More that two points are collinear if they are on the same line.
Given three points \( A \), \( B \) and \( C \), an online calculator to calculate the slopes of the line through \( A \) and \( B \), and the line through \( B \) and \( C \) and hence decide whether the three points are collinear or not.
Example
Are the points \( A(-1,5) \) , \( B(1,1) \) and \( C(3,-3) \) collinear?
Solution
The slope \( m_{AB} \) of line through \( A \) and \( B \) is given by
\( m_{AB} = \dfrac{y_B - y_A}{x_B-x_A} = \dfrac{1 - 5}{1-(-1)} = - 2 \)
The slope \( m_{BC} \) of line through \( B \) and \( C \) is given by
\( m_{BC} = \dfrac{y_C - y_B}{x_C-x_B} =\dfrac{-3 - 1}{3-1} = -2 \)
Hence \( m_{BC} = m_{AB} \) and therefore the three points are collinear
Enter the coordintes of the three points \( A \),\( B\) and \( C \) as real numbers and press "Calculate".
The results are: the slopes \( m_{AB} \) and \( m_{BC} \) and the conclusion whether the three points are collinear or not.
Use the calculator to find slopes \( m_{AB} \), \( m_{BC} \) and verify that the three points are collinear. Then calculate the slopes \( m_{AB} \), \( m_{BC} \) and \( m_{AC} \) analytcally and verify that they are all equal.
a)
\( A(-5,-2) \),
\( B(-2,1) \)
,
\( C(2,5) \).
b)
\( A(-5,7) \),
\( B(-1,-1) \)
,
\( C(1,-5) \).
c)
\( A(0,3) \),
\( B(2,2) \)
,
\( C(6,0) \).
