CONCEPTS AND FORMULAS

JEE – MAIN
MATHEMATICS
COORDINATE GEOMETRY

CIRCLES

Definition: The locus of point moving in a plane such that it is at a constant distance from a fixed point is
called a circle.
The fixed point is called the centre of the circle and it is denoted by 'C', the constant distance is called
its radius and it is denoted by 'r'.
Note: a) If r = 0 then the circle is called point circle
b) If r = 1 then the circle is called unit circle
c) If r > 0 then the circle is called real circle
d) If r < 0 then the circle is called imaginary circle.
Equation of a Circle: The equation of the circle with centre  ,   and radius ' r ' is  x - α  +  y - β  = r 2 .
2 2

Standard form of the Circle: The equation of the circle with centre at the origin and radius r
is x  y  r . This is called the standard form of the circle.
2 2 2

 The equation ax2  2hxy  by 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 represents a circle if

i) Δ ≡ abc  2 fgh  af 2  bg 2  ch2  0
ii) coefficient of x 2 = coefficient of y 2 ;  a  b  0
iii) coefficient of xy is zero ;  h  0   
iv) radius  0 ;  g 2  f 2  ac  0  .

General form of the Circle: The equation of the circle of the form x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 is called
general equation of the circle and its centre =   g ,  f 

 coefficient of x coefficient of y 
 and radius = g  f  c .
2 2
= ,
 2 2 
 g f 
 The general equation of a circle is ax 2  ay 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 its centre is   ,   , radius is
 a a
g 2  f 2  ac
a
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 Let P and Q be any two points on a circle. Then
i) The line passing through P and Q is called a secant line.

ii) The line segment joining P and Q is called a chord.

iii) A chord passing through centre of a circle is called a diameter of the circle.

iv) The diameter of a circle is a chord but a chord need not be a diameter.
v) Every diameter of the circle bisected by the centre of the circle.
vi) Every diameter of the circle cut the circle into two equal parts, each part is called a semi circle.
vii) The angle in a semi circle is right angle.

viii) The angle made by a chord of a circle at the centre of the circle is double the angle made by the
chord at any point on the circumference of the circle lying on the same side of it.

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 ix) Perpendicular bisector of any chord of a circle passes through the centre of the circle. (OR)
The line joining mid point of a chord and centre of the circle is perpendicular to the chord.

Equation of a Circle in Diameter form:

    
The equation of the circle with x1, y1 and x2, y2 as the extremities of a diameter is

 x  x1  x  x2    y  y1  y  y2   0
 The equation of the circle passing through three points A(x1,y1), B(x2,y2) and C(x3,y3) is
x1 y1 1 c1 y1 1 x1 c1 1 x1 y1 c1
x2 y2 1  x  y   c2
2 2
y2 1  x   x2 c2 1  y   x2 y2 c2  0
x3 y3 1 c3 y3 1 x3 c3 1 x3 y3 c3
where ci    xi2  yi2  for i =1,2,3.

 The equation of the circum circle of the triangle formed by the lines L1  0, L2  0, L3  0 is
1L1L2  2 L2 L3  3 L3 L1  0 where 1 , 2 , 3 can be found by using coefficient of x 2  coefficient of
y 2 and coefficient of xy = 0
Concentric Circles:
Two or more circles are said to be concentric if they have the same centre and different radii.

 Equation of two concentric circles differ by a constant only. i.e.,

The equation of the circle concentric with the circle x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 is of the
form x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  k  0 , k is unknown constant.
Concyclic points:

If the points A, B, C and D lies on the same circle then the points are said to be Concyclic points.
 If the lines a1 x  b1 y  c1  0 , a2 x  b2 y  c2  0 meets the co-ordinate axis in four distinct points then
those points are Concyclic  a1a2  b1b2 .
 If the lines a1 x  b1 y  c1  0, a2 x  b2 y  c2  0 meet the coordinate axes in four distinct Concyclic
points then the equation of the circle passing through these Concyclic points is  a1x  b1 y  c1 
 a2 x  b2 y  c2    a1b2  a2b1  xy  0

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Maximum and minimum distances from a point to the circle:
 The minimum distance from the point ' P ' to the circle S  0 is PA  CP  r and the maximum
distance from the point ' P ' to the circle S  0 is PB  CP  r .

