of the graph. The curve drawn through the points (Fig.1.33) is called an ellipse.

FIGURE 1.33
Observe the graphs in Fig. 1.6 and Figs. 1.31 through 1.33 We see that it is relatively
easy to tell from a graph whether a relation is a function by the test : If any vertical line crosses
or touches the graph of a relation in more than one point, then the relation is not a function. For
then we would have two points (x, y) and (x, z) on the graph, with y z. The relations that are
graphed in Figs. 1.6 and 1.33 are not functions, while the relations graphed in Figs. 1.31 and a.32
are readily seen to be functions.
DEFINITION 1.9 * The abscissa of a point where a curve touches or crosses the y axis is called
and x intercept, and the ordinate of a point where a curve touches or crosses the y axis is called a
y intercept.
To find the x intercepts, if any, of the graph of an equation, we set y = 0 and solve the resulting
equation for x. similarly, we set x = 0 and solve for y to find the y interceps. Thus, the x
interceps of the equation
y + x2 2x 3 = 0
are 1 and 3, 1nd the y intercept is 3. The intercepts will be helpful in drawing the graphs of the
equations in the following exercises.
Exercises
1. Does the relation {(1,5), (2,5), (3,5)} form a function ? Why?
2. Does the relation {(1,2), (2,3), (1,1)} form a function ? Why?
Plot a few points and draw the graph of each equation in Exercises 3 through 16. Use a hand
calculator or Table I of the Appendix to find square roots. Decide which represent functions.
3. y = 2x 4. y = 3x

6. 3x 5y = 15 7. y = x
8. y = x2 9. y = x2 4x + 2

12. y = x - 1 13. y = 1/x

2 2
14. x + y = 1 15. Y = -
16. 2.158x 3.804y = 7.116
17. is the relation defined by the following equation a function? That is, is the set of all pairs (x,
y) a function if x and y are related by the equation.

18. If f is a function with all real numbers in its domain, and if f(x) = x2 + 1, what is (-1),
(1+h), (1-h), (0)? Is there an x which (x) = 0 ?
19. Recent research in sociology describes the relationship between the age x one first marries
and the years y of education the person completed, by a model of the form.

Where the parameters a, b, and c are constants to be found empirically.

Graph the particular model (equation).

1.6
THE EQUATION OF A GRAPH
Having obtained graph of equations, we naturally surmise that a graph may have a corresponding
equation. We shall consider the problem of writing the equation of a graph all off whose points
are definitely fixed by given geometric conditions. This problem is the inverse of drawing the
graph of an equation.
DEFINITION 1.10 * An equation in x and y that is satisfied by the coordinates of all points of a
graph and only those points is said to be an equation of the graph.*
The procedure for finding the equation of a graph is straightforward. Each point P(x, y)
of the graph must satisfy the specified conditions. The desired equation can be written by
requiring P to obey the conditions. The following examples illustrate the method.
EXAMPLE 1 * A line passes through the point (- 3,1) with slope 3/2. Find the equation of the
line.
SOLUTION. We first draw the line through ( - 3,1) with the given slope. Then we apply the
formula for the slope of a line through two points (Section 1.2). Thus the slope m through P(x, y)
and ( - 3,1) is

We equate this expression to the given slope. Hence

Or, simplifying,
3x 2y + 11 = 0.
The graph of this equation is the line in Fig. 1.34*
EXAMPLE 2 * Find the equation of the line that passes through the point (5, - 2 ) with slope -
4/3.
SOLUTION. WE NOW HAVE

Hence

Simplifying this equation, we obtain the desired equation

4x + 3y 14 = 0.
The graph of this equation is in Fig. 1.35*
EXAMPLE 3 * Find the equation of the set of all points equally distant from the y axis and (4,0)

SOLUTION. We take a point P(x, y) of the graph (Fig. 1.36). Then, referring to the distance
formula (Section 1.1), we find the distance of P from the y axis to be the abscissa x, and the
distance from the point (4,0) to be
(x 4)2 + y2 .
Equating the two distances, we obtain
(x 4)2 + y2 = x.
By squaring both sides and simplifying, we get
Y2 8x + 16 = 0.
EXAMPLE 4 * Find the equation of the set of all points that are twice as far from (4,4) as from
(1,1).

