CameraIcon
CameraIcon
SearchIcon
MyQuestionIcon
MyQuestionIcon
1
You visited us 1 times! Enjoying our articles? Unlock Full Access!
Question

A chord of a parabola passes through a point on the axis(outside the parabola) whose distance from the vertex is half the latus rectum ; prove that the normals at its extremities meet on the curve.

Open in App
Solution

The equation of the parabola be y2=4ax
Let the chord meets the parabola at P(at21,2at1) and Q(at22,2at2)
Then equation of chord is
(t1+t2)y=2x+2at1t2
It passes through (2a,0)
(t1+t2)0=4a+2at1t2t1t2=2........(i)
Let the point of intersection of normals at P and Q be (h,k)
The point of intersection of normals at two given parametric point is
{2a+a(t21+t22+t1t2),at1t2(t1+t2)}{2a+a((t1+t2)2t1t2),at1t2(t1+t2)}{2a+a((t1+t2)2t1t2),at1t2(t1+t2)}=(h,k)h=2a+a((t1+t2)2t1t2)..........(ii)k=at1t2(t1+t2)
using (i)
k=2a(t1+t2)t1+t2=k2a
substituting in (ii)
h=2a+a((t1+t2)22)h=a(t1+t2)2h=ak24a2k2=4ah
generalising the equation
y2=4ax
We get the same equation of parabola as the locus of point of intersection of tangents.
Hence proved.


flag
Suggest Corrections
thumbs-up
0
Join BYJU'S Learning Program
similar_icon
Related Videos
thumbnail
lock
Geometrical Interpretation of a Derivative
MATHEMATICS
Watch in App
Join BYJU'S Learning Program
CrossIcon