GRADE: 10 MATHEMATICS

CH-15-SECTION AND MIDPOINT FORMULA

∗ Theory

• The Section Formula :-

To find the co - ordinates of a point which divides the line segment joining two given points
in a given ratio.
If a point P lies in a line segment joining the points A and B, then P divides AB in the ratio
AP : PB = m1 : m2
 m x + m2 x1 m1 y2 + m2 y1 
then Co - ordinates P =  1 2 ,  , where A = ( x1 , y1 ) ,
 m1 + m2 m 1 + m2 
B = ( x2 , y2 )

• Type 1 Section formula

1) Calculate the co - ordinates of the point P which divides the line segment joining :
A (-4, 6) and B (3, -5) in the ration 3 : 2.

2) The line joining the points A (-3, -10) and B (-2, 6) is divided by the point P such that
PB 1
= . Find the co - ordinates of P.
AB 5

3) Points A, B, C and D divide the line segment joining the point (5, -10) and the origin in
five equal parts. Find the co - ordinates of B and D.

4) Find the co - ordinates of the points of tri - section of the joining the points (-3, 0) and (6, 6).

5) Show that A (3, -2) is a point of trisection of the line - segment joining the points (2, 1)
and (5, -8).
Also, find the co - ordinates of the other point of trisection.

6) In what ratio does the point (a, 6) divide the join of (-4, 3) and (2, 8)?
Also, find the value of a.

7) In what ratio is the join of (4, 3) and (2, -6) divided by the x - axis? Also, find the
co - ordinates of the point of intersection.

8) In what ratio is the line joining (2, -4) and (-3, 6) divided by the y - axis?

9) Calculate the ratio in which the line joining the points (-3, -1) and (5, 7) is divided by the line
x = 2. Also, find the co - ordinates of the point of intersection.

10) The line segment joining the points M (5, 7) and N (-3, 2) is intersected by the y-axis at point L.
Write down the abscissa of L. Hence, find the ratio in which L divided MN. Also, find the
co - ordinates of L.

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11) A (2, 5), B (-1, 2) and C (5, 8) are the co - ordinates of the vertices of the triangle ABC. Points
P and Q lie on AB and AC respectively, such that : AP : PB = AQ : QC = 1 : 2.
i) Calculate the co - ordinates of P and Q.
1
ii) Show that : PQ = BC.
3

12) The line segment joining A(4, 7) and B(-6, -2) is intercepted by the y - axis at the point K.
Write down the abscissa of the point K. Hence, find the ration in which K divides AB. Also,
find the co - ordinates of the point K.

13) The line joining P(-4, 5) and Q(3, 2) intersects the y - axis at point R. PM and QN
are perpendiculars from P and Q on the x - axis. Find :
i) the ratio PR : RQ.
ii) the co - ordinates of R.
iii) the area of the quadrilateral PMNQ.

14) A(20, 0) and B(10, -20) are two fixed points. Find the co - ordinates of the points P in AB
such that : 3PB = AB Also, find the co - ordinates of some other point Q in AB such that :
AB = 6 AQ.

15) A(-8, 0), B(0, 16) and C(0, 0) are the vertices of a triangle ABC. Point P lies on AB and Q
lies on AC such that AP : PB = 3 : 5 and AQ : QC = 3 : 5.
3
Show that : PQ = BC.
8

Ans.
1 3  11 14 
1)  ,-  2) - ,  3) B = (3, -6) and D = (1, -2)
5 5  5 5 

2
4) (0, 2) and (3, 4) 5) (4, -5) 6) 3 : 2 and a = -
5

 10 
7) 1 : 2 and  , 0  8) 2:3 9) 5 : 3 and (2, 4)
 3 

 31 
10) Abscissa of L = 0; Ratio = 5 : 3; L =  0,  11) i) P = (1, 4), Q = (3, 6)
 8 

 17 
12) Abscissa = 0, Ratio = 2 : 3, K =  0,  13) i) 4:3
 5 
 23 
ii)  0, 
 7 
iii) 24.5 sq. unit
 40 -40   55 -10 
14) P =  , Q= , 
 3 3   3 3 

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• Type 2 a) Mid-point
point formula
b) Centroid formula

∗ ∗
Theory
a) Mid-point formula :-
Let P be the mid - point of the line
segment joining the points A (x1,y1) and
B (x2, y2).
Required to find the co - ordinates of P. Suppose P = (x, y).
 x + x 2 y1 + y 2 
∴ Mid − point of the join A ( x1, y1 ) and B ( x 2 , y 2 ) =  1 , 
 2 2 

b) Centroid of a triangle :-
The centroid of a triangle is the point of intersection of its medians and it (centroid) divides
each median in the ratio 2 : 1.
For the vertices A ( x1 , y1 ) , B ( x 2 , y2 ) and C ( x 3 , y3 ) of triangle ABC, its cen
centroid
 x + x 2 + x 3 y1 + y 2 + y3 
= 1 , 
 3 3 

1) Find the mid - point of the line segment joining the points : (5, -3)
3) and (-1,
( 7)

2) Given M is the mid - point of AB, find the co-ordinates

co ordinates of : B; if A = (3, -1) and M = (-1, 3).

