Analytic Geometry – Find the Coordinate of Third Point of Equilateral Triangle

algebra-precalculusanalytic geometry

I have two points A and B whose coordinates are $(3,4)$ and $(-2,3)$ The third point is C. We need to calculate its coordinates.

I think there will be two possible answers, as the point C could be on the either side of line joining A and B.

Now I put AB = AC = BC.

We calculate AB by distance formula : $\sqrt{(x_2 – x_1)^2 + (y_2 – y_1)^2}$

= $ \sqrt{5^2 + 1^2} = \sqrt{26}$

I plug this value into the distance of AC and BC and finally equate to get :

$5x + y = 6$

Now what can I do? There are two variables, I am getting equation of a line! How can I solve this?

Best Answer

Call the position of point $C$ by the coords $(a, b)$. The equations for $C$ are then

$$ \sqrt{(a-3)^2 + (b - 4)^2} = \sqrt{26} \\ \sqrt{(a+2)^2 + (b - 3)^2} = \sqrt{26} $$ Squaring both, we get $$ (a-3)^2 + (b - 4)^2 = 26 \\ (a+2)^2 + (b - 3)^2 = 26 $$ $$ a^2 - 6a + 9 + b^2 - 8b + 16= 26 \\ a^2 + 4a + 4 + b^2 - 6b + 9= 26 $$ Subtracting these two gives $$ -10a + 5 - 2b + 7 = 0 $$ or $$ 6 = 5a + b $$ which is a line both points must lie on. Writing this as $$ b = 6 - 5a $$ we can substitute in either equation. Let's got with the second:

$$ a^2 + 4a + 4 + b^2 - 6b + 9= 26 $$ becomes $$ a^2 + 4a + 4 + (6-5a)^2 - 6(6-5a) + 9= 26 $$ which is a quadratic that can now be solved for the two possible values of $a$.

(Once you do so, you use $b = 6 - 5a$ to find the corresponding $b$-values.)