 + y_2}{2}\right)\). Substitute \(x_1 = -2\), \(y_1 = -2\), \(x_2 = 4\), \(y_2 = 3\). This results in: \(\left(\frac{-2 + 4}{2}, \frac{-2 + 3}{2}\right) = \left(1, \frac{1}{2}\right)\). The midpoint is \((1, \frac{1}{2})\).
02
Apply the Distance Formula
Now, find the distance between \((-2, 3)\) and the midpoint \((1, \frac{1}{2})\) using the distance formula: \(d = \sqrt{(x_2 - x_1)^2 + (y_2 - y_1)^2}\). Here, \(x_1 = -2\), \(y_1 = 3\), \(x_2 = 1\), \(y_2 = \frac{1}{2}\).
03
Substitute into the Distance Formula
Substitute the values into the distance formula: \(d = \sqrt{(1 - (-2))^2 + \left(\frac{1}{2} - 3\right)^2}\). Simplify: \(d = \sqrt{(1 + 2)^2 + \left(-\frac{5}{2}\right)^2}\). This becomes \(d = \sqrt{3^2 + \left(-\frac{5}{2}\right)^2}\).
04
Calculate the Terms
Calculate the squares: \(3^2 = 9\) and \(\left(-\frac{5}{2}\right)^2 = \frac{25}{4}\). Combine them: \(d = \sqrt{9 + \frac{25}{4}}\).
05
Combine and Simplify
To combine the terms with a common denominator: \(9 = \frac{36}{4}\). So, \(d = \sqrt{\frac{36}{4} + \frac{25}{4}} = \sqrt{\frac{61}{4}}\).
06
Final Simplification
Simplify by taking the square root: \(d = \sqrt{\frac{61}{4}} = \frac{\sqrt{61}}{2}\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Midpoint Formula
To understand the midpoint formula, imagine you have a straight line connecting two points on a coordinate plane. The midpoint is exactly halfway between these two points. It’s like finding the center point of a segment. The formula is \[\left( \frac{x_1 + x_2}{2}, \frac{y_1 + y_2}{2} \right)\]In simpler terms:
- Add the x-coordinates of the two points together and then divide by 2 to find the x-value of the midpoint.
- Add the y-coordinates of the two points together and divide by 2 to find the y-value of the midpoint.
Coordinate Geometry
Coordinate geometry, often called analytic geometry, is the study of geometry using a coordinate system. It is a powerful mathematical tool for describing and analyzing geometric shapes in a plane. Here are some essential ideas:
- Points are represented as coordinates \((x, y)\) on a plane.
- Lines can be described using algebraic equations.
- Shapes and curves can be analyzed using equations and distances between points.
Euclidean Distance
Euclidean distance is the "straight-line" distance between two points in Euclidean space, which is the basic two-dimensional plane used in geometry. When we say "distance," this is typically what we mean. It is calculated using the formula:\[d = \sqrt{(x_2 - x_1)^2 + (y_2 - y_1)^2}\]In simple words:
- Subtract the x-coordinates and square the result.
- Repeat for the y-coordinates.
- Add these squares together.
- Take the square root of the sum to find the Euclidean distance.