3) Points A and B have co - ordinates (3, 5) and (x, y) respectively. The mid - point of AB is (2, 3).
Find the values of x and y.

4) In the given figure, P (4, 2) is mid - point of line segment AB.

Find the co - ordinates of A and B.

5) A (5, 3), B (-1,

1, 1) and C (7, -3)
3) are the vertices of triangle ABC. If L is the mid - point of AB
1
and M is the mid - point of AC, show that : LM = BC.
2

6) Given a line ABCD is which AB = BC = CD, B = (0, 3) and C = (1, 8).

Find the co - ordinates of A and D.

7) (-5, 2), (3, -6)

6) and (7, 4) are the vertices of a triangle. Find
Find the length of its median through
th
the vertex (3, -6).

8) The points (2, -1), (-1,

1, 4) and (-2,
( 2) are mid - points of the sides of a triangle. Find its vertices.

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9) A (2, 5), B (1, 0), C (-4, 3) and D (-3, 8) are the vertices of quadrilateral ABCD. Find the
co - ordinates of the mid - points of AC and BD. Give a special name to the quadrilateral.

10) P (4, 2) and Q (-1, 5) are the vertices of parallelogram PQRS and (-3, 2) are the co - ordinates
of the point of intersection of its diagonals. Find co - ordinates of R and S.

11) Points P (a, -4), Q (-2, b) and R (0, 2) are collinear. If Q lies between P and R, such that
PR = 2QR, calculate the values of a and b.

12) Calculate the co-ordinates of the centroid of the triangle ABC, if A = (7, -2), B = (0, 1)
and C = (-1, 4).

13) The co - ordinates of the centroid of a triangle PQR are (2, -5). If Q = (-6, 5) and
R = (11, 8); calculate the co-ordinates of vertex P.

Ans.
1) (2, 2) 2) (-5, 7) 3) x = 1 and y = 1

4) A = (8, 0) and B = (0, 4) 6) A = (-1, -2) and D = (2, 13) 7) 85 = 9.22

8) (1, -3), (3, 1) and (-5, 7) 9) (-1, 4) and (-1, 4); parallelogram

10) R = (-10, 2) and S = (-5, -1) 11) a = - 4 and b = -1 12) (2, 1)

13) (1, -28)

∗ Let me try ………..

1) Find the coordinates of the point P which is three - fourth of the way from A(3, 1) to B(-2, 5)

2) P and Q are the points on the line segment joining the points A (3, -1) and B (-6, 5) such that
AP = PQ = QB. Find the coordinates of P and Q.

3) The centre of a circle is (α + 2, α - 5). Find the value of α, given that the circle passes through
the points (2, -2) and (8, -2)

4) Find the ratio in which the point P (-3, p) divides the line segment joining the points (-5, -4)
and (-2, 3). Hence, find the value of p.

5) The point A(2, -3) is reflected in the x-axis onto the point A′. Then the point A′ is reflected in
the line x = 4 onto the point A″.
i) Write the coordinates of A′ and A″.
ii) Find the ratio in which the line segment AA″ is divided by the x - axis. Also find
the coordinates of the point of division.

6) ABCD is a parallelogram whose vertices A and B have coordinates (2, -3) and
(-1, -1) respectively. If the diagonals of the parallelogram meet at the point M(1, -4),
find the coordinates of C and D. Hence, find the perimeter of the parallelogram.
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GRADE: 10 MATHEMATICS

7) If A(5, -1), B(-3, -2)

2) and C(-1,
C( 1, 8) are the vertices of a triangle ABC, find the length
of the median through
rough A and the coordinates of the centroid of triangle ABC.

Ans.
 3 
1) - ,4 2) (0, 1), (-3, 3) 3) 3
 4 

2
4) 2 : 1; 5) i) A′′(2, 3), A″″(6, 3)
3
ii) 1 : 1; (4, 0)

1 5
6) C(0, -5), D(3, -7); 2 ( 13 + 17 ) 7) 65 units;  , 
3 3

∗ Multiple Choice Questions ………..

1) The points A(9,

9, 0), B (9, 6), C(-9,
C( 6) and D(-9, 0) are the vertices of a
a) rectangle b) square c) rhombus d) trapezium

a 
2) If P  , 4  is the mid-point
point of the line segment joining the points Q (-6,
( 6, 5) and R (-2,
( 3),
3 
then the value of a is
a) - 4 b) - 6 c) 12 d) - 12

3) If the end points of a diameter of a circle are A (-2,

( 3) and B (4, -5), then the coordinates
of its centre are
a) (2, -2) b) (1, -1) c) (-1, 1) d) (-2, 2)

4) If one end of a diameter of a circle is (2, 3) and the centre is (-2,

2, 5), then the other end is
a) (-6, 7) b) (6, -7) c) (0, 8) d) (0, 4)

5) If the mid-point
point of the line segment joining the points P (a, b – 2) and Q(-2,
Q( 4) is R (2, -3),
then the values of a and b are
a) a = 4, b = -5 b) a = 6, b = 8 c) a = 6, b = -8 d) a = -6, b = 8

6) The point which lies on the perpendicular bisector of the line segment joining the
points A (-2, -5)
5) and B (2, 5) is
a) (0, 0) b) (0, 2) c) (2, 0) d) (-2, 0)

7) The coordinates of the point which is equidistant

equid from the
three vertices of ∆AOB (shown in the adjoining figure) are
a) (x, y) b) (y, x)
x y y x
c)  ,  d)  , 
2 2 2 2
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8) The fourth vertex D of a parallelogram ABCD whose three vertices are A(-2,
A( 3),
B(6, 7) and C(8, 3) is
a) (0, 1) b) (0, -1) c) (-1, 0) d) (1, 0)

9) The point which divides the line segment joining the points (7, -6)
6) and (3, 4) in
the ratio 1 : 2 internally lies in the
a) Ist quadrant b) IInd quadrant c) IIIrd quadrant d) IVth quadrant

10) The centroid of the triangle whose vertices are (3, -7), (-8,
8, 6) and (5, 10) is
a) (0, 9) b) (0, 3) c) (1, 3) d) (3, 3)

11) A(1, 4), B(4, 1) and C(x, 4) are the vertices of ∆ABC. If the centroid of the triangle is
G(4, 3), then x is equal to
a) 2 b) 1 c) 7 d) 4

12) Assertion (A) : A circle has its centre at the origin and a point P(5, 0) lies on it. The point Q(6, 8)
lies in the circle.
Reason (R) : If point (x, y) divides the line segment joining the points (x1, y1), (x2, y2) in the ratio
kx + x1 ky + y
k : 1 externally, then : x = 2 and y = 2 1 .
k +1 k +1
a) A is true, R is false b) A is false, R is true
c) both A and R are true d) both A and R are false

13) The distance between the points (a cos θ + b sin θ, 0) and (0, a sin θ – b cos θ) is
a) a2 + b2 b) a2 – b2 c) a 2 + b2 d) a 2 − b2

3) and Q(3, y) are the points of trisection of the line segment joining A(7, –2)
14) In figure, P(5, –3)
and B(1, –5),
5), then y equals :

5
a) 2 b) 4 c) –4 d) −
7

15) The centroid divides each median in the ratio

a) 1 : 1 b) 2 : 1 c) 1 : 2 d) 3:1

Ans.
1) a 2) d 3) b 4) a 5) c 6) a

7) a 8) b 9) d 10) b 11) c 12) d

13) c 14) c 15) b

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∗ Higher Order Thinking Sums (HOTS) ………..

1) The base BC of an equilateral triangle ABC lies on y-axis.

y axis. The coordinates of the point
C are (0, -3).
3). If origin is the mid-point
mid point of the base BC, find the coordinates of the
points A and B.

2) Find the coordinates of the point P which is three-fourth

three fourth of the way from A (3, 1) to B (-2,
( 5).

3) Determine the ratio in which the line 2x + y – 4 = 0 divide the line segment joining the
points A (2, -2)
2) and B (3, 7). Also find the coordinates of the point of
of division.

4) Given O (0, 0), P (1, 2) , S(-3,

S( 0). P divides OQ
in the ratio 2 : 3 and OPRS is a parallelogram.
Find:
i) the coordinates of Q.
ii) the coordinates of R.
iii) the ratio in which RQ is divided by the y-axis.
y

Ans.
 3   24 4 
1) ( )
A ± 3 3,0 , B ( 0, 3 ) 2) - ,4
 4 
3) 2 : 9;  , - 
 11 11 

5 
4) i)  ,5 ii) 2, 2)
(-2, iii) 4:5
2 

∗ I am ready for this………..

………..
1) i) Write down the co - ordinates of the point P that divides the line joining A (-4,
( 1) and
B(17, 10) in the ratio 1 : 2.
ii) Calculate the distance OP, where O is the origin.
iii) In what ratio does the y-axis
y divide the line AB? [1995]

2) The midpoint of the line segment AB shown in the diagram

di is
(4, -3). Write down the co--ordinates of A and B.

