Calculus 1 : Distance

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Calculus 1

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #741 : Spatial Calculus

Assume that two students are each walking on a circular path. We further suppose that these paths are centered at the origin. The radius of the first one is , and the radius of the second is . One student stopped walking and is located at . What is the distance between the two students if other one is walking on the lower half of the circle of radius ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We will use the distance formula to show this result. Recall that having two points with coordinates , then the distance between this two points is given by:

.  We will call the first fixed point . To find the second point, note that the equation of the circle with radius 1 is given by:

Since we are looking for the lower half, we have by solving for y:

( We need only the lower  half in this case , that is why y is .

Hence our second point is .

Using the distance formula we have:

We need to simplify this expression a bit:

this gives finally after cancelling and adding:

Example Question #742 : Spatial Calculus

A person is sitting on  and the other is walking on the line . What is the distance between the two?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We will use the distance formula to show this result. Recall that having two points with coordinates , then the distance between these two points is given by:

We will call the first fixed point .

To find the second point, note that the coordinate of the walking person is (x,4) since the x is changing and y is always 4. 

Using the distance formula we have:

We need to simplify this expression a bit:

this gives finally after cancelling and adding:

Example Question #743 : Spatial Calculus

Joe is sitting on , and James is walking along the line .

What is the distance between the two ?( As a function of )

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We will use the distance formula to show this result. Recall that having two points with coordinates , then the distance between these two points is given by:

We will call the first fixed point . To find the second point, note that the coordinates of the walking person is (x,0) since James is walking along the x-axis. 

Using the distance formula we have:

We need to simplify this expression a bit to get:

 

Example Question #11 : How To Find Distance

A person is restricted to sit on the center of the circle:

.

Another person is moving along the line . What is the distance between the two at any given position of the second?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the center of the circle. We will have to rewrite the expression of the circle.

We have .

Using complete the square method, this gives:

and we know that:

Therefore we have :

is the same as : .

This means that the center is (1,1). Since the moving has (x,4) as coordinates (the y-coordinate is the same, x is changing).

Using the distance formula we have :

.

We can simplify this expression to get :

 

Example Question #11 : How To Find Distance

We want to measure the distance of the intersection of the two circles:

and . What is this distance?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the intersection of the two circles, we will have to solve the simultaneous system:

.

We first write the second part of the system in a simplified manner , we have then:

and this gives:

.

Now we have :

, then this gives  and hence:

and solving for y we have .

We use the fact that and therefore we have:

.

This gives us 

.

Hence

.

Finally we deduce the value of y by plugging in each x value into our original equation and solving for y . When we do this we get , and when .

Now we the points  and .

Using the distance formula we have :

Example Question #12 : How To Find Distance

The line  intersects the unit circle at two points. What is the distance between these points?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We will have to find these points. After that we will use the distance formula to find the distance between them. To find the intersection we will have to solve the following system:

which we can write by solving for y in the second equation.

Plugging in the value of y in the first system we have:

. This gives:

and hence we have:

.

This gives or  .

We deduce the value of y from:

.

If .

If  

We have the two points of interesection:. Now we use the distance formula to the distance :

Example Question #13 : How To Find Distance

The line  intersects the circle of center  and radius at  in two points. Find the distance between these two points.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We first find the equation of the circle. we have the center is (1,1) and the radius is 4. This gives:

.

We have the equation of the line is y=1.

Now we need to solve the system:

.

Plugging the value of y=1 in the second equation we have:

. Solving for x, we get :

or . Therefore we have the two points:

and . Now we use the distance formula:

Example Question #14 : How To Find Distance

Let be any point on the plane. What is the distance between this point and its symmetric with respect to the -axis?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Let , then its symmetric with respect to the x-axis is given by:

. Now using the distance formula we have:

Note that  .

Example Question #751 : Calculus

Let  be any point in the plane. What is the distance between  and its symmetric with respect to the -axis?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Note that if then its symmetric with respect to the y-axis is given by:

.

Now we use the distance formula.

.

Please note that . Therefore the distance is .

Example Question #16 : How To Find Distance

Let  be any point in the plane. What is the distanc between  and its symmetric with respect to the origin?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Let . We know that its symmetric with respect to the origin is given by:

b=.

Now we will use the distance formula to find the distance between a and b.

We have:

and this gives: .

This shows the required result.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors