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ANGLE BETWEEN TWO CURVES

If two curves intersect at P then the angle between the tangents to the curves at P is called the angle between the curves at P.

Angle between the curves: Let y = f ( x ) and y = g ( x ) be two differentiable curves intersecting at a point P. Let m1 = [ f ( x )]P , m2 = [ g( x )]P be the slopes of the tangents to the curves at P. If is the acute angle between the curves at P then tan =

m1 m2 1 + m1m2

Note 1: If m1 = m2 then = 0 . In this case the two curves touch each other at P. Hence the curves have a common tangent and a common normal at P. Note 2: If m1m2 = 1 then = . In this case the curves cut each other orthogonally at P.
1 =0 m2

Note 3: If m1 = 0 and

then the tangents to the curves are parallel to the coordinate axes.
2

Therefore the angle between the curves is = .

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Exercise I. 1. Find the angle between the curves given below.
x + y + 2 = 0; x 2 + y 2 10y = 0

Sol: x + y + 2 = 0 x = ( y + 2 ) ---- (1)

Equation of the curve x 2 + y 2 10y = 0 -- (2) Solving above equations, ( y + 2 )2 + y 2 10y = 0
y 2 + 4y + 4 + y 2 10y = 0

2y 2 6y + 4 = 0 y 2 3y + 2 = 0 y = 1 or y = 2
x = ( y + 2) y = 1 x = (1 + 2 ) = 3 y = 2 x = ( 2 + 2 ) = 4

( y + 1)( y 2 ) = 0

The points of intersection are P ( 3,1) and Q ( 4, 2 ) , Equation of the curve is x 2 + y 2 10y = 0 Differentiate x 2 + y 2 10y = 0 w.r.to x. 2x + 2y
dy dy dy dy x 10 = 0 2 ( y 5 ) = 2x = dx dx dx dx y5

Equation of the line is x + y + 2 = 0 Slope is m2 = -1.

Case (i):
slope m1 = dy 3 3 atP = = and Slope is m2 = -1. 1 5 4 dx

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Let be the angle between the curves, then
3 +1 1 1 1 = 4 = = tan 3 7 7 1+ 4

tan =

m1 m2 1 + m1m2

Case (ii):
slope m1 = dy 4 4 atQ = = and Slope is m2 = -1. dx 25 3
4 +1 1 = 3 = 4 7 1+ 3

m m2 tan = 1 1 + m1m2

1 = tan 1 7
2.
y 2 = 4x and x 2 + y 2 = 5 .

Ans: Points of intersection of P (1, 2 ) and Q (1, 2 ) and = tan 1 ( 3)

3.

x 2 + 3y = 3 and x 2 y 2 + 25 = 0 .

22 6 Ans: = tan 1 69

4.

x2 = 2 ( y + 1) , y =

8 x +4
2

2 8 16 + 2x + 8 Sol: x 2 = 2 2 + 1 = x +4 x2 + 4

x 2 x 2 + 4 = 2x 2 + 24 x 4 + 4x 2 2x 2 24 = 0 x 2 + 2x 2 24 = 0

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x 2 + 6 x 2 4 = 0 x 2 = 6 or x 2 = 4
x 2 = 6 x is not real
y= 8 x +4
2

)(
=

8 8 = =1 4+4 8

Points of intersection are P ( 2,1) and Q ( 2,1)

Equation of the first curve is x 2 = 2 ( y + 1)

2x = 2. dy dy =x dx dx

slope m1 =

dy atP ( 2,1) = 2 dx
8 x2 + 4

Equation of the second curve is y =

dy = dx 8 ( 1) 2x = 16x

( x2 + 4)

( x2 + 4)

slope m2 =

16.2 32 1 dy atP ( 2,1) = = = 2 dx ( 4 + 4 ) 64 2

m1m2 = 2.-1/2 =-1

The given curves cut orthogonally.

Therefore angle between them is =

2 2

Similarly, at Q ( 2,1) the angle between the curves is =

5.

2y 2 9x = 0, 3x 2 + 4y = 0 (In the 4th quadrant)

2 Sol: Given curves are 2y 2 9x = 0 9x = 2y 2 x = y2 9

Second curve is 3x 2 + 4y = 0

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Solving above equations,
3. 4 4 y + 4y = 0 81

4y 4 + 108y =0 27

4y y3 + 27 = 0
y = 0 or y3 = 27 y = 3 9x = 2y 2 = 2 9 x = 2

Point of intersection in 4th quadrant is P ( 2, 3) Equation of the first curve is 2y 2 = 9x Differentiate w.r.t. x,
4y dy dy 9 =9 = dx dx 4y

slope m1 =

dy 9 3 atP ( 2, 3) = = dx 4. 3 4

Equation of the second curve is 3x 2 + 4y = 0 4y = 3x 2 differentiate w.r.t x, 4.

dy = 6x dx

dy 6x 3x = = dx 4 2

slope m2 =

3.2 dy = 3 atP ( 2, 3) = dx 2

If is the angle between the curves then tan =

m1 m2 1 + m1m2

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9 = tan 1 . 13
6.
y 2 = 8x, 4x 2 + y 2 = 32

Ans: = tan 1 ( 3) ? 7.
x 2 y = 4, y x 2 + 4 = 8 .

