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Understanding Locus in Geometry

The document discusses the concept of locus in geometry. A locus is defined as a set of all points whose location satisfies one or more specific conditions. Common examples of loci include the locus of a circle, which is the set of all points equidistant from the circle's center, and the locus of points, which can define shapes like circles, ellipses, parabolas and hyperbolas. The document also outlines six theorems related to finding loci under different conditions, such as points a fixed distance from another point or line.

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Saanvi gautam
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155 views5 pages

Understanding Locus in Geometry

The document discusses the concept of locus in geometry. A locus is defined as a set of all points whose location satisfies one or more specific conditions. Common examples of loci include the locus of a circle, which is the set of all points equidistant from the circle's center, and the locus of points, which can define shapes like circles, ellipses, parabolas and hyperbolas. The document also outlines six theorems related to finding loci under different conditions, such as points a fixed distance from another point or line.

Uploaded by

Saanvi gautam
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Locus

1. Introduction:
o In Mathematics, locus means a curve shape formed by all the points satisfying a specific equation of
the relation between the coordinates, or by a point, line, or moving surface. Every shape such as
circle, ellipse, parabola, hyperbola, etc. is represented by the locus as a collection of points.

o In real-life you must have heard about the word ‘location’. The word location is derived from the
word locus itself. Locus defines the position of something. When an object is situated somewhere,
or something happened at a place, is described by locus.

2. Locus: {Core content}


In geometry, a locus is a set of all points, whose location satisfies or is determined by one or more specific
conditions.

Locus of a Circle
The locus of a circle is the collection of all points which form geometrical shapes such as line, a line
segment, circle, a curve, etc., and whose location agrees the condition is the locus. Generally, we can say
that instead of examining them as a collection of points, they can be seen as places where the points can
situate or move.

In terms of the locus of point or loci, the locus of a circle is represented as the collection of all points which
are equally distant from a fixed point.,where the fixed point is the center of the circle and the distance of
the collection of points is from the center is the radius of the circle.

Locus of Points
In two-dimensional geometry, the locus of points is a curve or a line. A shape is defined in geometry
by the locus of points. A circle is the locus of all points equidistant from a fixed point known as its
centre. The locus of the points also defines other shapes like an ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola.

Example: The locus of a point whose sum of distances from the two fixed points is constant will be an
ellipse.
The locus of all points whose distance is constant from a fixed point will be a circle. Similarly, the
locus of all points that are equidistant from a line segment is basically the perpendicular bisector of
that line segment.

3. Locus in Two-Dimensional Geometry


Perpendicular Bisector
The collection of points which bisect the line, molded by joining two points and equally distant from two
points is called perpendicular bisector.

Angle Bisector
A locus of collection of points that bisect an angle and are equally distant from two intersecting lines,
which forms an angle is known as an angle bisector.

Ellipse
The ellipse is defined as a collection of points that fulfill the condition where the sum of the distances of
two focal points is fixed.

Parabola
It is the group of points that are equally distant from a fixed point and a line is identified as a parabola. The
fixed point depicts the locus and the line is interpreted as the directrix of the parabola .
Hyperbola
A hyperbola possesses two distinct focal points which are uniformly distant from the center of the semi-
major axis. Hyperbola is defined as the set of points, which satisfies the condition where the absolute value
of the difference between the lengths to two given foci is a constant

4. The Six Theorems

Locus Theorem 1

The locus from the point “p” at the fixed distance “d” is considered as a circle with “p” as its center and “d”
as its diameter.

With this theorem, we can determine the region formed by all the points which are located at the same
distance from a single point

Locus Theorem 2

The locus from the line “m” at a fixed distance “d” is said to be a pair of parallel lines that are located on
either side of “m” from the line “m” at a distance “d”.

We can find the region formed by all the points which are located at the same distance from the single line
with the help of this theorem. 
Locus Theorem 3

The locus that is equidistant from the two specified points say A and B, are considered as perpendicular
bisectors of the line segment that joins the two points.

The region formed by all the points which are located at the same distance from point A and as from point
B can be determined with the help of this theorem. The region formed have to be the perpendicular
bisector of the line segment AB.

Locus Theorem 4

The locus that is equidistant from the two parallel lines say m1 and m2, is said to be a line parallel to both
the lines m1 and m2 and it must be halfway between them.

This theorem helps to find out the region formed by all the points which are at the same distance from the
two parallel lines.

Locus Theorem 5

The locus that is present on the interior of an angle and is equidistant from the sides of an angle is
considered to be the bisector of the angle.

The region formed by all the points which are at the same distance from both sides of an angle can be
determined with the help of this theorem. The region should be the angle bisector.

