Help Needed: Finding Segment AB of Line Through (2,2)

  • Thread starter dsb_101
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Line
In summary, the equations and formulas discussed in this conversation can help find the equation of a line passing through two points, the slope of a line passing through two points, the distance between two points, and the length of a segment. To find the equation of a line passing through two points, we can use the slope formula and substitute one point into the equation to find the y-intercept. To find the slope, we can use the slope formula and plug in the coordinates of the two points. The distance between two points can be found using the distance formula, and to find the length of a segment, we can use the midpoint formula and the distance formula.
  • #1
dsb_101
5
0
Sorry..i posted this same question in another wrong section. This is the right one..

A line through the point (2,2) cuts the x- and y- axes at points A and B respectively. Find the Minimum length of the segment AB.

Im really stuck on this problem. I know that minimum lengh is when f'>0.

Could you guys give me a lift off here?

ty
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
HINT: The distance between the two axial points is [itex]\sqrt {A^2 + B^2}[/itex] and equation of a line passing through the indicated point is [itex]y-2 = -\frac {B}{A} (x - 2)[/itex].
 
  • #3


Hi there,

No problem, I'm happy to help with this problem. To find the minimum length of the segment AB, we need to use a little bit of geometry and algebra.

First, let's draw a diagram to visualize the problem. We have a line passing through the point (2,2) and cutting the x- and y- axes at points A and B. We can label the coordinates of point A as (x,0) and the coordinates of point B as (0,y).

Now, we can use the distance formula to find the length of segment AB:

d = √[(x-0)^2 + (0-y)^2]
d = √(x^2 + y^2)

Since we want to find the minimum length, we can take the derivative of this equation with respect to x (or y) and set it equal to 0. This will give us the critical point, which will be the minimum length of segment AB.

d/dx = 2x = 0
x = 0

Substituting this value back into our original equation, we get:

d = √(0^2 + y^2)
d = y

So, the minimum length of segment AB is when y = 0, which means that point B is located at (0,0). This makes sense because the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and in this case, the shortest distance between (2,2) and the x-axis is a straight line passing through the origin.

I hope this helps and good luck with your problem! Let me know if you have any further questions.
 

FAQ: Help Needed: Finding Segment AB of Line Through (2,2)

What is the equation for a line passing through points (2,2) and (x,y)?

The equation of a line is given by y = mx + b, where m is the slope of the line and b is the y-intercept. To find the equation of a line passing through two points (x1,y1) and (x2,y2), we can use the slope formula: m = (y2-y1)/(x2-x1). Then, we can substitute the slope and one of the points into the equation to find the value of b. In this case, since we are given the point (2,2), we can substitute x=2 and y=2 into the equation to find the value of b.

How do I find the slope of a line passing through two points?

The slope of a line passing through two points (x1,y1) and (x2,y2) is given by the formula m = (y2-y1)/(x2-x1). Simply plug in the coordinates of the two points into the formula to find the slope.

What is the distance between points (2,2) and (x,y)?

The distance between two points (x1,y1) and (x2,y2) is given by the formula d = √[(x2-x1)^2 + (y2-y1)^2]. In this case, we can substitute x=2 and y=2 into the formula to find the distance between (2,2) and (x,y).

How can I use the distance formula to find the length of segment AB?

To find the length of segment AB, we can use the distance formula d = √[(x2-x1)^2 + (y2-y1)^2]. In this case, segment AB is the distance between (2,2) and (x,y). Simply substitute the coordinates of these two points into the formula to find the length of segment AB.

Is there a simpler way to find the length of segment AB?

Yes, there is a simpler way to find the length of segment AB if we know the coordinates of point A and the midpoint of segment AB. The length of segment AB is twice the distance between point A and the midpoint of segment AB. So, we can find the midpoint by taking the average of the x-coordinates and the average of the y-coordinates of points A and B, and then use the distance formula to find the length of segment AB.

Back
Top