is a line passing through the focus of the parabola and intersects with the parabola at point and .
Let point be the symmetry point about the x-axis of point , line (if exists) will always pass through the point . Find the value of .
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Since C : y 2 = 2 p x , F = ( 2 p , 0 ) . Then let l : k ⋅ y = x − 2 p .
Let's find the intersections, l × C :
( x − 2 p ) 2 = 2 k 2 ⋅ p ⋅ x x 2 − p ⋅ x + 4 p 2 = 2 k 2 ⋅ p ⋅ x x 2 − ( 1 + 2 k 2 ) ⋅ p ⋅ x + 4 p 2 = 0
x 1 , 2 = ( 1 + 2 k 2 ) ⋅ 2 p ± 4 ( 1 + 2 k 2 ) 2 ⋅ p 2 − 4 p 2 x 1 , 2 = ( 1 + 2 k 2 ) ⋅ 2 p ± ( 1 + 2 k 2 ) 2 − 1 ⋅ 2 p x 1 , 2 = ( 1 + 2 k 2 ) ⋅ 2 p ± 4 k 2 + 4 k 4 ⋅ 2 p x 1 , 2 = ( 1 + 2 k 2 ± 2 k 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ 2 p
Knowing x 1 , 2 , we can derive y 1 , 2 :
y = k x − 2 p y 1 , 2 = ( k ± 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ p
Thus we got points A and B :
A = ( ( 1 + 2 k 2 + 2 k 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ 2 p , ( k + 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ p ) B = ( ( 1 + 2 k 2 − 2 k 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ 2 p , ( k − 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ p )
Since point D is the symmetry point about the x-axis of point A :
D = ( ( 1 + 2 k 2 + 2 k 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ 2 p , ( − k − 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ p )
Now we can consider the line B D :
Δ x = x D − x B = 2 k 1 + k 2 ⋅ p Δ y = − 2 k ⋅ p
Then, B D : Δ x x − x B = Δ y y − y B
Let x = λ ⋅ p , y = 0 :
2 k 1 + k 2 ⋅ p λ ⋅ p − ( 1 + 2 k 2 − 2 k 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ 2 p = − 2 k ⋅ p 0 − ( k − 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ p 2 k 1 + k 2 λ − ( 1 + 2 k 2 − 2 k 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ 2 1 = 2 k k − 1 + k 2 1 + k 2 λ − ( 1 + 2 k 2 − 2 k 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ 2 1 = k − 1 + k 2 λ − ( 1 + 2 k 2 − 2 k 1 + k 2 ) ⋅ 2 1 = k 1 + k 2 − 1 − k 2 λ − 2 1 − k 2 + k 1 + k 2 = k 1 + k 2 − 1 − k 2 λ = − 2 1
Alternative solution:
Let d be the direttrice of the parabola and F ′ , A ′ , B ′ , D ′ be the projections of the corresponding points onto d . Then A ′ A = A F = a , B ′ B = B F = b and A O = α , B O = β . Since A ′ A and B ′ B are perpendicular to d , they are parallel to x-axis. That means A ′ F ′ A F = B ′ F ′ B F and α a = β b .
Since point D is the symmetry point about the x-axis of point A : D ′ D = D F = a and D ′ F ′ = α . Thus D ′ F ′ D ′ D = α a , B ′ F ′ B ′ B = β b . Since D ′ F ′ D ′ D = B ′ F ′ B ′ B and D ′ D ⊥ D ′ F ′ , B ′ B ⊥ B ′ F ′ , we have two similar triangles: Δ F ′ D ′ D = Δ F ′ B ′ B . That means ∠ D F ′ D ′ = ∠ B F ′ B ′ , so points F ′ , B , D lay on one line B D . That means B D intersects with x-axis at point F ′ .
Point F ′ is a projection of the focus on the direttrice, so F ′ = ( − 2 p , 0 ) .