1.

3: Use Midpoint and Distance Formulas

Objectives:
1. To define midpoint and segment bisector
2. To use the Midpoint and Distance
Formulas
3. To construct a segment bisector with a
compass and straightedge
Perpendicular Bisector
1. Draw a segment.
Label the
endpoints A and B.
Perpendicular Bisector
2. Using the same
compass setting,
draw two intersecting
arcs through the
segment, one
centered at A, the
other centered at B.
Label the
intersection points C
and D.
Perpendicular Bisector
3. Draw a line
through points C
and D.
Perpendicular Bisector
4. Label the new
point of
intersection M. Is
point is called the
midpoint.
Perpendicular Bisector: Video
Click on the
button to
watch a
video of the
construction.
Vocabulary
In you notes, define Midpoint Segment
each of these without bisector
your book. Draw a
picture for each word
and leave a bit of
space for additions
and revisions.
Midpoint
The midpoint of a segment is the point on the
segment that divides, or bisects, it into two
congruent segments.
Segment Bisector
A segment bisector is a point, ray, line, line
segment, or plane that intersects the segment at
its midpoint.
Example 1
Find DM if M is the midpoint of segment DA,
DM = 4x – 1, and MA = 3x + 3.
Work it out, A
labeling the parts of
the drawing
M

4x-1 = 3x+3
D X=4
4(4)-1
15
Example 2: SAT
In the figure shown, ABCD is
a rectangle with BC = 4
B C
and QR = 6. Points P, Q,
and R are different points P R
on a line (not shown) that Q
is parallel to AD. Points P
and Q are symmetric about
line AB and points Q and R A D
are symmetric about line Note: Figure not drawn to scale.
CD. What is PR?
8
Example 3
Segment OP lies on a real number line with
point O at –9 and point P at 3. Where is
the midpoint of the segment?
1 -3
O 2 4 6 6 4 1
3 5 5 3 2 P
- 10 -5 5

OR
-9+3 = -3
2

What if the endpoints of segment OP were at

x1 and x2? x1 + x2 = midpoint (the average)
2
 In the Coordinate Plane
We could extend the
ts on the previous exercise by
ate Plane
putting the segment in
A: (-6.00, -2.00)
B: (6.00, 4.00) 4
B
the coordinate plane.
Midpoint: (0.00, 1.00)
Now we have two
dimensions and two
2

Midpoint

-5 5
sets of coordinates.
Each of these would
A
-2

have to be averaged
to find the coordinates
of the midpoint.
The Midpoint Formula
If A(x1,y1) and B(x2,y2)
are points in a
coordinate plane,
then the midpoint M
of AB has
coordinates
 x1  x2 y1  y2 
 , 
 2 2 
The Midpoint Formula
The coordinates of
the midpoint of a
segment are
basically the
averages of the x-
and y-coordinates of
the endpoints
Example 4
Find the midpoint of the segment with
endpoints at (-1, 5) and (3, 8).

(1, 7.5)
Example 5
The midpoint C of IN has coordinates (4, -3).
Find the coordinates of point I if point N is
at (10, 2).
So, in other words, (4,3) is the AVERAGE of (10,2)
and some other point. THINK ABOUT IT!

You could also graph it

(-2, -8)
Example 6
Use the Midpoint Formula multiple times to
find the coordinates of the points that
divide AB into four congruent segments.

A B
Parts of a Right Triangle

Which segment is the longest in any right

triangle? The Hypotenuse
The Pythagorean Theorem
In a right triangle, if a and b are
the lengths of the legs and c
is the length of the
hypotenuse, then c2 = a2 + b2.
Example 7
How high up on the wall will
a twenty-foot ladder reach
if the foot of the ladder is
placed five feet from the
wall?
52 + h2 = 202
25 + h2 = 400
h2 = √375
h = 19.4
The Distance Formula
Sometimes instead of finding a segment’s
midpoint, you want to find it’s length. Notice
how every non-vertical or non-horizontal
segment in the coordinate plane can be
turned into the hypotenuse of a right triangle.
Example 8
Graph AB with A(2, 1) and B(7, 8). Add
segments to your drawing to create right
triangle ABC. Now use the Pythagorean
Theorem to find AB.
52 + 72 = c2
25 + 49 = c2
74 = c2
8.6 = c
Distance Formula
In the previous problem, you found the
length of a segment by connecting it to a
right triangle on graph paper and then
applying the Pythagorean Theorem. But
what if the points are too far apart to be
conveniently graphed on a piece of
ordinary graph paper? For example, what
is the distance between the points (15, 37)
and (42, 73)? What we need is a formula!
The Distance Formula
To find the distance between
points A and B shown at the B
right, you can simply count 8

the squares on the side AC 6

and the squares on side BC,

then use the Pythagorean 4

Theorem to find AB. But if

the distances are too great 2

to count conveniently, there A C

is a simple way to find the 5

lengths. Just use the Ruler

Postulate.
The Distance Formula
You can find the horizontal
distance subtracting the x- 8
B

coordinates of points A and

B: AC = |7 – 2| = 5. Similarly, 6

to find the vertical distance

BC, subtract the y- 4

coordinates of points A and 2

B: BC = |8 – 1| = 7. Now you A C
can use the Pythagorean 5

Theorem to find AB.

Example 9
Generalize this result (x 2, y 2)
8
B
and come up with a
formula for the
6

distance between
any two points 4

(x1, y1) and (x2, y2).

2
(x 1, y 1) (x 2, y 1)

A C

5
The Distance Formula
If the coordinates of
points A and B are
(x1, y1) and (x2, y2),
then

AB  x2  x1 2   y2  y1 2
MEMORIZE this formula!
Example 10
To the nearest tenth of a unit, what is the
approximate length of RS, with endpoints
R(3, 1) and S(-1, -5)?
WORK IT OUT!

8.9 Did you get it?

Example 11
A coordinate grid is placed over a map. City
A is located at (-3, 2) and City B is located
at (4, 8). If City C is at the midpoint
between City A and City B, what is the
approximate distance in coordinate units
from City A to City C?
THINK about it and work it out

4.6
Example 12
Points on a 3-Dimensional
coordinate grid can be
located with coordinates of
the form (x, y, z). Finding
the midpoint of a segment
or the length of a segment
in 3-D is analogous to
finding them in 2-D, you
just have 3 coordinates
with which to work.
Example 12
Find the midpoint and
the length of the
segment with
endpoints (2, 5, 8) and
(-3, 1, 2).

(-.5, 3, 5)