SOLUTION. We apply the distance formula to find the distance of a point P(x, y) from each of
the given points. Thus we obtain the expressions
( 1)2 + ( 1)2 and ( 4)2 + ( 4)2
Since the second distance is twice the first, we have the equation

Simplifying, we get

Or
x2 + y2 = 8.
The graph of the equation appears in Fig. 1.37*

EXAMPLE 5 * Find the equation of the set of all points P( x, y ) such that the sum of the
distance of P from ( - 5,0) an (5,0) is equal to 14.

SOLUTION. Referring to Fig. 1.38, we get the equation

By transposing the second radical, squaring and simplifying, we obtain the equation

Squaring again and simplifying, we have the equation

24x2 + 49y2 = 1176

As shown in the figure, the x intercepts of the graph of this equation are ( - 7,0 ) and ( 7, 0 ), and
the y intercepts are (0, - 24 ) and (0, 24 ). *
Exercises
In each of Exercises 1 through 10, draw the line that satisfies the given conditions.
Then find the equation of the line.
1. The line passing through (4,2) with slope 1.
2. The line passing through the origin with slope 2.
3. The line passing through ( 1,2) with slope .
4. The line passing through (5,7) with slope 3-2 .
5. The line passing through ( 1.8059, 2.1643) with slope 3.1786 .
6. The horizontal line passing through ( 2, 4)
 7. The vertical line passing through (3 1).
8. The line 2 units above the axis
9. The line passing through (2, 3) with slope 0.
10. The line 4 units to the left of the y axis
In each of Exercises 11 through 26, find the equation of the set of all points P (x, y) that
satisfy the given conditions. From the equation sketch the graph, if the instructor so
requests.
11. P ( x, y ) is equidistant from ( 2, 4 ) and ( 1, 5 )
12. P ( x, y ) is equidistant from ( 3, 0 ) and ( 3, 5 )
13. P ( x, y ) is equidistant from the y axis and (4, 0).
14. P ( x, y ) is equidistant from ( 4,0 ) and the line x = 4.
15. P ( x, y ) is twice as far from (4, 4) as from (1, 1)
16. P ( x, y ) is twice as far from (4, 8) as from (2, 2)
17. P ( x, y ) froms with (0, 3) and (0, 3) the vertices of a right triangle with P the vertex of
the right angle.
18. P ( x, y ) froms with (4, 0) and (4, 0) the vertices of a right triangle with P the vertex of
the right angle.
19. The sum of the distances of P ( x, y ) from ( 4,0) and (4,0) is equel to 12.
20. The sum of the distances of P ( x, y ) from (0, 3) and (0,3) is equel to 10.
21. The difference of the distances of P ( x, y ) from ( 3,0) and (3,0) is 2.
22. The difference of the distances of P ( x, y ) from ( 3,0) and (3,0) is 1.
23. The difference of P ( x, y ) from ( 3,4) is 5.
24. The product of the distances of P ( x, y ) from the coordinate axes is 5.
25. The product of the distances of P ( x, y ) from (0,4) and the axis is 4.

REVIEW EXERCISES
1. Define the following terms: Directed line, ordered pair, inclination of a line, slope of a line,
relation, function, graph of a function, real number line.
2. The points A(1,2), B(4,3), C(6,0) are vertices of a triangle. Find the lengths of the sides of the
triangle.
3. Show that the points A(10,2), B(4,2), C(16,2), and D(2,6), are the vertices of the
parallelogram ABCD.
4. Find the tangents of the angles of the triangle whose vertices are A(2,1), B(1,3), C(6, 7).
Find the also each angle to the nearest degree.
5. The points A(4,1) and B(2,7) determine a line segment. Find (a) the coordinates of the
midpoint of the segment, and (b) the coordinates of the point 1/3 of the way from A to B
6. A lines passes through A(2, 2) and B(4,3). Find the coordinates of the point on the line
twice as far from A as from B (two cases)
7. Find the equation of the set all points P(x,y) that are equidistant from A(4,3) and B(2, 2).
Draw the graph of the equation.
8. Construct the graph of the equation y = x2 4.
9. Find the equation of the set of all points P(x,y) if the sum of the distances of P from (4,0)
and (4,0) is equal to 12. Draw the graph of the equation.