Parabola stuff

Calculus Level 3

If the equation of the normal to the curve y = x 2 y=x^{2} that forms the shortest chord is y = m x + c y=mx+c . Find m 2 + c 2 m^{2}+c^{2} .


The answer is 1.5.

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1 solution

C Anshul
Jul 7, 2018

H i n t s : \large{Hints:}

Equation of normal at ( t , t 2 ) (t,t^{2}) is
y + x 2 t = t 2 + 1 2 \boxed{y+\frac{x}{2t}=t^{2}+\frac{1}{2} }

Point of intersection of this normal and parabola y = x 2 y=x^{2} is

x 2 + x 2 t = t 2 + 1 2 . x^{2}+\frac{x}{2t}=t^{2}+\frac{1}{2}.

One root of this equation is we know x = t x=t and sum of root is 1 2 t -\frac{1}{2t} So other root is x = t 1 2 t x=-t-\frac{1}{2t} So here y- coordinate is t 2 + 1 4 t 2 + 1. t^{2}+\frac{1}{4t^{2}}+1.

So distance between ( t , t 2 ) (t,t^{2}) and ( t 1 2 t , t 2 + 1 4 t 2 + 1 ) (-t-\frac{1}{2t},t^{2}+\frac{1}{4t^{2}}+1) is to be shortest.

Distance is ( 1 + 4 t 2 ) ( 1 + 1 4 t 2 ) 2 \displaystyle\sqrt{(1+4t^{2})(1+\frac{1}{4t^{2}})^{2}}

Differentiating inner stuff we can easily get t = ± ( 1 2 ) . t=\pm(\frac{1}{\sqrt2}).

So there are two equations

y = ± ( 1 2 ) x + 1 y=\pm(\frac{1}{\sqrt2})x+1 .

In each case m 2 + c 2 = 1.5 \boxed{m^{2}+c^{2}=1.5}

thank you sir...

Kamal Kamal - 2 years, 10 months ago

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