Using students to create and visualise a locus in the classroom

To assist students to visualise what a locus is, I recently completed this exercise with a Year 11 class. Students can the locus given these different situations:

1. Ask a student to stand up. All other students are to stand the same distance away from him.


2. All students to stand equidistant from two opposing walls.


3. All students to stand equidistant from two adjacent walls.


4. All students to stand so that their distance from one wall is twice their distance from another wall.


5. Ask a student to stand up. All students to stand so that their distance from him and the wall behind him is the same.