Sunday, March 11, 2012

Aim: How can we identify compound loci?

First of all what is compound loci?
Compound loci is when a problem contains two or more locus condition within one problem.

Here is an easy way of solving compund loci problems:

Steps:
1.  Draw a diagram showing the given information in the problem.  

2.  Read carefully to determine one of the needed conditions.  (Look for the possibility of the words "AND" or "AND ALSO" separating the conditions.)
3.  Plot the first locus condition.  If you do not see one of the locus theorems at work in the problem, locate one point that satisfies the needed condition and plot it on your diagram.  Then locate several additional points that satisfy the condition and plot them as well.  Plot enough points so that a pattern (a shape) is starting to appear, or until you remember the needed locus theorem for the problem. 
4.  Through these plotted points draw a dotted line to indicate the locus (or path) of the points.

An example would be the following:
What is the coordinates of points two units from the origin and what are the points that are 1 unit from the y axis.
The answer is 4 because the locus of points from the origin will be a circle and the lines from the y axis are y=-1 and y=1 so there are four points that satisfy both.
                                                    

QUESTION:

What are the locus of points 3 units from the origin and
locus of points 2 units to the right on the y-axis? Place an x on the points that satisfy both.
5.  Repeat steps 2-4 for the second locus condition.
6.  Where the dotted lines intersect will be the points which satisfy both conditions.  These points of intersection will be the answer to the compound locus problem.

1 comment:

  1. I know your answer to your aim !!!!:D
    boss, you know if its a compound loci if the locus problem has one or more conditions within that same problem :).
    thank you for posting that because now i know two ways of explaining "how do we identify compound loci:)"

    bye-bye BOSS

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