Loci Exercises

1. Mr Dumpleton is 2cm from shape Q. Shade the

region he could be in.

2. Sketch the region in which you are at most 2cm from

shape A.

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3.

4. Draw the locus representing points which are 1cm

from the edges of polygon M (this could include the

inside).

7. Find the locus for which the points are equidistant

from lines A and B.

5. Sketch the region which is at most 5cm from A and

3cm from B.

8. Draw the locus representing points which are

equidistant from A and B.

6.

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10.Sketch the region at most 3cm away from A and at

most 2cm away from B.
9. Mr Belemet is tied by a rope, of length 4cm to a fixed
point A. Shade the region in which Mr Belemet can
graze.

A
B
A

11.Sketch the region where you are at most 2.5cm from

A, at least 2cm from B, and at most 1.5cm from C.

A
C

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12.

c. Closer to AB than to AD, less than 4cm away

from A, and more than 1cm away from CD.

13.
14.

15.Shade the region within rectangle ABCD which is:

a. Closer to AB than to CD, and closer to BC than
to AB.

d. Closer to BC than to AD, more than 3cm away

from B, and closer to AB than to BC.

b. Closer to AB than to CD, and at most 3cm

away from A.

16. For the following questions, calculate the area of

the locus, in terms of the given variables (and

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where appropriate). Assume that you could be inside

or outside the shape unless otherwise specified.

e.

j.

metres away from the edges of a square

of length

Being attached to one corner on the outside of

xx

l .

square building (which you cant go

2x .

inside), by a rope of length

____________________
f.

metres away from the edges of a

rectangle of sides

and

____________________

h .

k. At most

metres away from an L-shaped

building with two longer of longer sides

____________________
g.

and four shorter sides of

metres away from the edges of an

equilateral triangle of side length

y .

h. Inside a square ABCD of side

being at least

Being attached to one corner on the outside of

wh

metres,

square building (which you cant go

inside), by a rope of length

metres from A, and closer

between the cases when

____________________
Being inside an equilateral triangle of side

2 x , and at least
vertices.

____________________

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away from each of the

(where

x< w+h ). You may wish to distinguish

to BC than to CD.

i.

metres.

____________________
l.

____________________

2x

x< h
17.

and otherwise.

x< w

and/or

18.

19.

Answers

1. Mr Dumpleton is 2cm from shape Q. Shade the

region he could be in.

2. Sketch the region in which you are at most 2cm from

shape A.

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3. Draw the locus representing points which are 1cm

from the edges of polygon M (this could include the

inside).

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4. Sketch the region which is at most 5cm from A and

3cm from B.
Two circles of radius 5cm and 3cm drawn.
Overlap shaded.
20.
5. Find the locus for which the points are equidistant
from lines A and B.
Angle bisectors with appropriate construction
lines.
21.

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6. Draw the locus representing points which are

equidistant from A and B.
7. Mr Belemet is tied by a rope, of length 4cm to a fixed
point A. Shade the region in which Mr Belemet can
graze.

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8. Sketch the region at most 3cm away from A and at

most 2cm away from B.

A
B

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9. Sketch the region where you are at most 2.5cm from

A, at least 2cm from B, and at most 1.5cm from C.

b. Closer to AB than to CD, and at most 3cm

away from A.

c. Closer to AB than to AD, less than 4cm away

from A, and more than 1cm away from CD.
22.Shade the region within rectangle ABCD which is:
a. Closer to AB than to CD, and closer to BC than
to AB.

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where appropriate). Assume that you could be inside

or outside the shape unless otherwise specified.
a.

metres away from the edges of a square

of length

l .

4 exterior rectangles:

4 xl

4 quarter circles forming 1 full circle:

x2
4 interior rectangles:

4 xl

Total overlap on interior rectangles:

4 x2
d. Closer to BC than to AD, more than 3cm away
from B, and closer to AB than to BC.

Total:
b.

8 xl+ x 24 x 2

metres away from the edges of a

rectangle of sides

and

h .

Using the same approach as above,

Area:
c.

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metres away from the edges of an

equilateral triangle of side length

23. For the following questions, calculate the area of

the locus, in terms of the given variables (and

4 xw +4 xl+ x 24 x2

3 exterior rectangles:

y .

3 xy

3 sixth circles which form a semicircle:

1
2
x
2

1
2
x
2

3 interior rectangles (without overlap):

Total:

3 x ( y2 3 x )
6 interior corner right-angled triangles:

3 3 x

Total:

f.

Being attached to one corner on the outside of

xx
1
x 2+ 6 xy3 3 x 2
2

square building (which you cant go

inside), by a rope of length

d. Inside a square ABCD of side

being at least

1 2
x ( 2 3 )
2

metres,

metres from A, and closer

to BC than to CD.
First calculate area of square minus area
of quarter circle:

1
2
2
x x Half it:
4

3
4

2x .

of a circle with radius

2x :

Two quarter circles of radius

a semicircle:

Total:

3 x2
forming

1
x2
2

7
x2
2

1 2
x ( 8 )
8
e. Being inside an equilateral triangle of side

2 x , and at least

away from each of the

vertices.
Area of entire triangle:

3 x

Area of 3 sixth-circles forming semicircle:

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g. At most

metres away from an L-shaped

building with two longer of longer sides

and four shorter sides of

metres.

2x

Five quarter-circles of radius

x :

3
2
x
4

5
x2
4

x> w , then we have an additional

If

Two rectangles:

4x

Three squares:

3 x2

quarter circle with area

Similarly, if

1
2
( xw ) .
4

x> h , we have an additional

Total:

1 (
x 5 + 28 )
4

quarter circle with area

h. Being attached to one corner on the outside of

wh

If we let

square building (which you cant go

inside), by a rope of length

between the cases when

x< h

b , then the total is:

3
1
1
x 2 +max ( xw )2 , 0 +max ( xh )2 , 0
4
4
4

and/or
f

and otherwise.

Three quarters of a circle with radius

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give the maximum of

(where

x< w+h ). You may wish to distinguish

x< w

and

max ( a , b )

1
( xh )2
4

x> w+h , then things start to get very

hairy!

x
24.