Circle

A circle is the locus of the point which is always at a constant distance from a fixed point. The
fixed point is the center of the circle while the constant distance is the radius.

Equation of a Circle

Consider a circle whose center is 𝐶(𝑎, 𝑏) with radius 𝑟 as shown in figure below.

To derive the equation of this circle, take any point 𝑃(𝑥, 𝑦) on the circle, then

𝐶𝑃 = 𝑟 = √(𝑥 − 𝑎)2 + (𝑦 − 𝑏)2

(𝑥 − 𝑎)2 + (𝑦 − 𝑏)2 = 𝑟 2 ……. (1)

This is the standard form of the equation of a circle. If the center of the circle coincides with the
origin, the equation reduces to 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 𝑟 2 .

Example 1: Write the equation of a circle whose center is at the point (4, 5) with radius 6.

(𝑥 − 4)2 + (𝑦 − 5)2 = 62 = 36

Example 2: Find the equation of a circle whose center is at the point (−1, 6) and passes through
the point (2, 3).

(𝑥 + 1)2 + (𝑦 − 6)2 = 𝑟 2.

The radius is the distance from (−1, 6) to (2, 3),

∴ 𝑟 2 = (−1 − 2)2 + (6 − 3)2 = 18.

Hence, (𝑥 + 1)2 + (𝑦 − 6)2 = 18 or 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 2𝑥 − 12𝑦 + 19 = 0.

The General Form

From (1), (𝑥 − 𝑎)2 + (𝑦 − 𝑏)2 = 𝑟 2 , 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 − 2𝑎𝑥 − 2𝑏𝑦 + 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 = 𝑟 2 or

𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 − 2𝑎𝑥 − 2𝑏𝑦 + 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 − 𝑟 2 = 0.

Let −𝑎 = 𝑔, −𝑏 = 𝑓 and 𝑐 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 − 𝑟 2 , we have

𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 2𝑔𝑥 + 2𝑓𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0 ………………………………….(2)

𝑥 2 + 2𝑔𝑥 + 𝑔2 + 𝑦 2 + 2𝑓𝑦 + 𝑓 2 = 𝑔2 + 𝑓 2 − 𝑐

(𝑥 + 𝑔)2 + (𝑦 + 𝑓)2 = 𝑔2 + 𝑓 2 − 𝑐 …………………..(3)

It is easy to see that equation (2) represents equation of a circle centered at (−𝑔, −𝑓) and

𝑟 2 = 𝑔2 + 𝑓 2 − 𝑐.

Example 3: Discuss the locus represented by the circle 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 8𝑥 − 10𝑦 + 5 = 0.

𝑥 2 + 8𝑥 + 16 + 𝑦 2 − 10𝑦 + 25 = 16 + 25 − 5

(𝑥 + 4)2 + (𝑦 − 5)2 = 36 or (𝑥 + 4)2 + (𝑦 − 5)2 = 62 .

The specific features of the equation of a circle viz; 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 2𝑔𝑥 + 2𝑓𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0 are:

(i) It is a second-degree equation in both 𝑥 and 𝑦.

(ii) The coefficients of 𝑥 2 and 𝑦 2 are equal.
(iii) There is no term in 𝑥𝑦.

Exercises: Discuss the locus represented by the following circle:

(i) 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 4𝑥 − 6𝑦 + 13 = 0 (ii) 4𝑥 2 + 4𝑦 2 − 4𝑥 − 12𝑦 + 1 = 0

The general form and the standard form contain three independent arbitrary constants. A circle
is completely determined if we know the values of these three constants.

Example 4

Find the equation of a circle passing through the points (1, 5), (5, 3) and (3, −1).

Let the equation of the circle be given by 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 2𝑔𝑥 + 2𝑓𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0.

The circle passes through (1, 5), ⇒ 2𝑔 + 10𝑓 + 𝑐 = −26 ……………(1)

The point (5, 3) is also on the circle ⇒ 10𝑔 + 6𝑓 + 𝑐 = −34 …………..(2)

(3, -1) is a point on the circle ⇒ 6𝑔 − 2𝑓 + 𝑐 = −10 ………………(3)

(𝟐) − (𝟏): 8𝑔 − 4𝑓 = −8 ……………..(4)

 (2)-(3): 4𝑔 + 8𝑓 = −24 ………………..(5)

Solving (4) and (5) gives 𝑓 = 𝑔 = −2. Put 𝑓 = 𝑔 = −2 in (1) gives 𝑐 = −2.

The equation of the circle is 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 − 4𝑥 − 4𝑦 − 2 = 0.

Example 5

Find the equation of the circle which passes through the points (4, 1) and (6, 5) and has its center
on the line 4𝑥 + 𝑦 = 16.

Let the equation of the circle be given by 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 2𝑔𝑥 + 2𝑓𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0.

The circle passes through (4, 1), ⇒ 8𝑔 + 2𝑓 + 𝑐 = −17 ………… (1)

The point (6, 5) is also on the circle ⇒ 12𝑔 + 10𝑓 + 𝑐 = −61 …………. (2)

The center (−𝑔, −𝑓) lies on the line 4𝑥 + 𝑦 = 16 ⇒ 4𝑔 + 𝑓 = −16 … (3)

Solving the three equations, we obtain 𝑔 = −3, 𝑓 = −4, 𝑐 = 15.

