Coordinate Geometry

Geometry Level 3

Let G G be the set of ordered pairs ( x , y ) (x,y) such that ( x , y ) (x,y) is the midpoint of ( 3 , 2 ) (-3,2) and some point on the circle ( x + 3 ) 2 + ( y 1 ) 2 = 4 (x+3)^2 + (y-1)^2 = 4 . What is the largest possible distance between any two points in G G ?

2 4 5 1

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1 solution

Tom Engelsman
Oct 24, 2017

Let us write the required midpoint formulae as:

x = 3 + k 2 ; y = 2 + [ 1 ± 4 ( k + 3 ) 2 ] 2 x = \frac{-3 + k}{2}; y = \frac{2 + [1 \pm \sqrt{4 - (k+3)^2}]}{2}

where k R k \in \mathbb{R} . If we solve for k k in terms of x x in the first equation and then substitute it into the second, we now end up with:

y = 2 + [ 1 ± 4 ( ( 2 x + 3 ) + 3 ) 2 ] 2 = 3 ± 4 ( 2 x + 6 ) 2 2 y = \frac{2 + [1 \pm \sqrt{4 - ((2x+3) + 3)^2}]}{2} = \frac{3 \pm \sqrt{4 - (2x+6)^2}}{2} ;

or 2 y 3 = 4 4 ( x + 3 ) 2 2y - 3 = \sqrt{4 - 4(x+3)^2} ;

or ( 2 y 3 ) 2 = 4 4 ( x + 3 ) 2 ; (2y-3)^2 = 4 - 4(x+3)^2;

or 4 ( y 3 2 ) 2 = 4 4 ( x + 3 ) 2 ; 4(y- \frac{3}{2})^2 = 4 - 4(x+3)^2;

or ( x + 3 ) 2 + ( y 3 2 ) 2 = 1 \boxed{(x+3)^2 + (y - \frac{3}{2})^2 = 1}

So the locus of G G is just a unit circle \Rightarrow the maximum distance between any two points G = 2 . \in G = \boxed{2}.

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