Length of intercept of the circle on co-ordinate axis:

 The intercept made by the circle x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 on x-axis AB  2 g 2  c

 The intercept made by the circle x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 on y-axis CD  2 f 2  c

 If the circle S = 0 touching x-axis then g 2  c and equation of the circle is of the form is
x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  g 2  0
 If the circle S = 0 touching y-axis then f 2  c and equation of the circle is of the form
is x2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  f 2  0 
 If the circle S = 0 touching both the coordinate axes then g 2  f 2  c and equation of the circle of the
form x 2  y 2  2 cx  2 c y  c  0
Different forms of the equation of circle
 (i) When the circle passes through the origin (0,0) and has
intercepts α and β on the x-axis and y-axis, respectively:
 x    x  0   y  0 y     0
i.e., x 2  y 2   x   y  0

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ii) When the circle touches x - axis:

 x     y   

 2
2

iii) When the circle touches y - axis

 x     y   

2
2

iv) When the circle touches both axes:

 x     y  

2
2

v) When the circle touches x - axis at  ,0 and cuts off intercept on y - axis of length 2l

 
From the figure,    2  l 2 Hence, equation of circle is  x     y   2   2
2

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 vi) When the circle touches y - axis at ( 0,  ) and cuts off intercept on x-axis of length 2k:

From the figure,    2  k 2

Hence, equation of circle is  x      y      2
2 2

vii) When the circle passes through origin (0, 0) and centre lies on x-axis:

i.e.,  x      y  0    2
2 2

(viii) When the circle passes through origin (0, 0) and centre lies on y-axis :

i.e.,  x  0    y      2
2 2

Parametric equations of the circle

Parametric equations of a curve describes the coordinates of a point on the curve in terms of a single
variable. We call this single variable as a parameter.
i) The parametric equations of a circle with centre  h, k  and radius r   0  are given by x  h  r cos ,
y  k  r sin  , where 0    2 . and the parametric point of this circle is  h  r cos , k  r sin   .
ii) The parametric equations of the circle with centre (0, 0) and radius ' r ' is x  r cos , y  r sin 
where 0    2 . and the parametric point of this circle is  r cos , r sin  

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  Equation of the chord joining the two points 1 and  2 on the circle x 2  y 2  r 2 is
           
x cos  1 2   y sin  1 2   r cos  1 2 
 2   2   2 
 The length of chord AB joining A 1  , B 2  of the circle x 2  y 2  r 2 (or)  x  x1    y  y1   r 2
2 2

(1   2 )
is 2r sin
2
 The parametric angle differ by ‘θ’ if 1  2   then AB subtends an angle ‘θ’ at center of the
circles.
Notation: S  x2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c ,then
S1  xx1  yy1  g  x  x1   f  y  y1   c
S12  x1 x2  y1 y2  g  x1  x2   f  y1  y2   c
S11  x12  y12  2 gx1  2 fy1  c
Position of a point w.r.t. the circle:
If S = 0 is a circle P  x1 , y1  is a point, then
i) S11  0  P lies outside the circle
ii) S11  0  P lies on the circle
iii) S11  o  P lies inside of the circle
Power of a point (Def): If ‘C’ is centre and ‘r’ is radius and let p be any point on the plane of a circle then
the value of CP 2  r 2 is called the power of the point p w.r.t. circle S  0 . (or)
If a secant line through P cuts the circle in any two points A, B then PA.PB is called as power of P.

PA.PB  S11
 If S  x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 , is a circle in standard form and P  x1 , y1  is a point, then the power
of P is S11 .
Some important points on power:

i) Power of a point on the circle is zero.

ii) Power is positive if point lies outside the circle.
iii) Power is negative if point lies inside the circle.
 If P  x1 , y1  is a point lying outside of the circle S = 0 then the length of the tangent from P is S11 .
 The equation of the chord joining the two points  x1, y1  and  x2 , y2  on the circle S = 0
is S1  S2  S12 .
 If ‘r’ is radius of a circle then a line which is at a distance ‘d’ from centre of the circle , cuts (a
chord) an intercept of length 2 r 2  d 2

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Tangent Line
 If a line touches the circle at only one point is called a tangent to the circle and the point of
coincidence is called the point of contact.

 The equation of the tangent line at  x1 , y1  on the circle S  0 is S1  0 .

 The equation of the tangent line at  x1 , y1  to the circle x 2  y 2  a 2 is xx1  yy1  a 2  0 .
 Equation of the tangent at ‘θ‘ to the circle x 2  y 2  r 2 is x cos   y sin   r .
Conditions for a line to be a tangent to a circle
i) y  mx  c touches x 2  y 2  r 2 then c2  r 2 (m2  1)
ii) The equation of tangent to the circle x 2  y 2  r 2 whose slope ‘m’ is y  mx  r m2  1
 r 2l r 2 m 
iii) x  my  n  0 touches x  y  r then n  r (l  m ) and the point of contact is   , 
2 2 2 2 2 2 2

 n n 


iv) lx  my  n  0 touches x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 is l 2  m2  g 2
 f 2  c    lg mf  n  .
2

v) The point of contact of tangent line is foot of perpendicular from centre of the circle.
vi) For the circle  x  x1    y  y1   r 2 , tangent with slope ‘m’ is
2 2

 y  y1   m  x  x1   r m2  1 .

