AQA Core 4 Parametric equations

Section 1: Using parametric equations

Solutions to Exercise
1. (i)

x 1 t t 1 x
y t 2 4
(1 x )2 4
1 2x x2 4
x2 2x 3

(ii) y

y
2

x 2t

1
2
x 2 2
y
y

xy 2 2
(iii) x 2 cos sin

x 2 4cos2 4cos sin sin 2

y cos 2 sin y 2 cos2 4cos sin 4sin 2

Adding:
x 2 y 2 5 cos2 5 sin 2 5(cos 2 sin 2 )
x 2 y2 5

2. (i)

t
x
y

-3
9
-27

-2
4
-8

-1
1
-1

0
0
0

1
1
1

2
4
8

3
9
27

(ii)
y

(iii) x t 2

t x

y t 3 ( x )3
y x

3
2

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AQA C4 Parametric equations 1 Exercise solutions

3. (i)

x
y

3
0

(ii)

4
6
3
2.9 2.6 2.1 1.5
0.5 1 1.4 1.7

13
12
-2.9
-0.5

x
y

5
12
0.8
1.9

12

5 4
4
3
-2.1 -1.5
-1.4 -1.7

7
6
-2.6
-1

7
12
-0.8
1.9

2
0
2

17
12
-0.8
-1.9

3
2
0
-2

3
2
5
4
6
3
-1.5 -2.1 -2.6
1.7 1.4
1

19
12
0.8
-1.9

5
3
1.5
-1.7

7
4
2.1
-1.4

11
12
-2.9
0.5

11
6
2.6
-1

-3
0

23
12
2.9
-0.5

(iii)
y
2
x
3

3
2

(iv) x 3cos

y 2 sin
Adding:

x
3

x2
9

cos

y2
4

sin

x2
9

cos 2

y2

sin 2

cos 2 sin 2
1

4. (i) The curve is undefined for t = 0.

(ii) When x 0 , t

0 t

t 2 1 t 1

1
When t 1 , y 2 1 4
1

1
When t 1 , y 2 1
4
1

so the curve crosses the y-axis at (0, 4) and (0, -4).

When y 0 , t

0 t

t 2 1

so the curve does not cross the x-axis.

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2
3
0

AQA C4 Parametric equations 1 Exercise solutions

(iii) x t

2 x 2t

1
2
y 2 t y 2t

t
t
Adding: 2 x y 4t

Substituting into x t

2x y
4

2x y
4

4
2x y

4 x(2 x y ) (2 x y )2 16
8 x 2 4 xy 4 x 2 4 xy y 2 16

y 2 4 x 2 16

5.

t
x
y

-2
-12
16

-1.5
-3.75
9

-1
0
4

-0.5
0.75
1
15

0
0
0

0.5
-0.75
1

1
0
4

1.5
0.75
9

2
12
16

10

5
x
10

10

x 2t (t 2 1), y 4t 2
x 2 4t 2(t 2 1)2
x 2 y 41 t 1

6. (i) x 16t cos

16cos
2
x
x
y 16 sin
5

16 cos
16 cos
5 x2
y x tan
sec 2
256
5 x2
y x tan
(1 tan 2 )
256

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AQA C4 Parametric equations 1 Exercise solutions

(ii) The ball bounces when y = 0.
16t sin 5 t 2 0

16t sin 30 5 t 2 0
8t 5 t 2 0

t (8 5 t ) 0
t 0 or t 1.6

The ball bounces when t = 1.6

x 16 1.6cos 30 22.2
so the horizontal distance travelled is 22.2 m (3 s.f.)
(iii) Maximum height occurs when

dy

dy
dt

0.

16 sin 30 10t 8 10t

dt
At maximum height, 8 10t 0 t 0.8
When t = 0.8, y 8 0.8 5 0.8 2 3.2
The maximum height is 3.2 m.

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