What is Section Formula?
Section formula is used to find the coordinates of a point that divides the line in a given ratio or to find the ratio in which the line is divided by a point of given coordinates. Any point can divide a line segment in two ways, either the point can be on the line segment and divide the line internally or the point can be on the extended line segment and divide the line segment externally. For these two case section formula is given differently which is as follows:
- Internal Section Formula
- External Section Formula
The following illustration shows the internal and external division of line segment AB by Point O.
Section Formula
Section Formula is a useful tool in coordinate geometry, which helps us find the coordinate of any point on a line which is dividing the line into some known ratio. Suppose a point divides a line segment into two parts which may be equal or not, with the help of the section formula we can find the coordinates of that point.
In this article, we will learn about section formulas, the types of division of lines, and how to solve problems based on them in detail.
Table of Content
- What is Section Formula?
- Internal Section Formula
- Derivation of Section Formula
- External Section Formula
- Derivation of the External Section Formula
- Section Formula for Midpoint