3) The centre O, of a circle has the co-ordinates

co ordinates (4, 5) and one point on the circumference is
(8, 10). Find the co-ordinates
ordinates of the other end of the diameter of the circle through this point.[1998]
point.

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4) In figure given above, line APB meets the X axis at

A, Y axis at B. P is the point (-4,
( 2) and
AP : PB = 1 : 2. Write down the co-ordinates
co of A and B. [1999]

5) Calculate the ratio in which the line joining A(6, 5) and B(4, -3)
3) is divided by the line y = 2.[2000]
2.

6) The line joining P(-4,

4, 5) and Q(3, 2), intersects the y axis at R.
PM and QN are perpendiculars from P and Q on the X axis. Find:
i) the ratio PR : RQ.
ii) the co-ordinates
ordinates of R.
iii) the area of the quadrilateral PMNQ. [2004]

7) The line segment joining A (2, 3) and B (6, -5)

5) is intercepted by the X axis at the point K.
Write the ordinate of the point K. Hence, find the ratio in which K divides AB.
A [2006]

8) Find the co-ordinates

ordinates of the centroid of a triangle whose vertices are:
A (-1, 3), B (1, -1) and C (5, 1) [2006]

9) The midpoint of the line segment joining (2a, 4) and (-2,

( 2, 2b) is (1, 2a + 1). Find the
values of a and b. [2007]

10) If the line joining the points A (4, -5) and B (4, 5) is divided by the point P such that
AP 2
= , find the co-ordinates
ordinates of P. [2007]
AB 5

- In what ratio is the line joining AB, divided by the x - axis? [2008]
11) If A = (-4, 3) and B = (8, -6).

12) ABC is a triangle and G(4, 3) is the centroid of the triangle. If A = (1, 3), B = (4, b)
b and
C = (a, 1). find ‘a’ and ‘b’. find the length of side BC. [2011]

13) Given a line segment AB joining the points A (-4,( 6) and B (8, -3).
3). Find:
i) the ratio in which AB is divided by the y - axis.
ii) find the co-ordinates
ordinates of the point of intersection. [2012]

14) AB is a diameter of a circle with centre C = (-2,

( 5). If A = (3, -7),
7), find the coordinates of B.[2013]
B.

15) In the given figure, the line segment AB meets X - axis at

A and Y-axis
axis at B. The point P(-3, 4) on AB divides it in
the ratio 2 : 3. Find the co--ordinates of A and B. [2013]

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16) Calculate the ratio in which the line joining A(-4,

A( 4, 2) and B(3, 6) is divided by point P(x, 3).
Also find x. [2012]

17) M and N are two points on the X axis and Y axis respectively. P(3, 2) divides the line
segment MN in the ratio 2 : 3.
Find:
i) the coordinates of M and N
ii) slope of the line MN [2019]

18) In what ratio is the line joining P(5, 3) and Q(–5,

Q( 3) divided by the y-axis?
axis? Also find
the coordinates of the point of intersection. [2020]

19) If the vertices of a triangle are (1, 3), (2, –4) and (–3, 1). Then the co-ordinate
ordinate of its [2022]
centroid is
a) (0, 0) b) (0, 1) c) (1, 0) d) (1, 1)

20) Find the ratio in which the x-axis

x axis divides internally the line joining points A (6, –4) [2022]
and B (–3, 8).

21) The coordinates of the vertices of ∆ABC are respectively (– 4, – 2), (6, 2) and (4, 6) . [2023]
The centroid G of ∆ABC
ABC is
a) (2, 2) b) (2, 3) c) (3, 3) d) (0, – 1)

22) A and B are two points on the x-axis

x and y-axis respectively. [2023]

a) Write down the coordinates of A and B.

b) P is a point on AB such that AP : PB = 3 : 1. Using section formula find the
coordinates of point P.
c) Find the equation of a line passing through P and perpendicular to AB.

Ans.

1) i) (3, 4) 2) A(8, 0), B(0, -6) 3) (0, 0)

ii) 5 units
iii) 4 : 17

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4) A(-6, 0), B(0, 6) 5) 3:5 6) i) 4:3

 23 
ii)  0, 
 7 
iii) 24.5 cm2

5 
7) 0, 3 : 5 8)  ,1  9) a = 2, b = 3
3 

10) (4, -1) 11) 1 : 2 12) a = 7, b = 5; 5 units

13) i) 1:2 14) (-7, 17) 15) A(-5, 0); B(0, 10)
ii) (0, 3)

-9
16) 1 : 3; 17) i) M(5, 0); N(0, 5) 18) 1 : 1 ; (0, 3)
4
ii) -1

19) a 20) 1 : 2 21) a

22) a) Co-ordinates of A = (4, 0), Co-ordinates of B = (0, 4).

b) Co-ordinates of P is (1, 3).

c) y=x+2

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