Determining Collinear Points in Geometry: A Step-by-Step Guide

Collinear points

In geometry, collinear points are points that lie on the same straight line

In geometry, collinear points are points that lie on the same straight line. These points are said to be collinear because they can be connected with a single straight line without any breaks or curves.

To determine whether points are collinear, you can use the following steps:

1. Take a look at the given points. Let’s say we have three points: A, B, and C.

2. Calculate the slopes of the line segments formed by connecting these points. The slope of a line can be found using the slope formula: (change in y-coordinates) / (change in x-coordinates).

– Find the slope of the line segment AB, denoted as mAB.
– Find the slope of the line segment BC, denoted as mBC.

3. If the slopes of the line segments AB and BC are equal, then the points A, B, and C are collinear. This is because if the slopes are equal, it means that the line segments are parallel and will never diverge away from each other.

4. Alternatively, you can use the distance formula to check if the three points are collinear. Calculate the distances AB, BC, and AC. If the sum of the distances AB and BC is equal to the distance AC, the points are collinear. This is due to the fact that the sum of two sides of a triangle is always greater than the third side.

Note: It is important to keep in mind that if the points lie on the same line, they are collinear. However, if they do not lie on the same line, they are non-collinear.

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