# Math Help - Midpoint formula question

1. ## Midpoint formula question

The questions asks to find the point that divides the interval AB ( A(-7, 5), B(3, 1) ) into the ratio 3:1

I'm looking at the answer but I can't work out why they changed 3:1 to 3:-1 and therefore get a different answer to me

2. Originally Posted by chancey
The questions asks to find the point that divides the interval AB ( A(-7, 5), B(3, 1) ) into the ratio 3:1...
Hi,

you are looking for a unknown point U so that the distances
$\frac{AU}{UB}=\frac{3}{1}$

$AU=3\cdot UB$

UB = AB - AU . So you get:

$AU=3\cdot (AB-AU)$. Thus:
$AU=3AB-3AU$
$AU=\frac{3}{4}\cdot AB$

Because $B(x_A+10,y_A+(-4))$ your unknown point is now well-known:
$U(x_A+\frac{3}{4}\cdot 10,y_A+\frac{3}{4}\cdot (-4))$. That means: $U(0.5,2)$

I've attached a diagram to show you the situation. In the textbox you find the ratio.

EB

3. Hello, chancey!

You could baby-talk your way through this one . . .

Find the point that divides the line segment $AB$ into the ratio $3:1$
given: $A(-7, 5),\;B(3, 1)$

We want a point $P$ which is $\frac{3}{4}$ the distance from $A$ to $B.$

. . $A$ . . . . . . . . . . . $P$ . . . $B$
. . $* - - + - - + - - \bullet - - *$

To go from $A(-7,5)$ to $B(3,1)$, we'd move: $\begin{Bmatrix}\text{10 units right} \\ \text{4 units down}\end{Bmatrix}$

To go three-fourths the distance, we'd move: $\begin{Bmatrix}\frac{3}{4}\cdot10 = \frac{15}{2}\text{ units right} \\ \frac{3}{4}\cdot4 = \text{3 unit down}\end{Bmatrix}$

Hence, $P$ is: . $\begin{Bmatrix}\text{-}7 + \frac{15}{2} = \frac{1}{2} \\ 5 + (\text{-}3) = 2\end{Bmatrix} \quad \Rightarrow\quad P\left(\frac{1}{2},\,2\right)$

Of course, this is basically Earboth's solution.