Let .
There are two lines which are both tangent and normal to the above curve.
Find the angle (in degrees) made between the two lines above.
Express the result to five decimal places.
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Let x ( t ) = a t 2 + b , y ( t ) = b t 3 + a ⟹ d x d y ∣ ( t = t 1 ) = 2 a 3 b t 1 ⟹
the tangent line to the curve at ( x ( t 1 ) , y ( t 1 ) ) is: y − ( b t 1 3 + a ) = 2 a 3 b t 1 ( x − ( a t 1 2 + b ) )
Let the line be normal to the curve at ( x ( t 2 ) , y ( t 2 ) ) ⟹
b ( t 2 − t 1 ) ( t 2 2 + t 1 t 2 + t 1 2 ) = 2 3 b t 1 ( t 2 − t 1 ) ( t 2 + t 1 )
⟹ ( t 2 − t 1 ) ( 2 t 2 2 − t 1 t 2 − t 1 2 ) = 0 and t 1 = t 2 ⟹ t 2 = − 2 t 1
Since the tangent is also normal to the curve at ( x ( t 2 ) , y ( t 2 ) ) ⟹ 4 a 2 9 b 2 t 1 t 2 = − 1
⟹ 8 a 2 9 b 2 t 1 2 = 1 ⟹ t 1 = ± 3 b 2 2 a ⟹ the two slopes are ± 2 .
tan ( θ ) = 2 ⟹ θ = arctan ( 2 ) ≈ 5 4 . 7 3 5 6 1 ⟹ λ = 2 θ ≈ 1 0 9 . 4 7 1 2 2 .