The curve has parametric equations
- (i)
Find the equations of the tangent and normal to at the point with parameter .
- (ii)
The normal at the point cuts again at the point . Find the coordinates of .
- (iii)
Tangents are drawn from the point to . Show that the tangents are perpendicular.
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Worked solution
5(i)
1. Find the derivatives of $x$ and $y$ with respect to the parameter $t$.
2. Use the chain rule to find the gradient $\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x}$ at $t = p$.
At , the gradient of the tangent is .
3. Formulate the equation of the tangent at $t = p$.
At , the point on the curve is .
Using :
4. Find the gradient of the normal and formulate its equation.
The gradient of the normal .
Equation of the normal:
Tangent:
Normal:
5(ii)
1. Find the parameter corresponding to the given point.
At the point ,
(Check with -coordinate: )
2. Find the equation of the normal at the point.
From part (i), or by differentiating:
,
At , the gradient of the tangent is , so the gradient of the normal is .
Equation of the normal:
3. Find the parameter of the point where the normal intersects the curve again.
Substitute and into the normal equation:
We know is a root, so we can factorise:
Since is the other intersection point, .
4. Calculate the coordinates of $Q$.
Substitute back into the parametric equations:
5(iii)
1. Derive the general equation of the tangent at a point with parameter $p$ (as found in part (i)).
and .
At parameter , the gradient is and the point is .
The equation of the tangent is:
2. Substitute the point $(-2, -3)$ into the tangent equation to form a quadratic equation in $p$.
Since the tangents pass through , substitute and into the general tangent equation:
3. Solve for $p$ to find the gradients of the two individual tangents.
The gradients of the tangents are given by :
4. Show that the two tangents are perpendicular.
Product of gradients .
Since the product of their gradients is , the tangents are perpendicular. (Shown)
Since , the tangents are perpendicular.
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