The curve CC has equation y=ax2−2ax+a−2x−2,a∈R, a≠0.y=\frac{ax^2-2ax+a-2}{x-2},\quad a\in\mathbb{R},\ a\ne 0.

  1. (i)

    Find dydx\dfrac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x}.

  2. (ii)

    Find the range of values of aa for which CC has no stationary points.

  3. (iii)

    For a=1a=1, sketch the curve CC, indicating the equations of asymptotes, coordinates of intersections with the axes and turning points, if any.

  4. (iv)

    By sketching a suitable curve on the diagram in (iii), state the number of positive and negative roots of the equation x3−2x2−x=k(x−2)x^3-2x^2-x=k(x-2) where k>0k>0.

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Worked solution

10(i)

1. Apply the quotient rule to differentiate $y$ with respect to $x$.

Let u=ax2−2ax+a−2u = ax^2 - 2ax + a - 2 and v=x−2v = x - 2.
Then dudx=2ax−2a\frac{\mathrm{d}u}{\mathrm{d}x} = 2ax - 2a and dvdx=1\frac{\mathrm{d}v}{\mathrm{d}x} = 1.
Using the quotient rule dydx=vdudx−udvdxv2\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x} = \frac{v\frac{\mathrm{d}u}{\mathrm{d}x} - u\frac{\mathrm{d}v}{\mathrm{d}x}}{v^2}:
dydx=(x−2)(2ax−2a)−(ax2−2ax+a−2)(1)(x−2)2\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x} = \frac{(x - 2)(2ax - 2a) - (ax^2 - 2ax + a - 2)(1)}{(x - 2)^2}

2. Expand and simplify the numerator to get the final derivative.

dydx=2ax2−2ax−4ax+4a−ax2+2ax−a+2(x−2)2\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x} = \frac{2ax^2 - 2ax - 4ax + 4a - ax^2 + 2ax - a + 2}{(x - 2)^2}
dydx=ax2−4ax+3a+2(x−2)2\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x} = \frac{ax^2 - 4ax + 3a + 2}{(x - 2)^2}

Answer

dydx=ax2−4ax+3a+2(x−2)2\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x} = \frac{ax^2 - 4ax + 3a + 2}{(x-2)^2}

10(ii)

1. Set the numerator of the derivative to zero to find the condition for stationary points.

From part (i), we have:
dydx=ax2−4ax+3a+2(x−2)2\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x} = \frac{ax^2 - 4ax + 3a + 2}{(x-2)^2}
For stationary points, dydx=0\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x} = 0, which means the numerator must be zero:
ax2−4ax+3a+2=0ax^2 - 4ax + 3a + 2 = 0

2. Apply the condition for the curve to have no stationary points.

For the curve to have no stationary points, the quadratic equation must have no real roots. Therefore, the discriminant must be less than zero (Δ<0\Delta < 0):
b2−4ac<0b^2 - 4ac < 0
(−4a)2−4(a)(3a+2)<0(-4a)^2 - 4(a)(3a + 2) < 0

3. Solve the inequality to find the range of values for $a$.

16a2−12a2−8a<016a^2 - 12a^2 - 8a < 0
4a2−8a<04a^2 - 8a < 0
4a(a−2)<04a(a - 2) < 0
Since the parabola opens upwards and we want the region below the aa-axis:
0<a<20 < a < 2

Answer

0<a<20 < a < 2

10(iii)

1. Substitute $a = 1$ into the curve equation and find the equations of the asymptotes.

Substituting a=1a = 1 into CC,
y=x2−2x−1x−2y = \frac{x^2 - 2x - 1}{x - 2}
Performing polynomial division to find the oblique asymptote:
y=x(x−2)−1x−2=x−1x−2y = \frac{x(x - 2) - 1}{x - 2} = x - \frac{1}{x - 2}
From this form, the vertical asymptote is x=2x = 2.
As x→±∞x \to \pm\infty, 1x−2→0\frac{1}{x - 2} \to 0, so the oblique asymptote is y=xy = x.

2. Calculate the coordinates of the intersections with the axes.

For the yy-intercept, set x=0x = 0:
y=−1−2=12y = \frac{-1}{-2} = \frac{1}{2}
The intersection is (0,12)(0, \frac{1}{2}).

