LESSON

1 CIRCLE

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson the students are expected to:
1. Define Circle
2. Differentiate circle with the other forms of conics.
3. Describe and plot the different properties of circle.
3. Discuss the different types of standard forms of Circle.
4. Derive equations of circle.
5. Reduce general equation of circle into standard forms.
6. Understand the application of the concept of circle in real life situations.

Look around you; majority of the objects you can see are having shapes that are similar with the circle.
Many architectural designs are anchored to circle and spheres like for example the Ancient Gothic
Architectural design for windows and ceilings, not to mention the elegant beauty of the Olucus of the
Pathaleon in Rome. According to an article posted in the internet, the shape of a circle gives the feeling
of unity and protection that is why it is the commonly used in the field engineering and architecture. It
is also one of the basic geometric figures in Mathematics.

Circle is a locus of points that are having fixed distance from a fixed point. The fixed point is called
Center and it is located inside the circle, while the fixed distance is the radius. For the sake of
clarification of the discussion, we will let the coordinates of the center as (h, k) and the points
coordinates are (x, y).

P(x, y)

•
C(h,k)

The Standard Form of Circle

The standard form of a circle is expressed by the equation,

(x – h)2 + (y – k)2 = r2

Where the (h, k) are the coordinates of the circle and r is stand as the radius. While the x and y are the
variables of the equation of the circle.
The General Equation of the Circle

From simplification of the above of the circle’s standard form, we can obtain the general equation of the
circle which expressed in a form of

Ax2 + Cy2 + Dx + Ey + F = 0

where the Ax2 and Cy2 are the quadratic terms and A and C are always equal.

While the Dx and Ey are the linear term and of course the F is any constant.

Finding the Equation of a Circle

A. Having Center at (0, 0)

Examples:

1. Center at the origin and radius of 2 units

Solution: First, sketch the graph satisfying the condition stated on this item to visualize the circle that we
are trying to solve want.

To get the equation of the given circle, start the solution from the standard form

(x – h)2 + (y – k)2 = r2 , substitute to this equation the values of the center and radius , doing so it would
turns out into

(x – 0)2 + (y – 0)2 = 2 2 ------------------------ > Simplify the resulting equation

 x 2 + y2 = 4 ------------------------- > Transpose the value of the constant to the right side
equation as indicated in the pattern prescribed by the general equation form.

Therefore the equation of the circle is x 2 + y2 – 4 = 0

2. The circle has center at the origin and passing the point of (-3, 4)
Remember that as the requirements to use the standard form, the center and the radius should be
identified in the conditions of a given circle. In this problem one of these requirements is missing. Can
you identify what is that? Yes you are correct, the radius is not given.

So the first approach to solve this is to find the value of the radius. To calculate it, apply the DISTANCE
FORMULA since two points are given in the condition.

Recall:

Distance formula

d=√ 𝑥 𝑥1 𝑦 𝑦1

So,where
r = d(x1, y1 ) and (x2, y2 ) are the coordinates of the two points.

r = √[ ]

r = √[ ]

r=√

r=√ =√

r = 5 units (Use only the positive root since radius is the length between the Center and the point of
the circle.)

Now, using the value of the radius and the center coordinates derive the equation of the given circle.

(x – 0)2 + (y – 0)2 = 5 2 ------------------------ > Simplify the resulting equation

 x 2 + y2 = 25 ------------------------- > Transpose the value of the constant to the right.

Therefore the equation of the circle is x 2 + y2 – 25 = 0

B. Having Center at (h,k)

1. What is the equation of the circle whose center is at (- 3, ½) and the r2 = 8 units2?

(x + 3) 2 + (y – ½)2 = 8 ----> Substitute the values in the standard form.

x2 + 6x + 9 + y2 – y + ¼ = 8 ----> Expand the left member of the equation.

x2 + y2 + 6x – y + 9 + ¼ - 8 = 0 ---- > Transpose 8 to the left side and combine it with the other
constants.

x2 + y2 + 6x – y + 1 – ¼ = 0

1
x2 + y2 + 6x – y + =0

x2 + y2 + 6x – y + =0 ---- > Simply further by multiplying the obtained equation by 4.

4x2 + 4y2 + 24x – 4y + 3 = 0 --- > this is the equation of the circle
2. If the circle in the previous example shifts 2 units to its left and 3 units upward, what is the new
equation of the circle?
In this given, the circle center will become (- 3 - 2, ½ + 3) since it transferred places but its radius remains
the same in value.

Now, the center is at (-5, ) and radius is still √ √ units

(x + 5) 2 + (y – )2 = 8 ----> Substitute the values in the standard form.

x2 + 10x + 25 + y2 – 7y + =8 ----> Expand the left member of the equation.

x2 + y2 + 6x – y + 25 + - 8 = 0 ---- > Transpose 8 to the left side and combine it with the other
constants.

x2 + y2 + 6x – y + 17 + =0

x2 + y2 + 6x – y + =0

11
x2 + y2 + 6x – y + = 0 ----------- > Simplify

4x2 + 4y2 – 24x – 4y + 117 = 0 --------- > this is the new equation of the circle.

