The simplest condition: requiring that the line of the pencil pass through an assigned point. It suffices to substitute the coordinates of the point into the equation of the pencil and solve for kk.

Example — Passing through a point

In the pencil fk: xky+k+2=0f_k:\ x - ky + k + 2 = 0, find the line that passes through Q(1;0)Q(1;0).

Substitution: 1k0+k+2=0    3+k=0    k=31 - k\cdot 0 + k + 2 = 0 \implies 3 + k = 0 \implies k = -3.

Required line: x(3)y+(3)+2=0x - (-3)y + (-3) + 2 = 0, that is x+3y1=0x + 3y - 1 = 0.

Topics: Pencils of lines
Concepts: Pencil of lines · Proper pencil · Pencil parameter
Functions: Line
Skills: Analytic geometry · Solving equations