Distance Between Parallel Lines with Different Coefficients

Rarely Tested

Distance Between Parallel Lines with Different Coefficients

## Formula

For:

$$A_1x+B_1y+C_1=0$$

and:

$$A_2x+B_2y+C_2=0$$

if:

$$\frac{A_1}{A_2}=\frac{B_1}{B_2}=k$$

then:

$$d=\frac{|C_1-kC_2|}{\sqrt{A_1^2+B_1^2}}$$

## Usage

- Used when two parallel lines are not written with identical coefficients of $$x$$ and $$y$$.

Question 1

Find the distance between the parallel lines $$3x - 4y + \sqrt{2}\sin\theta = 0$$ and $$6x - 8y - 3\sqrt{2}\cos\theta = 0$$ when $$\theta \in [0, 2\pi]$$ is chosen such that this distance is maximized.

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