1 Points P ( 2,1) , Q ( 2,1) angle = tan 1 3

8. Sol:
1 1 Show that the curves 6x 2 5x + 2y = 0 and 4x 2 + 8y 2 = 3 touch each other at , . 2 2

Equation of the first curve is 6x 2 5x + 2y = 0 2y = 5x 6x 2

2. dy dy 5 12x = 5 12x = dx dx 2

dy = m1 = 1 1 dx atP ,
2 2

5 12.

1 2 = 56 = 1 2 2 2

Equation of the second curve is 4x 2 + 8y 2 = 3

8x + 16y.
dy =0 dx

16y.

dy = 8x dx

dy = 8x = x
dx 16y

2y

1 dy 2 =1 = m2 = 1 1 2 1 dx atP , 2 2 2 2

m1 = m2
1 1 The given curves touch each other at P , . 2 2

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PROBLEMS FOR PRACTICE

1.

Find the slope of the tangent to the following curves at the points as indicated. i.
y = 5x 2 at ( 1, 5 )

ii. iv.
6

y = 1 x 2 at ( 2, 3 )
y= x1 at ( 0, 1 ) x+1

iii. y =

1 1 at 3, x1 2

v. x = a sec , y = a tan at = 2. 3. 4.

vi.

x y a + b = 2 at ( a, b ) .

Find the equations of the tangent the normal to the curve y = 5x4 at the point ( 1, 5 ) . Find the equation of the tangent and the normal to the curve y 4 = ax 3 at ( a,a ) Find the equations of the tangent to the curve y = 3x 2 x 3 , where it meets the X-axis?

5. Sol:

Find the points at which the curve y = sin x horizontal tangents. ?

y = sin x

dy = cos x dx
Y

4x 3x

2x

2x

3x

4x

A tangent is horizontal if and arial its slope is cos x = 0 x = ( 2n + 1) , n 2 2

Hence the given curve has horizontal tangents at points ( x 0 , y0 )

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x 0 = ( 2n + 1) and y 0 = ( 1)n for same n z . 2

6. Sol:

Verify whether the curve y = f ( x ) = x1/ 3 has a vertical tangent at the point with x = 0 .

y y = f(x) x

f (0 + h ) f (0) h1/ 3 1 = Lt Lt 2 / 3 h h 0 h h 0 h h0 Lt

h 0

Lt

(h )

1/ 3 2

The function has a verified tangent at the point whose x co-ordinate is 0.

Find whether the curve y = f ( x ) = x 2 / 3 has a vertical tangent at the point with x = 0.

Sol:

f (0 + h ) f (0) h 2 / 3 For h 0, we have = h h

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Thus left handed be normal
h 1 1
1/ 3

as h 0 is

While the right handed limit is , Hence Lt

h 0 h1/ 3

does not exist. The vertical tangent does not exit.

At the point x = 0.

8.

Show that the tangent of any point on the curve x = c sec , y = c tan is
y sin = x c cos .

9.

Show that the area of the triangle formed by the tangent at any point on the curve xy = c ( c 0 ) with the coordinate axis is constant. ?
If c = 0 the equation xy = 0 represents the co-ordinate circle which is against the definite. Let P ( x1 , y1 ) be a point on the curve xy = c
y= c dy c = 1, = 2 x dx x

Sol: Observe that c 0

Equation of the tangent at ( x1 , y1 ) is

y y1 = c x2

( x x1 )

x 2 y x12 y1 = + 1 + x12 .y = x12 + 1 = 1 + 1 ( x1y1 = c )

= 21

xy = c B P (x1 , y 1 )

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x 2 .y + 1 =1 21 21

x y + =1 2x1 2c x1
1 OA.OB 2

Area of the triangle formed with co-ordinate axes =

= 2c 1 ( 2x1 ) = 2c = constant . 2 x1

10.

x y Show that the equation of the tangent to the curve + = 2 ( a 0, b 0 ) at a b

the point ( a,b ) is +

x a

y = 2. b
n n

x y Sol: Equation of the curve is + = 2 a b

Differentiating w.r.to x1 we get

x n a
n 1

1 y . + n a b

n 1

1 dy =0 . . b dx

n a b a a dy = = x 1 a dx ( a,b ) n b b b

x 1

Equation of the tangent to the curve at the point ( a, b ) is

yb =

b (x a) a

y x 1 = +1 b a

x y + =2 a b

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x n 1 y n 1 11. If the line x cos + y sin x = p touches the curve + a b
n n =1

then show

that pn = ( a cos ) + ( b sin ) .

n n

12.

