You are here:

Advanced Math/circle equation

Advertisement


Question
QUESTION: i have a problem with figuring out the equation of a circle that (3,0) - (6,9) - (9,-3) are on it and they fulfill the the circle equation by using the general form of circle equation :

x^2+y^2+ax+by+c=0

when i tried solving it i got

3a+c=-9

6a+9b+c=-117


9a-3b+c=-90

but i tried a lot to solve the equations all the answers i got didn't give me 0 when i put them in the equation i got a=-18 b=-6 c =45
can you check it for me?


Matrices
Matrices  
ANSWER: Note that 3a + c = 3(-18) + 45 = -54 + 45 = -9.  1st one checks.
Also, 6(-18) + 9(-6) + 45 = -108 - 54 + 45 = -117.  2nd one checks.
However, 9(-18) - 3(-6) + 45 = -162 + 18 + 45 = -162 + 63 = -99.
Oops.

See attached sheet for correct answer.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: umm i did not understand how you solved it this isnt algebra right? I mean i was only taught to solve equations with algebra i don't understand all these tables

Answer
OK, I will do it over, since I don't think what I did was even right.
I mean, it had the right approach, but I have came up with the wrong answer.

The equations area

[A] 3a + c = -9,
[B] 6a + 9b + c = -117, and
[C] 9a - 3b + c = -90.

Now to solve a set of equations and unknowns, make the coefficient of the variable in that equation equal to 1 and add the appropriate multiple of that equation to the others in order to eliminate the coefficient of that variable.  Please remember this and continue on the understand.

The [A], [B], and [C] are the equations.
The variables are a, b, and c.

To solve, get a 1 on the a in the first equation.
Cancel a from the equations below by doing the following:
The new [B] will be [B]-2[A].
The new [C] will be [C]-3[A].

This gives us
[A] a + c/3 = -3,
[B] 9b - c = -99, and
[C] -3b - 2c = -63.

Leave [A] alone this time.
Divide equation [B] by 9.
Compute the new [C] = [C] + [B]/3.

This gives us
[A] a + c/3 = -3,
[B] b - c/9 = -11, and
[C] -7c/3 = -96.

Now for the last operation.
Replace [A] with [A] + [C]/7.
Replace [B] with [B] - [C]/21.
Replace [C] with -3[C]/7.

That gives us
[A] a = -117/7,
[B] b = -45/7, and
[C] c = 288/7.

If we check these, hopefully they are right this time.
Our original equations to put the variables back in were

[A] 3a + c = -9,
[B] 6a + 9b + c = -117, and
[C] 9a - 3b + c = -90.

This gives us
[A] 3(-117/7) + 288/7 = -351/7 + 288/7 = -63/7 = -9.  Check.

[B] 6(-117/7) + 9(-45/7) + 288/7 = (-702 - 405 + 288)/7 = -819/7
= -117.  Check.

[C] 9(-117/7) - 3(-45/7) + 288/7 = (-1053 + 135 + 288)/7 = -630/7
= -90.  Check.  

Aha!  The right answer came!

Advanced Math

All Answers


Answers by Expert:


Ask Experts

Volunteer


Scott A Wilson

Expertise

I can answer any question in general math, arithetic, discret math, algebra, box problems, geometry, filling a tank with water, trigonometry, pre-calculus, linear algebra, complex mathematics, probability, statistics, and most of anything else that relates to math. I can even tell you it takes me over 2,000 steps to go a mile, but is that relevant?

Experience

Experience in the area; I have tutored people in the above areas of mathematics for almost two years in AllExperts.com. I have tutored people here and there in mathematics since before I received a BS degree almost 25 years ago. In just two more years, I received an MS degree as well, but more on that later. I tutored at OSU in the math center for all six years I was there. Most students offering assistance were juniors, seniors, or graduate students. I was allowed to tutor as a freshman. I tutored at Mathnasium for well over a year. I worked at The Boeing Company for over 5 years. I received an MS degreee in Mathematics from Oregon State Univeristy. The classes I took were over 100 hours of upper division credits in mathematical courses such as calculus, statistics, probabilty, linear algrebra, powers, linear regression, matrices, and more. I graduated with honors in both my BS and MS degrees. Past/Present Clients: College Students at Oregon State University, various math people since college, over 7,500 people on the PC from the US and rest the world.

Publications
My master's paper was published in the OSU journal. The subject of it was Numerical Analysis used in shock waves and rarefaction fans. It dealt with discontinuities that arose over time. They were solved using the Leap Frog method. That method was used and improvements of it were shown. The improvements were by Enquist-Osher, Godunov, and Lax-Wendroff.

Education/Credentials
Master of Science at OSU with high honors in mathematics. Bachelor of Science at OSU with high honors in mathematical sciences. This degree involved mathematics, statistics, and computer science. I also took sophmore level physics and chemistry while I was attending college. On the side I took raquetball, but that's still not relevant.

Awards and Honors
I earned high honors in both my BS degree and MS degree from Oregon State. I was in near the top in most of my classes. In several classes in mathematics, I was first. In a class of over 100 students, I was always one of the first ones to complete the test. I graduated with well over 50 credits in upper division mathematics.

Past/Present Clients
My clients have been students at OSU, people nearby, friends with math questions, and several people every day on the PC, and you're probably make one more.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.