8.5 The Midpoint Formula
This is a set of guiding questions and materials for creating your own lesson plan on the
introducing the midpoint formula.
Common Core State Standards: G-GPE.6, G-GPE.7
Learning Objectives
 To find the midpoint on a line segment given by the two endpoints.
 To understand how to derive and apply the distance formula.
Guiding Questions
 What is half of 11?
o Use a number line to locate half of 11.
o Introduce the term midpoint.
o Make a connection to a segment of length 11 units.
 What happens to the midpoint if we move this segment one unit to the right?
 Suppose we had started at this location, how could we have found the midpoint?
 What are the coordinates of the point between points (3, 1) and (8, 1)?
 What are the coordinates of the point between points (-3, 1) and (8, 1)?
 What are the coordinates of the point between points (2, 3) and (2, 7)?
 What are the coordinates of the point between points (2, -3) and (2, 7)?
 What are the coordinates of the point between points (2, 3) and (8, 1)?
 What are the coordinates of the point between points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2)?
o
 x1  x2 y1  y2 
,

2 
 2
Midpoint  
Notes for Teachers
 I have indented some suggestions in the questions above.
Video of the Day
 8.5.1 The Midpoint Formula
o Description: We derive the Midpoint Formula.
o Tags: midpoint formula, Hector Rosario, G-GPE.6, G-GPE.7, NC Common Core
Exercises and Problems
 Successful Mathematics: North Carolina Common Core Math 1 Item Bank, Nagy-Lup, p.
91, problems 1-17.

Khan Academy
o Midpoint Formula exercises
Online Resources
 Khan Academy
o The Midpoint Formula