Perpendicular tricks!

Geometry Level 5

Take a second degree curve S b 2 x 2 + a 2 y 2 2 b 2 h x 2 a 2 k y a 2 b 2 + b 2 h 2 + a 2 k 2 = 0 S\equiv b^2x^2 + a^2y^2 -2b^2hx-2a^2ky- a^2b^2+b^2h^2+a^2k^2=0 Now a line L x cos α + y sin α p h cos α k sin α = 0 L\equiv x\cos \alpha + y\sin \alpha - p-h\cos \alpha-k\sin\alpha=0

intersects the curve S = 0 S=0 and the points of interception makes right angle at the centre of the curve. If r r is the radius of the circle, centred at the centre of S S , that the line L = 0 L=0 touches, find r 2 r^2 when a = 5 a=\sqrt5 and b = 3 b= \sqrt3 .


This question is original and designed to frighten.


The answer is 1.875.

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2 solutions

Prakhar Bindal
Dec 18, 2016

Its a kind of problem which appears scary but is quite easy to solve

The dangerous equation in the beginning can be simplified to

(x-h)^2/a^2 +(y-k)^2/b^2 = 1

Which is nothing but our standard ellipse .

Lets shift the origin to point (h,k)

the equation becomes x^2/a^2+y^2/b^2 = 1

and the equation of line becomes xcos(alpha)+ysin(alpha) =p

Homogenising the modified equation of ellipse with modified equation of line and equation the coefficient of x^2+coefficient of y^2 = 0

We get

p^2 = (ab)^2/a^2+b^2

Now the centre of the circle is (h,k) and radius is simply perpendicular distance of that line from (h,k)

invoking formula for perpendicular dsitance the distance will turn out to be p

On putting a,b you get r^2 = 15/8

Q.E.D

Haha, I did the same thing, but backwards 😁!

Kishore S. Shenoy - 4 years, 5 months ago

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Cool but what do you mean by backwards?

Prakhar Bindal - 4 years, 5 months ago

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From final answer, framed a question... backwards

Kishore S. Shenoy - 4 years, 5 months ago

Did the same!

Harsh Shrivastava - 4 years, 5 months ago

You could have perhaps even rotated the coordinate system, to make it even more complicated.

Indraneel Mukhopadhyaya - 4 years, 5 months ago
Deeparaj Bhat
Mar 4, 2016

@Kishore S Shenoy Are you sure the question is fine? Because I wasn't able to get an answer independent of h h and k k .

It is correct now. Thanks!

Kishore S. Shenoy - 5 years, 3 months ago

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