ellipse help (1 Viewer)

viraj30

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can someone plz show me the working out of this question-

A perpendicular OP is drawn from the centre of the ellipse x^2/a^2 + y^2/b^2=1 to any tangent. Prove that the locus of P is (x^2 + y^2)^2= a^2.x^2 + b^2.y^2 ....

Help will be much appreciated!
 

BlueMP

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Assuming P lies on H


Origin: O(0,0)
Point P: P(x_1, y_1)


H: x^2/a^2 + y^2/b^2 = 1


OP is perpendicular to Tangent @ P
--> ie, (m_op).(m_tangent@P) = -1 <-- the condition required


m_op = (y_1-0)/(x_1-0) = y_1/x_1


m_tangent@P:


Differentiate H wrtx: (2x/a^2) + (2y/b^2)*dy/dx = 0 (implicit differentiation and chain rule)
Rearrange to find dy/dx: dy/dx = -b^2.x/a^2.y
Substitute P(x_1, y_1) to find gradient at P: m_tangent@P = -b^2.x_1/a^2.y_1


Now, continue with: (m_op).(m_tangent@P) = -1


(y_1/x_1)*(-b^2.x_1/a^2.y_1) = -1


Simplify --> b^2 = a^2


Consider the given Locus of P: (x^2+y^2)^2 = a^2.x^2 + b^2.y^2
Replacing b^2 with a^2 gives us: (x^2+y^2)^2 = a^2.x^2 + a^2.y^2
= a^2.(x^2+y^2)
Cancelling (x^2+y^2) on both sides: x^2 + y^2 = a^2 (x^2 +y^2 cannot = 0)
Which represents a circle with centre (0,0) and radius a units, or, if we replaced a^2 with b^2, a radius of b units


Point P lying on H now becomes H: x^2/a^2 + y^2/a^2 = 1 --> x^2 + y^2 = a^2


i.e. P lies on a circle with radius a units or radius b units
 

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