Locus Theorem 6

The locus that is equidistant from the two intersecting lines say m1 and m2, is considered to be a pair of
lines that bisects the angle produced by the two lines m1 and m2.

This theorem helps to find the region formed by all the points which are located at the same distance from
the two intersecting lines. The region formed should be a pair of lines that bisect the angle formed.

5. Solved Questions --- Concise mathematics + ML Agarwal + Rachna Sagar

Locus Formula
There is no specific formula to find the locus. To find the locus of points in two-dimensional geometry, 

 Assume any random point P(x,y) on the locus.


 Write an equation depending on the given condition.
 Simplify it to get the equation of the locus.

6. Summary –
Locus is the path traced by a moving point, which moves so as to satisfy the certain given
condition/conditions. Any point equidistant from 2 lines and halfway between them is
parallel to the lines. Lines equidistant from a fixed point form the locus of a circle. Locus of
a point present on the interior of an angle and equidistant from 2 points forms the angle
bisector. Locus that is equidistant from 2 fixed points is the perpendicular bisector of the
line joining the points.

7. Conclusion:
All geometries, including circles, ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas, are defined by the locus as a set of
points. This helped me understand how loci is used in other areas apart from “typical” Mathematical settings.
For example, opening and closing a door, use of sprinklers etc. It further enabled me to visualise how Geometric
shapes, before the twentieth century, were considered as an entity or place where points can be located or can
be moved, however, in modern Maths, the entities are considered as the set of points that satisfies the given
condition.

8. Bibliography

 [Link]
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Common questions

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In geometry, a perpendicular bisector is the locus of points that are equidistant from two given points. It is a line that divides a line segment into two equal parts at 90 degrees to it. An application example is when finding points equidistant from two landmarks to determine a central location, like placing a new facility equally accessible from two cities .

The definition of a parabola as a locus involves points equidistant from a fixed point (focus) and a line (directrix), forming a symmetric curve. In contrast, a hyperbola's locus consists of points where the difference in distances to two fixed points (foci) is constant, resulting in twin divergent curves. These differing conditions result in fundamentally different geometric characteristics and applications .

The concept of locus is applied in real-life situations by identifying optimal points based on distance conditions. For instance, in designing a sprinkler system, the overlap of circular water ranges provides coverage based on loci of equidistant points from set positions, ensuring efficient water distribution. Real-life applications exploit geometrical loci for optimal design involving distance-based criteria .

Geometrical shapes defined by loci include circles, ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas. The definition of locus as a set of points satisfying specific conditions helps understand these shapes by providing a mathematical basis for their formation, allowing for the exploration of properties and the implementation of precise constructions based on equitable distance conditions .

An angle bisector in the context of locus theorems is significant because it is the locus of points equidistant from the sides of an angle. It facilitates solving geometrical problems by providing a clear condition to identify or create such lines, offering precise solutions for constructions or identifying regions that fulfill specific geometric conditions .

Focal points are crucial in defining the loci of conic sections. For ellipses, the locus is the set of points where the sum of distances to two foci is constant, resulting in an elliptical shape. Hyperbolas, contrastingly, are defined by loci where the difference of distances to two foci is constant. This condition creates two separate curves. Foci thus determine the precise shape geometry and properties of these conic sections .

Understanding the locus of points aids in constructing geometrical figures by allowing the application of geometric properties to real-world conditions. This understanding provides solutions for problems involving paths, equidistant locations, and optimal positioning. For example, designing an efficient network of roads or pipeline systems benefits from locus-based insights on equidistance or symmetry, translating theoretical principles into practical applications .

The concept of locus in geometry refers to the set of all points satisfying certain conditions or equations, which defines geometrical shapes. Common examples include: a circle defined as the set of points equidistant from a fixed point; an ellipse where the sum of distances from two fixed points remains constant; a parabola as points equidistant from a fixed point and a line; and a hyperbola defined by a constant absolute difference in distances from two foci .

Locus theorems provide foundational principles for identifying geometric places of points equidistant from specific entities. For example, Locus Theorem 1 defines the region for points equidistant from a point as a circle, while Theorem 2 describes the region for points equidistant from a line as two parallel lines. These theorems synthesize conditions to mathematically determine loci positions in space, directing geometric problem-solving .

Locus theorems can be utilized to determine the bisector of an angle formed by two intersecting lines by considering the set of points equidistant from the lines in the angle. The theorem states that the locus is a pair of lines forming the angle's bisectors. This use of locus provides a systematic approach to angle bisector construction, directly applying geometric principles for precise angle division .

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