As you observed in the examples, the general equation of the circle should always possessed the two
quadratic terms and its constant while their linear terms may or may not be present.

Reducing Circle’s Equation into Standard Form

In this section, we will be focusing on how to translate general equation of a circle to its standard form
and give its properties such as coordinates of center and the length of radius.

Examples:

1. (x – 3)2 + y2 = 16

Solution:

(x – 3)2 + y2 = 16 ----------- > Recall the pattern of the standard form

C (3 , 0) r = 4 units

2. (x – 5)2 – 8 = - (y + 4)2

Solution:
 (x – 5)2 – 8 = - (y + 4)2 ------ > translate first this given to standard form by means of transposing (y – 4)2
to the left side of the equation and – 8 to the right.

(x – 5)2 + (y + 4)2 = 8 ----------> Once it is in the standard form, identify its properties.

C (5 , - 4 ) and r = √ units

3. (x2 – 4x + 4) + (y2 - 10y + 25) = 10

Solution:

(x2 – 4x + 4) + (y2 - 10y + 25) = 10

The standard form of the circle is (x – h)2 + (y – k)2 = r2, the terms (x –h)2 and
(y – k)2 are similar to the factors of the trinomial perfect square(TPS) of the quadratic expressions that
you have learned from one of the topics in Algebra.

This become our means to solve this problem, let us first check if the trinomial expressions in the given
are TPS.

Recall:

Trinomial Perfect Square (TPS)

a2 – 2ab + b2 = (a – b) (a – b) or (a – b)2

a2 + 2ab + b2 = (a + b) (a + b) or (a + b)2

Testing the expressions

x2 – 4x + 4 , a = x and b = 2

a2 – 2ab + b2 = (x)2 – 2 (x) (2) + (2)2 = x2 – 4x + 4

*** It proves that the given is TPS, therefore the factors are (x – 2)2

y2 - 10y + 25, a = y and b = 5

a2 – 2ab + b2 = (y)2 – 2 (y) (5) + (5)2 = y2 - 10y + 25

*** It proves that the given is TPS, therefore the factors are (y – 5)2

So, the given of (x2 – 4x + 4) + (y2 - 10y + 25) = 10 can be expressed as

(x – 2)2 + (y – 5) 2 = 10

C (2, 5) and r = √ units

3. x2 + y2 – 2x + 8y – 8 = 0

Solution:

x2 + y2 – 2x + 8y – 8 = 0

The above equation is in general form, to reduce it to standard form we will do some manipulation with
our given by applying the process of COMPLETING THE SQUARE since we need to have come up an
expressions of Trinomial Perfect Square.

First transpose the constant – 8 to the right side of our equation.

x2 + y2 – 2x + 8y = 8

Then, grouped terms according to common variables

(x2 – 2x) + (y2 + 8y) = 8

After that, apply the completing the square process to make each group a TPS expression.

Recall:

Completing the Square

1. Pick the numerical coefficient of the linear term of the given

expression
2. Divide the numerical coefficient by 2.
3. Square the value obtained from step 2.
rd
4. The answer in step 3 is the 3 term that will complete the expression
as Trinomial Perfect Square.

*** Always bear in mind that you need to preserve the original value of your given so whatever you have
added on the left side of equation that should be also added to the right side.

From the last step of the solution for (x2 – 2x) + (y2 + 8y) = 8

For x2 – 2x For y2 + 8y

Completing the Square Completing the Square

1. Linear term = - 2 1. Linear term = 8

2. (-2) / 2 2. (8) / 2

3. (- 1) 2 = 1 3. (4) 2 = 16
Then it becomes

(x2 – 2x + 1) + ( y2 + 8y + 16) = 8 + 1 + 16

Factor the left side and consolidate the constant on the right side of the equation

(x – 1)2 + (y + 4)2 = 25

C (1, - 4 ) and r = 5 units

4. 3x2 + 3y2 – 9x + 6y = 15

Solution:

3x2 + 3y2 – 9x + 6y = 15

For easier solution of this problem, divide it first by 3 to the quadratic terms coefficients become 1.

x2 + y2 – 3x + 2y = 5

(x2 – 3x) + (y2 + 2y) = 5

For x2 – 3x For y2 + 2y

Completing the Square Completing the Square

1. Linear term = - 3 1. Linear term = 2

2. (-3) / 2 2. (2) / 2

3. (- 3 / 2) 2 = 3. (1) 2 = 1

4. 3rd term is 1
4. 3rd term is

(x2 – 3x + ) + (y2 + 2y + 1) = 5 + +1
(x- )2 + (y + 1)2 =

(x- )2 + (y + 1)2 =

√
C( , - 1) and r = units