Question

The points A(1, 4), B(5,1) lie on a circle. The line segment AB is a chord. Find the equation of a diameter of the circle.

Answer 1

Check the picture below.

well, we want only the equation of the diametrical line, now, the diameter can touch the chord at any several angles, as well at a right-angle.

bearing in mind that perpendicular lines have negative reciprocal slopes, hmm let's find firstly the slope of AB, and the negative reciprocal of that will be the slope of the diameter, that is passing through the midpoint of AB.

$\bf A(\stackrel{x_1}{1}~,~\stackrel{y_1}{4})\qquad B(\stackrel{x_2}{5}~,~\stackrel{y_2}{1}) ~\hfill \stackrel{slope}{m}\implies \cfrac{\stackrel{rise} {\stackrel{y_2}{1}-\stackrel{y1}{4}}}{\underset{run} {\underset{x_2}{5}-\underset{x_1}{1}}}\implies \cfrac{-3}{4} \\\\[-0.35em] ~\dotfill\\\\ \stackrel{\textit{slope of AB}}{-\cfrac{3}{4}}\qquad \qquad \qquad \stackrel{\textit{\underline{negative reciprocal} and slope of the diameter}}{\cfrac{4}{3}}$

so, it passes through the midpoint of AB,

$\bf ~~~~~~~~~~~~\textit{middle point of 2 points } \\\\ A(\stackrel{x_1}{1}~,~\stackrel{y_1}{4})\qquad B(\stackrel{x_2}{5}~,~\stackrel{y_2}{1}) \qquad \left(\cfrac{ x_2 + x_1}{2}~~~ ,~~~ \cfrac{ y_2 + y_1}{2} \right) \\\\\\ \left( \cfrac{5+1}{2}~~,~~\cfrac{1+4}{2} \right)\implies \left(3~~,~~\cfrac{5}{2} \right)$

so, we're really looking for the equation of a line whose slope is 4/3 and runs through (3 , 5/2)

$\bf (\stackrel{x_1}{3}~,~\stackrel{y_1}{\frac{5}{2}}) \stackrel{slope}{m}\implies \cfrac{4}{3} \\\\\\ \begin{array}{|c|ll} \cline{1-1} \textit{point-slope form}\\ \cline{1-1} \\ y-y_1=m(x-x_1) \\\\ \cline{1-1} \end{array}\implies y-\stackrel{y_1}{\cfrac{5}{2}}=\stackrel{m}{\cfrac{4}{3}}(x-\stackrel{x_1}{3})\implies y-\cfrac{5}{2}=\cfrac{4}{3}x-4 \\\\\\ y=\cfrac{4}{3}x-4+\cfrac{5}{2}\implies y=\cfrac{4}{3}x-\cfrac{3}{2}$