vii) For the circle  x  x1    y  y1   r 2 tangents parallel to lx  my  n  0 are

2 2

lx  my  lx1  my1  r l 2  m 2
viii) Let m1 , m2 , are the slopes of tangents through a point P  x1 , y1  to the circle x 2  y 2  a 2 then
2x1 y1 y12  a 2
m1  m2  2 and m1.m2  2 .
x1  a 2 x1  a 2

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Normal Line
 The normal to a circle is a line which perpendicular to the tangent at the point of contact.

 The equation of the normal to the circle x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 at P  x1 , y1  is

 x  x1  y1  f    y  y1  x1  g   0 .
 The normal at any point on the circle passing through centre of the circle.
 The equation of normal to the circle x 2  y 2  r 2 at P  x1 , y1  is xy1  yx1  0 .
 Equation of the normal at ‘θ‘ to the circle x 2  y 2  r 2 is x sin   y cos  = 0.
Position of a line w.r.t. the circle:
If ‘c’ is centre “r” is radius of a circle and the perpendicular distance from centre C to a line ' l ' is d, then
i) d > r  ' l ' is outside of the circle.
ii) d = r  ' l ' is a tangent
iii) d < r  ' l ' cuts the circle in two distinct points
 The number of circles touching all the three given lines, which are
i) forming a triangle is Four
ii) such that two of the lines are parallel is Two
iii) all parallel is zero
 In a circle, normal at any point of the cirle passes through its centre.
Chord of contact (Def): The line joining the points of contacts of the tangents to a circle S  0 drawn
from an external point p is called chord of contact of p with respect to S  0 .

The chord of contact of P  x1 , y1  with respect to circle S  0 is S1  0

 The chord of contact of p becomes tangent at p when p lies on the circle.
 If P  x1 , y1  lies inside the circle. Then the chord of contact of p does not exist.

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Pole and polar (Def): The points of intersection of tangents to the circle S  0 drawn at the extremities of
the chords which are passing through a fixed point p lies on the line L  0 then the line L  0 is called
the polar of p with respect to S  0 . The point p is called pole of the line L  0 with respect to S  0 .

 The Polar equation of the point P  x1 , y1  with respect to the circle S  0 is S1  0 .

Some important aspects of pole and polar
i) If P lies outside the circle, then polar is chord of contact of P.
ii) If P lies on the circle, then polar is tangent at P to the circle.
iii) If P lies inside the circle, then polar completely lies outside the circle.
iv) The polar of centre of circle w.r.t the same circle does not exist.
v) pole of diameter does not exist.
vi) polar is perpendicular to the line joining centre and pole.
vii) The polar of a point if exists is unique.
viii) polars of collinear points are concurrent.
ix) poles of concurrent lines are collinear.
 r 2l r 2 m 
 pole of line lx  my  n  0 with respect to the circle x 2  y 2  r 2 is   , 
n 
.
 n
 The pole of the line lx  my  n  0 w.r.t the circle x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0
 lr 2 mr 2 
is   g  , f  
 lg mf  n lg mf  n 

Conjugate points (Def):

Two points are said to be conjugate points if polar of one point passes through other point.
 
P  x1, y1  and Q x 2 , y2 are conjugate points with respect to the curve (circle) S=0  S12  0 .
Conjugate lines (Def): If pole of the line l1 with respect to a circle lies on the line l2 , then the pole of
l2 with respect to same circle lies on l1 .
Two such lines are called conjugate lines.
The condition that the lines l1 x  m1 y  n1  0 and l2 x  m2 y  n2  0 to be conjugate w.r.t the circle.
i) x 2  y 2  r 2 is r 2  l1l2  m1m2   n1n2
ii) x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 is  g 2  f 2  c   l1l2  m1m2    l1 g  m1 f  n1 l2 g  m2 f  n2 
Inverse Points (Def) : Let 'C' be the centre and 'r' be the radius of the circle S  0 . Two points P and Q
are said to be inverse points w.r.t. the circle S  0 .
If i) C , P, Q are collinear
ii) P, Q lies on the same side of C
iii) CP.CQ  r 2