The equation of the circle is 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 − 6𝑥 − 8𝑦 + 15 = 0.

Equation of a Circle Through the ends of a Diameter

𝑦−𝑦
Slope of 𝐴𝑃 = 𝑥−𝑥1
1

𝑦−𝑦
Slope of 𝐵𝑃 = 𝑥−𝑥2
2

Since 𝐴𝑃 is perpendicular to 𝐵𝑃,

𝑦 − 𝑦1 𝑦 − 𝑦2
( )( ) = −1
𝑥 − 𝑥1 𝑥 − 𝑥2
Therefore, (𝑥 − 𝑥1 )(𝑥 − 𝑥2 ) + (𝑦 − 𝑦1 )(𝑦 − 𝑦2 ).
Example 6

The ends of a diameter have coordinates (5, 4) and (-3, 6). Find the equation of the circle.

(𝑥 − 5)(𝑥 + 3) + (𝑦 − 4)(𝑦 − 6)

𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 − 2𝑥 − 10𝑦 + 9 = 0.

Equation of tangent to a circle

A tangent to a curve at a given point is a line which touches the curve at that point.

𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 2𝑔𝑥 + 2𝑓𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0. ……………(*)

Suppose the tangent meets the curve at the point 𝑃(𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ), then 𝐶𝑃 is perpendicular to the
tangent.
(𝑦1 +𝑓)
Slope of CP = ,
𝑥1 +𝑔

−(𝑥1 +𝑔)
Slope of the tangent = 𝑦1 +𝑓

−(𝑥1 +𝑔)
𝑦 − 𝑦1 = (𝑥 − 𝑥1 )
𝑦1 +𝑓

(𝑦 − 𝑦1 )(𝑦1 + 𝑓) = −(𝑥1 + 𝑔)(𝑥 − 𝑥1 ) = 𝑦𝑦1 + 𝑦𝑓 − 𝑦1 2 − 𝑦1 𝑓 = −𝑥𝑥1 − 𝑔𝑥 + 𝑥1 2 + 𝑔𝑥1

𝑥𝑥1 + 𝑦𝑦1 + 𝑔𝑥 + 𝑓𝑦 = 𝑥1 2 + 𝑦1 2 + 𝑔𝑥1 + 𝑓𝑦1

Add 𝑔𝑥1 + 𝑓𝑦1 + 𝑐 to both sides

2 2
𝑥𝑥1 + 𝑦𝑦1 + 𝑔𝑥 + 𝑓𝑦 + 𝑔𝑥1 + 𝑓𝑦1 + 𝑐 = 𝑥1 + 𝑦1 + 2𝑔𝑥1 + 2𝑓𝑦1 + 𝑐

Since (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) lies on the circle, put 𝑥 = 𝑥1 , 𝑦 = 𝑦1 in (*)

 𝑥1 2 + 𝑦1 2 + 2𝑔𝑥1 + 2𝑓𝑦1 + 𝑐 = 0

𝑥𝑥1 + 𝑦𝑦1 + 𝑔(𝑥 + 𝑥1 ) + 𝑓(𝑦 + 𝑦1 ) + 𝑐 = 0.

Note that the equation of the tangent to the circle 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 𝑟 2 is 𝑥𝑥1 + 𝑦𝑦1 = 𝑟 2.

Equation of normal to a circle

The normal to a curve at any point is the straight line which passes through that point and is
perpendicular to the tangent to the curve at that point.

The equation of tangent to the circle 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 2𝑔𝑥 + 2𝑓𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0 is given by

𝑥𝑥1 + 𝑦𝑦1 + 𝑔(𝑥 + 𝑥1 ) + 𝑓(𝑦 + 𝑦1 ) + 𝑐 = 0.

Or
𝑥(𝑥1 + 𝑔) + 𝑦(𝑦1 + 𝑓) + 𝑔𝑥1 + 𝑓𝑦1 + 𝑐 = 0.

Any straight line perpendicular to this line is given by

𝑥(𝑦1 + 𝑓) − 𝑦(𝑥1 + 𝑔) = 𝑘 ……………(**)

The line passes through (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ), we therefore have 𝑥1 (𝑦1 + 𝑓) − 𝑦1 (𝑥1 + 𝑔) = 𝑘 or

𝑘 = 𝑥1 𝑓 − 𝑦1 𝑔.

Equation (**) therefore becomes 𝑥(𝑦1 + 𝑓) − 𝑦(𝑥1 + 𝑔) = 𝑥1 𝑓 − 𝑦1 𝑔.

Example 7

Find the equation of the tangent and normal to the circle 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 − 4𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 3 = 0 at (1, -2).

For the equation of tangent to the circle, put 𝑔 = −2, 𝑓 = 1, 𝑥1 = 1, 𝑦1 = −2 and 𝑐 = 3 in

𝑥𝑥1 + 𝑦𝑦1 + 𝑔(𝑥 + 𝑥1 ) + 𝑓(𝑦 + 𝑦1 ) + 𝑐 = 0,

𝑥 − 2𝑦 − 2(𝑥 + 1) + 1(𝑦 − 2) + 3 = 0,

𝑥 + 𝑦 + 1 = 0.

The equation of normal is of the form 𝑥 − 𝑦 = 𝑘, since the circle passes through the point
(1, −2), we have 1 + 2 = 𝑘, so that 𝑥 − 𝑦 − 3 = 0.