Division of a Line (Section Formula)

1. Given 𝐴 = (−1, 3) and 𝐵 = (3, −6), what are the coordinates of 𝑃 = (𝑥, 𝑦) which internally divides line segment
4
̅̅̅̅
𝐴𝐵 in the ratio 1: 2? (−1, − 3)

3
̅̅̅̅.
2. Given points 𝑋 = (3, −5) and 𝑌 = (19, −1), find the coordinates of the point C that is 8 of the way along 𝑋𝑌
(9, −3.5)

3. The point 𝑄 is twice as far from (−2, −8) as it is from (13, 5). If it lies on the segment joining the two, what are
2
the coordinates of 𝑄? (8, 3)

4. Find the coordinates of a point 𝑁 on the segment connecting 𝑀(−3, 4) and 𝑃(7, −11) such that 𝑀𝑁/𝑁𝑃 = 2/3.
(1, −2)

7
5. If 𝐴(−7, −3) and 𝐵(−2, 5), and 𝑋 is between 𝐴 and 𝐵 such that 𝐴𝑋: 𝑋𝐵 = 1: 4, find the coordinates of 𝑋. (−6, − 5)

6. Find "𝑎" if the centroid of the triangle formed by the points (−1, 3), (1, 5) and (6, 𝑎) is (2, 3). 𝑎 = 1

7. In what ratio does 𝑃(−3, 7) divides the line segment joining 𝐴(−5, 11) and 𝐵(4, −7)? 2: 7

8. Let 𝐴(1, −3) and 𝐵(2, 7) are given two points. Suppose that 𝑃 and 𝑄 are two points on 𝐴𝐵 such that
4 1 5 11 3
𝐴𝑃 = 𝑃𝑄 = 𝑄𝐵. Find 𝑃 and 𝑄. Find also the midpoint of 𝑃𝑄. 𝑃 = (3 , 3); 𝑄 = (3 , 3 ); 𝑚𝑃𝑄 = (2 , 2)

9. ** The point (−3, 2) divides the line joining the points (−2, 3) and (𝑥, 𝑦) in the ratio 2: 3.
3 7
Find the values of 𝑥 and 𝑦. (− 2 , 2)

10. 𝑂 is a point on the segment joining 𝑃(−2, 4) and 𝑄(14, 12) such that 3𝑃𝑂 = 𝑂𝑄. Find the coordinates of 𝑂.
(2,6)

11. Points 𝐴(0, 5) and 𝐵(10, 13) are joined to form line segment 𝐴𝐵. If 𝑃(𝑥, 𝑦) divides 𝐴𝐵 in the ratio 3: 1
externally, then what is 𝑥 + 𝑦? 𝑃 = (15, 17) ; 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 32

12. Find the coordinates of the point which divides the line joining the points (1, −3) and (2, 7) externally in the
1
ratio 1: 3. (2 , −8)

13. The line segment from (1, 4) to (2, 1) is extended to a distance equal to twice its length. Find the terminal point.
(4, −5)

14. Solve for 𝑥: 21+2𝑥 − 5(2𝑥 ) = −2.

15. Solve for 𝑥: |3𝑥| > |6 − 3𝑥|