If the normal at the curve ay 2 = x 3 ( a 0 ) at a point makes equal intercepts with the co-ordinate axes, then find the x co-ordinate of the point
Let P ( x1, y1 ) be the point on the curve ay 2 = x 2 Differentiating w.r.to x 2ay =
2 dy dy 3x = 3x 2 = 1 dx dx 2ay1

Sol:

Equation of the normal to the curve at a y y1 =

2ay1 3x12

( x x1 )

3x12 y 3x12 y1 = 2ay1x + 2ax1y1

2ay1x + 3x12 y = 2ax1y1 + 3x12 y1

x 3x12 y1 + 2ax1y1 2ay1

y
2 3x1 y1 + 2ax1y1 3x12

=1

Given

2 3x12 + 2ay1 3x1 y1 + 2ax1y1 = 2ay1 3x12

2 3x14 = 2ay1 9x14 = 4a 2 y1 2 3 = x1 But ay1 4 3 9x1 = 4ax1

3 x1 ( 9x1 4a ) = 0

x1 = 0 ( or )

4a 9

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13.
x The tangent to the curve y 2 = 4a x + a sin ( a 0 ) at a point P on it is parallel to xa

axis. Prove that all such points P lie on the curve y 2 = 4ax Sol:

x Equation the curve y 2 = 4a x + a sin a

Differentiating w.r.to x

2y.

dy x = 4a 1 + cos dx a

dy 2a x = 1 + cos dx y a

P ( x1, y1 ) be a point o the curve at which the tangent parallel to x-axis. Slope of the tangent is zero

dx P = 0 dy
1 + cos

2a x1 1 + cos = 0 y a

x1 x = 0 cos 1 = 1 a a

sin

x1 =0 a

--- (1)

P ( x1, y 1 ) lies on the given curve

x y 2 = 4a x + a sin a

x 2 = 4a x1 + a sin 1 y1 a
i.e., y12 = 4ax1

= 4ax1 + 0 by (1)

P lies on the curve y 2 = 4ax

14.

Show that the length of the sub-normal at any point of the curve y 2 = 4ax is a constant. Show that the length of the sub tangent at any point on the curve y = a x ( a > 0 ) is constant a.

15.

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16. Show that the square of the length of sub tangent at any point on the curve
by 2 = ( x + a )
2

( b 0 ) varies as the square of the length of the sub-normal at that

2

point. Sol:

Length of the curve is by 2 = ( x + a ) Differentiating w.r.to x 2by dy 2 = 3( x + a ) dx

L.N= length of the subnormal of any point p ( x, y ) = y.

3( x + a ) 3( x + a ) = y. = 2by 2b
2 2

dy dx

L.T=length of the sub tangent

y 2by = = y. 2 dy 3( x + a ) dx
2

2.by 2 3( x + a )
2

2(x + a) 3( x + a )

2 (x + a) 3

L.N 3 ( x + a ) 9 27 . = = 2 2 L.T 2b 8b 4( x + a)

Square of the length of sub tangent at any point on the curve varies as the square of the length of the sub-normal .at 17. Find the value of k, so that the length of the subnormal at any point on the curve
y = a1-k .xk is constant.

18.

Show that at any point o the curve xm + n = am n .y 2n ( a > 0,m + n 0 ) mth power of the length of the sub tangent varies of the nth power of length of the sub-normal.

19. Find the angle between the curve xy = z and x 2 + 4y = 0 . 20. Find the angle between the curve 2y = Sol:
Equation of y-axis is x = 0 The point of intersection of the curve 2y
x =e 2

x e2

and y-axis.

1 and x = 0 is P 0, 2

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The angle made by the tangent to the curve 2y
dy tan = dx 1 e 1= 4 0,
2 x 2 1 0, 2

x =e 2

at P with x axis is given by

1 4

Further, if is the angle between the y axis and 2y =

tan = tan cot = 4 2
The angle between the curve and the y-axis is tan

x e2

, then we have

4.

21.

Show that the condition of the orthogonally of the curves ax 2 + by 2 = 1 and

a1x 2 + b1y 2 = 1 is 1 1 1 1 . = a b a1 b1

Sol:

Let the curves ax 2 + by 2 = 1 and a1x 2 + b1y 2 = 1 intersect at p ( x1, y1 ) so that

2 2 2 2 ax1 + by1 = 1 and a1x1 + b1y1 = 1 , from which we get,
2 x1 y2 1 = 1 = b1 b a 1 a ab1 a1b

--- (1)

Differentiating ax 2 + by 2 = 1 with respect to x, we bet dy = ax

dx by

Hence, if m1 is the slope of the tangent at P ( x1 , y1 ) to the curve

ax 2 + by2 = 1, m1 =

ax1 by1 a1x1 b1y1

Similarly, the slope ( m 2 ) of the tangent at P to a1x 2 + b1y 2 = 1 is given by m2 = Since the curves cut orthogonally we have m 1m 2 = 1 . i.e.,
2 aa1x1 2 bb1y1

= 1 or

2 x1 2 y1

bb1 aa 2

--- (2)

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Now from (1) and (2), the condition for the orthogonally of the given curves is b1 b bb1 = a a1 aa1 Or ( b a ) a1b1 = ( b1 a1 ) ab Or

1 1 1 1 = a b a1 b1

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