For the xx-intercepts, set y=0y = 0:
x2−2x−1=0x^2 - 2x - 1 = 0
Using the quadratic formula:
x=2±(−2)2−4(1)(−1)2=2±82=1±2x = \frac{2 \pm \sqrt{(-2)^2 - 4(1)(-1)}}{2} = \frac{2 \pm \sqrt{8}}{2} = 1 \pm \sqrt{2}
The intersections are (1−2,0)(1-\sqrt{2}, 0) and (1+2,0)(1+\sqrt{2}, 0).

3. Determine if there are any turning points by analysing the first derivative.

Differentiating y=x−(x−2)−1y = x - (x-2)^{-1} with respect to xx:
dydx=1+(x−2)−2=1+1(x−2)2\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x} = 1 + (x-2)^{-2} = 1 + \frac{1}{(x-2)^2}
Since 1(x−2)2>0\frac{1}{(x-2)^2} > 0 for all x≠2x \ne 2, we have dydx>1>0\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x} > 1 > 0 everywhere on the curve's domain.
Therefore, dydx≠0\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x} \ne 0 for all xx, meaning there are no turning points.

4. Describe the sketch of the curve incorporating all calculated features.

Draw the asymptotes x=2x=2 and y=xy=x as dashed lines.
Plot the yy-intercept (0,12)(0, \frac{1}{2}) and xx-intercepts (1−2,0)(1-\sqrt{2}, 0) and (1+2,0)(1+\sqrt{2}, 0).
The left branch (x<2x < 2) lies above the oblique asymptote (since −1x−2>0-\frac{1}{x-2} > 0), passes through (1−2,0)(1-\sqrt{2}, 0) and (0,12)(0, \frac{1}{2}), and curves upwards towards x=2x = 2.
The right branch (x>2x > 2) lies below the oblique asymptote, comes from −∞-\infty near x=2x = 2, passes through (1+2,0)(1+\sqrt{2}, 0), and approaches y=xy=x from below as x→∞x \to \infty.

Answer

A sketched curve of y=x2−2x−1x−2y = \frac{x^2 - 2x - 1}{x - 2} containing the following features:

  • Asymptotes: A dashed vertical line at x=2x = 2 and a dashed oblique line at y=xy = x.
  • Axial intercepts: Curve crosses the yy-axis at (0,12)(0, \frac{1}{2}) and the xx-axis at (1−2,0)(1-\sqrt{2}, 0) and (1+2,0)(1+\sqrt{2}, 0).
  • Turning points: None.
  • Shape: Two branches. The left branch (x<2x < 2) lies above y=xy = x, crossing both axes and asymptotically approaching y=xy = x as x→−∞x \to -\infty and x=2x = 2 as y→∞y \to \infty. The right branch (x>2x > 2) lies below y=xy = x, starting from x=2x=2 as y→−∞y \to -\infty, crossing the xx-axis at 1+21+\sqrt{2}, and asymptotically approaching y=xy = x as x→∞x \to \infty.

10(iv)

1. Rearrange the given equation to identify the suitable curve to sketch alongside $C$.

x3−2x2−x=k(x−2)x^3-2x^2-x = k(x-2)
Factorising out xx on the left-hand side:
x(x2−2x−1)=k(x−2)x(x^2-2x-1) = k(x-2)
Dividing both sides by x(x−2)x(x-2) (noting that x=0x=0 and x=2x=2 are not solutions):
x2−2x−1x−2=kx\frac{x^2-2x-1}{x-2} = \frac{k}{x}
The left-hand side is the equation of the curve CC for a=1a=1. Thus, the roots of the equation correspond to the xx-coordinates of the points of intersection between the curve CC and the curve y=kxy = \frac{k}{x}.

2. Determine the number of intersections by visualising the sketch of $y = \frac{k}{x}$.

Sketch the curve y=kxy = \frac{k}{x} on the same diagram from (iii). Since k>0k>0, the hyperbola has branches in the first (x>0,y>0x>0, y>0) and third (x<0,y<0x<0, y<0) quadrants.

From the visual behaviour of the graphs:

  • For x<0x < 0: The branch of y=kxy = \frac{k}{x} in the third quadrant intersects the left portion of CC exactly once, yielding 11 negative root.
  • For x>0x > 0: The branch of y=kxy = \frac{k}{x} in the first quadrant intersects the left branch of CC (0<x<20 < x < 2) exactly once, and it also intersects the right branch of CC (x>2x > 2) exactly once. This yields a total of 22 positive roots.
Answer

22 positive roots and 11 negative root.

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