Ray (Coordinate Geometry)

A ray is a line that starts at a given point and goes off for ever in some direction. It may pass through another point as it does so. This is the same as the definition of a Ray in ordinary plane geometry, the only difference being that we know the coordinates of the points involved. The naming conventions are also the same.

Things to try

1. In the above diagram, press reset. The ray AB has an endpoint A at (53,7) and passes through point B at (53,20) on its way to infinity.
2. Drag A, B or the origin point and construct various other rays to get a feel for the concept.

See also the definition of a Ray in plane geometry.

Other Coordinate Geometry topics

• Introduction to coordinate geometry
• The coordinate plane
• The origin of the plane
• Axis definition
• Coordinates of a point
• Distance between two points

• Introduction to Lines
  in Coordinate Geometry
• Line (Coordinate Geometry)
• Ray (Coordinate Geometry)
• Segment (Coordinate Geometry)
• Midpoint Theorem

• Distance from a point to a line
• - When line is horizontal or vertical
• - Using two line equations
• - Using trigonometry
• - Using a formula

• Intersecting lines

• Cirumscribed rectangle (bounding box)
• Area of a triangle (formula method)
• Area of a triangle (box method)
• Centroid of a triangle
• Incenter of a triangle
• Area of a polygon
• Algorithm to find the area of a polygon
• Area of a polygon (calculator)
• Rectangle
• Definition and properties, diagonals
• Area and perimeter
• Square
• Definition and properties, diagonals
• Area and perimeter
• Trapezoid
• Definition and properties, altitude, median
• Area and perimeter
• Parallelogram
• Definition and properties, altitude, diagonals

• Print blank graph paper