Friday, February 22, 2013


A. R. Khalifa (Azizur Rahman Khalifa), Professor of Dhaka University, deduced a simple formula for determining an equation of a circle which passes through three (given) points. For this reason, the formula is also known as A. R. Khalifa's Formula.




Let two circles (larger & smaller circle) intersect each other at points A (x1, y1) &  B (x2, y2) respectively. Let C (x3, y3) be any point on the larger circle. It is required to find the formula of the larger circle, that passes through the three given points A (x1, y1), B (x2, y2) & C (x3, y3).

Now, we know that the equation of a circle drawn on the straight line joining the points A (x1, y1) & B (x2, y2) as diameter is;

(x – x1) (x – x2) + (y – y1) (y – y2) = 0 - - - - (1)

Let,
C (x, y) = (x – x1) (x – x2) + (y – y1) (y – y2) - - - - (2)

Again, the equation of a straight line passing through the two given points A (x1, y1) & B (x2, y2) is;





=> (x – x1) (y1 – y2) = (x1 – x2(y – y1)

=> (x – x1) (y1 – y2) – (y – y1) (x1 – x2) = 0 - - - - (3)

Let, 
L (x, y) = (x – x1) (y1 – y2) – (y – y1) (x1 – x2) - - - - (4)

We also know that the equation of a circle passing through the point of intersection of a circle & a straight line is;

C (x, y) + K L (x, y) = 0 - - - - (5)         [Where, K is a constant]

Equation (5) passes through the point C (x3, y3), i.e.

C (x3, y3) + K L (x3, y3) = 0                  [ K ≠ 0 ]

=>  K L (x3, y3) =  – C (x3, y3)

- - - - (6)


Putting the value of 'K' in equation (5), we get;
- - - - (7)

Equation (7) is the required formula with which the equation of a circle passing through three given points can be determined.


Example:

Problem: Find the equation of a circle passing through the points (2, 1), (10, 1) and (2, – 5). Find the radius & center of the circle.

Solution: 
Here, 
(x1, y1) = (2, 1)
(x2, y2) = (10, 1)
(x3, y3) = (2, – 5)

Just replace the coordinates in the equation (7) with the given coordinates. After some deduction, the equation of the circle will become;

x2+ y2 – 12x + 4y + 13 = 0



Center of the circle is (6,  2) & radius is = 5 unit (Q.E.D)

14 comments:

  1. The formula deduced by late A R Khalifa sir is very useful though it is difficult to memorise. The theme is more useful than the formula itself.

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  2. I was studying for Admission and wanted to find methods which take less time.
    My math book featured AR Khlifa's law but there was no introduction who he was.
    Now i am very proud to learn that he is from my country.Respect.

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  3. Can we write it as ......+k((y-y1)(x1-x2)-(x-x1)(y1-y2))=0

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  4. We are proud for khalifa Azizur Rahaman proffesor Dhaka university,becase he was a man of Daulatpur,Kushtia.

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  5. AR Khalifa tutored me my ISc class mathematics in 1970. A great soul and a philanthropist.

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  6. How did you know, A.R. Khalifa is or was a professor at DU?

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  7. I know his paternal grand daughter who lives in Sydney. She is the wife of my brother in law. I heard from her about late Khalifa. I as a BUET student in 1976 encountered his equation in our co-ordinate geometry course. Khalifa was a gold medalist from Calcutta University. In the beginning during the British period he worked as a magistrate. He became a teacher of Dhaka Varsity Math department when he settled in Dhaka after 1947 partition. It's true he hailed from Kushtia.

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  8. How did you find out the centre and radii of the circle x2+ y2 – 12x + 4y + 13 = 0

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  9. Eq should be x2+ y2 – 12x + 4y + 15 = 0

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