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Geometry Level 5

Let P 1 \mathcal{P}_1 and P 2 \mathcal{P}_2 be two parabolas with distinct directrices 1 \ell_1 and 2 \ell_2 and distinct foci F 1 F_1 and F 2 F_2 respectively.

It is known that F 1 F 2 1 2 F_1 F_2 \parallel \ell_1 \parallel \ell_2 , F 1 F_1 lies on P 2 \mathcal{P}_2 , and F 2 F_2 lies on P 1 \mathcal{P}_1 . The two parabolas intersect at distinct points A A and B B . Given that F 1 F 2 = 1 F_1F_2 = 1 , the value of A B 2 AB^2 can be expressed as m n \dfrac{m}{n} , for relatively prime positive integers m m and n n . Find 100 m + n 100m + n .


The answer is 1504.

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1 solution

Tom Engelsman
Apr 4, 2021

Let the parabola P 1 P_{1} be represented by x 2 = 4 p y x^2 = 4py (with directrix l 1 : y = p l_{1}: y = -p and focus F 1 ( 0 , p ) ) . F_{1}(0,p)). If the focus F 2 ( 1 , p ) F_{2}(1,p) lies on P 1 P_{1} , then we obtain: 1 = 4 p 2 p = 1 2 1 = 4p^2 \Rightarrow p =\frac{1}{2} , or x 2 = 2 y \boxed{x^2=2y} for P 1 . P_{1}.

For the parabola P 2 P_{2} , it must be concave down in order to satisfy l 2 l 1 F 1 F 2 l_{2} \parallel l_{1} \parallel F_{1} F_{2} and l 2 l 1 . l_{2} \neq l_{1}. This requires the form: ( x 1 ) 2 = 4 q [ y ( 1 / 2 + q ) ] -(x-1)^2 = 4q[y-(1/2+q)] , and if F 1 ( 0 , 1 / 2 ) P 2 F_{1}(0,1/2) \in P_{2} then we obtain:

( 0 1 ) 2 = 4 q [ 1 / 2 ( 1 / 2 + q ) ] 1 = 4 q 2 q = 1 2 -(0-1)^2 = 4q[1/2 - (1/2+q)] \Rightarrow -1 = -4q^2 \Rightarrow q = \frac{1}{2}

or ( x 1 ) 2 = 2 ( y 1 ) \boxed{-(x-1)^2 = 2(y-1)} for P 2 . P_{2}. We now turn to solving for the intersection points A A and B B , which compute to:

( x 1 ) 2 = 2 y 2 x 2 + 2 x 1 = x 2 2 0 = 2 x 2 2 x 1 x = 2 ± 4 4 ( 2 ) ( 1 ) 4 x = 1 ± 3 2 . -(x-1)^2 = 2y-2 \Rightarrow -x^2+2x-1 = x^2-2 \Rightarrow 0 = 2x^2 -2x -1 \Rightarrow x = \frac{2 \pm \sqrt{4-4(2)(-1)}}{4} \Rightarrow \boxed{x = \frac{1 \pm \sqrt{3}}{2}}.

and y = x 2 2 y = 1 2 ± 3 4 . y = \frac{x^2}{2} \Rightarrow \boxed{y = \frac{1}{2} \pm \frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}}. Thus, we have the points A ( 1 + 3 2 , 1 2 + 3 4 ) A(\frac{1+\sqrt{3}}{2}, \frac{1}{2}+\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}) and B ( 1 3 2 , 1 2 3 4 ) B(\frac{1-\sqrt{3}}{2}, \frac{1}{2}-\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}) , and:

A B 2 = [ 1 + 3 2 1 3 2 ] 2 + [ 1 2 + 3 4 1 2 + 3 4 ] 2 = ( 3 ) 2 + ( 3 2 ) 2 = 3 + 3 4 = 15 4 = m n AB^{2} =[\frac{1+\sqrt{3}}{2} - \frac{1-\sqrt{3}}{2}]^2 + [\frac{1}{2}+\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4} - \frac{1}{2} +\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}]^2 = (\sqrt{3})^2 + (\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2})^2 = 3 + \frac{3}{4} = \boxed{\frac{15}{4}} = \frac{m}{n}

Finally, we obtain 1000 m + n = 1000 ( 15 ) + 4 = 1504 . 1000m+n = 1000(15) + 4 = \boxed{1504}.

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