Brilliant Family

Geometry Level 5

Let P P be any point on the line x y + 3 = 0 x-y+3=0 and A A be a fixed point ( 3 , 4 ) (3,4) . If the family of lines given by the equation ( 3 sec θ + 5 csc θ ) x + ( 7 sec θ 3 csc θ ) y + 11 ( sec θ csc θ ) = 0 (3\sec \theta + 5\csc \theta)x+(7\sec \theta-3\csc \theta)y+11(\sec \theta - \csc \theta)=0 are concurrent at a point B B for all permissible values of θ \theta and the maximum value of P A P B = 2 n |PA-PB|=2\sqrt{n} , where n n is a square-free positive integer , then find the value of n n .


The answer is 10.0.

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1 solution

Ishan Singh
Jun 2, 2016

Let L ( x , y ) x y + 3 = 0 L(x,y) \equiv x-y+3=0 . We have,

( 3 sec θ + 5 csc θ ) x + ( 7 sec θ 3 csc θ ) y + 11 ( sec θ csc θ ) = 0 (3\sec \theta + 5\csc \theta)x+(7\sec \theta-3\csc \theta)y+11(\sec \theta - \csc \theta)=0

sec ( θ ) ( 3 x + 7 y + 11 ) + csc ( θ ) ( 5 x 3 y 11 ) = 0 ( 1 ) \implies \sec(\theta) (3x + 7y +11 ) + \csc(\theta) (5x-3y-11) =0 \quad \ (1)

Family of lines ( 1 ) (1) will always pass through the intersection of the lines 3 x + 7 y + 11 = 0 3x + 7y +11 =0 and 5 x 3 y 11 = 0 5x-3y-11 = 0 which is ( 1 , 2 ) (1,-2)

Let B ( 1 , 2 ) B \equiv (1,-2) and A ( 3 , 4 ) A \equiv (3,4)

Now, m A B = 3 m L m_{AB} = 3 \neq m_{L} , so A B AB and L L are not parallel. Further,

L ( 3 , 4 ) L ( 1 , 2 ) > 0 P o i n t s l i e o n t h e s a m e s i d e o f t h e l i n e L L(3,4) \cdot L(1,-2) > 0 \implies \ \mathrm{Points \ lie \ on \ the \ same \ side \ of \ the \ line \ L}

Thus there must be a point on the extended line segment A B AB intersecting the line L L . Let this point be C C .

P A P B A B = 2 10 ( T r i a n g u l a r I n e q u a l i t y ) \implies |PA - PB| \leq |AB| = 2\sqrt{10} \ (\mathrm{Triangular \ Inequality})

where the equality holds at point C C .

n = 10 \therefore n = \boxed{10}

Nice solution! +1

Nihar Mahajan - 5 years ago

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