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Some important aspects of inverse points:
i) If P lies inside a circle, then its inverse point lies outside the circle
ii) If P lies on the circle then inverse point of P is itself.
iii) Inverse point of centre does not exist.
iv) Inverse points are conjugate points, but the converse need not be true.
v) Inverse point of a point if exists is unique.
vi) The inverse point of p with respect to the circle S  0 is the foot of the perpendicular from p or
from the centre of the circle to the polar of P.
 r2x r2 y 
 The inverse point of  x1, y1  with respect to the circle x 2  y 2  r 2 is  2 1 2 , 2 1 2  .
 x1  y1 x1  y1 
 The inverse point of origin with respect to the circle x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 is
 gc fc 
 g 2  f 2 ,  g 2  f 2 
 
 Equation of the chord of the circle S = 0 whose mid point is  x1 , y1  is S1  S11 and its length is 2 S11 .
 Equation of the pair of tangents from  x1 , y1  to the circle S = 0 is S12  S11S .
 Equation of the pair of tangents from origin to the circle x 2  y 2  2 gx  2 fy  c  0 is
 gx  fy   c  x2  y 2  .
2

Director circle: Locus of point of intersection of perpendicular tangents to the circle

i) x 2  y 2  r 2 is x 2  y 2  2r 2
ii)  x  x1    y  y1   r 2 is  x  x1    y  y1   2r 2 .
2 2 2 2

 The locus of the point of intersection of perpendicular tangents drawn one to each of the circles
x 2  y 2  a 2 and x 2  y 2  b2 is x 2  y 2  a 2  b2 
 The locus of point of intersection of two tangents which include an angle θ, w.r.t the circle
x 2  y 2  r 2 is x 2  y 2  r 2 cos ec 2 / 2 .
 The locus of mid points of chords of circle x 2  y 2  r 2 which subtend angle ‘θ’ at centre is
x 2  y 2  r 2 cos2  / 2 .
 The locus of mid points of chords of the circle x 2  y 2  r 2 of length '2k' units is x 2  y 2  r 2  k 2 .
 The locus of the midpoints of the chords of the circle S = 0 passing through a given point is a circle
with the given point and the centre of S = 0 as ends of diameter.
 The locus of mid points of chords of x 2  y 2  r 2 which are at a distance of k units from centre
is x 2  y 2  k 2
 If the circle S = 0 and L = 0 is a line intersecting the circle in A and B, then any circle passing
through A, B is of the form S   L = 0.
 r
 Angle between the tangents from p  x1 , y1  to S = 0 is θ then tan    .
2 S11
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  If two tangents are perpendicular then S11  r 2
 PA, PB are tangents to circle S = 0 with centre C. Then circum centre of PAB is mid point of CP.
CP
Circum radius is .
2
 Area of the quadrilateral formed by the two tangents drawn from an external point to a circle and a

pair of radii through their points of contact is r S11 . 
S11
 The length of the chord of contact of the point P  x1 , y1  w.r.t to the circle S = 0 is 2r .
S11  r 2
 S=0 is a circle in standard form, with centre C and radius r. If P  x1 , y1  is a point then the area of the
r  S11 
3/2

triangle formed by pair of tangents from P and chord of contact of P is

S11  r 2

Relative positions of two circles:

Let C1 , C2 be the centres and r1 , r2 are the radii of the circles S  0, S '  0 respectively.
a) If C1C2 > r1  r2 then the two circles do not intersect. Then we can draw four common tangents to the
circles.

b) If C1C2 = r1  r2 then the two circles touch each other externally. Then we can draw three common
tangents to the circles

The point of p contact C1C2 divides in the ratio r1 : r2 internally.

c) If | r1  r2 | < C1C2 < r1  r2 then the two circles intersect each other. Then we can draw two common
tangents to the circles.

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 d) If C1C2 = | r1  r2 | then the two circles touch each other internally. Then we can draw one common
tangent to the circles.

The point of contact p divides C1C2 in the ratio r1 : r2 externally.

e) If C1C2 < | r1  r2 | then one circle entirely lies inside the other circle. Then we cannot draw common
tangent.

 Two circles with centres C1 , C2 and radii r1 , r2 touch each other if C1C2  r1  r2
Centres of similitude: The point of intersection of direct common tangents of two circles  P  is called as
external centre of similitude.
The point of intersection of transverse common tangents of two circles  Q  is called as internal centre
of similitude.

The internal center of similitude  Q  divides C1C2 in the ratio r1 : r2 internally and the external centre of
similitude  P  divides C1C2 in the ratio r1 : r2 externally.
 The circle with centres of similitudes as diameter is called circle of similitude.

Length of common tangents:

If d is the distance between centres of two circles whose radii are r1 and r2 then length of direct
common tangent of two circles is AB  d 2   r1  r2 
2
and length of transverse common tangent of

two circles is A ' B '  d 2   r1  r2  .

2

13