A parabola is given by
What is the equation of its axis of symmetry?
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The given parabola's equation can be manipulated, my aim here would be to convert it to a form that I can compare with the standard: Y 2 = 4 A X where Y and X would need to be equations of perpendicular lines. The equation of the axis of symmetry would then be: Y = 0
2 x 2 + 8 x y + 8 y 2 − x + 2 y = 0
2 ( x + 2 y ) 2 = x − 2 y
( x + 2 y ) 2 = 2 1 ( x − 2 y )
Note that x + 2 y is not perpendicular to x − 2 y , so bear with me as I do the following manipulation:
( x + 2 y + λ ) 2 = 2 1 ( x − 2 y ) + 2 λ x + 4 λ y + λ 2
( x + 2 y + λ ) 2 = 2 1 ( ( 1 + 4 λ ) x + ( 8 λ − 2 ) y + 2 λ 2 )
Now, I want the lines ( x + 2 y + λ ) and ( ( 1 + 4 λ ) x + ( 8 λ − 2 ) y + 2 λ 2 ) to be perpendicular, so I shall equate the product of their slopes to -1:
( − 2 1 ) ( − 8 λ − 2 1 + 4 λ ) = − 1
⟹ λ = 2 0 3
After substituting the value λ and comparing, the equation of the axis of symmetry is:
x + 2 y + 0 . 1 5 = 0