Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT

UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com

HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Example 5 (Circle)
Find the equation of tangent for the circle x2 + y2 = 25 at (3,4)
Answer:
3x + 4y=25
Solution 1: (Explicit Differentiation)

y = 25 − x 2
−2x −x
y′ = =
2 25 − x 2
25 − x 2
−3 −3
= = at (3,4)
25 − 3 2 4

Tangent at (3,4) using point-slope form

−3 y − 4
y′ = =
4 x−3
−3(x − 3) = 4(y − 4) ⇒ 3x + 4 y = 25

Solution 2: (Implicit Differentiation)

2x + 2yy ′ = 0
x + yy ′ = 0
Substituting (3, 4)
(3) + (4) y ′ = 0
−3
y′ =
4
Tangent at (3,4) using point-slope form
−3 y − 4
y′ = =
4 x−3
−3(x − 3) = 4(y − 4) ⇒ 3x + 4 y = 25

Solution 3: (Partial Substitution)

Partial substitute use (3, 4) into the conics x2 + y2 = 25 to get tangent:
↓ ↓ ↓
3x + 4 y = 25

1
Solution 4: (Geometry)
4 3
Slope of radius OP = . Slope of tangent = − because tangent ⊥ radius.
3 4
Tangent at (3,4) using point-slope form:
y

P(3,4)

x
O

−3 y − 4
slope = =
4 x−3
−3(x − 3) = 4(y − 4) ⇒ 3x + 4 y = 25

Solution 5: (Quadratic Equation)

Suppose the slope of tangent is m. Tangent at (3,4) using point-slope form
y−4
=m
x−3
y = mx + (4 − 3m)

Solve the intersection:

x 2 + y 2 = 25
x 2 + {mx + (4 − 3m)} = 25
2

(1+ m 2 )x 2 + 2m(4 − 3m)x + (4 − 3m) 2 − 25 = 0

For tangency, there is only 1 answer for x. Thus the discriminant is 0.
(1+ m 2 )x 2 + 2m(4 − 3m)x + (4 − 3m) 2 − 25 = 0
{2m(4 − 3m)} = 4(1+ m 2 ){(4 − 3m) 2 − 25}
2

{m(4 − 3m)} = (1+ m 2 ){(4 − 3m) 2 − 25}

2

0 = (4 − 3m) 2 − 25 − 25m 2
0 = 16 − 24m + 9m 2 − 25 − 25m 2
16m 2 + 24m + 9 = 0
(4m + 3) 2 = 0
−3
m=
4
Hence, the tangent is:

−3 −3
y= x + 4 − 3( )
4 4
4 y = −3x + 16 − 3(−3)
3x + 4 y = 25
 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

HKDSE M2 Sample Question):

Find the equations of the two tangents to the curve x2 －xy－ 2y2 －1=0 which are parallel to the
straight line y = 2x + 1.
(6 marks)
Answers:
y = 2x ±2
Solution 1(Implicit differentiation):
2x-xy’-y-4yy’=0
Since y'=slope=2, 2x-x2-y-4y2=0
y=0
When y=0, x2 －x0－ 2(0)2 －1=0
x=±1
Intersection points are (±1, 0).
Tangents are: 2x-y=2(±1)-0
2x-y=±2
y = 2x ±2
Solution 2: (Quadratic Equation)
Suppose the equation of tangent is y = 2x + c.
x 2 - xy - 2y 2 - 1 = 0
Solve the intersection: 
 2x + c
x2 －x(2x + c)－ 2(2x + c)2 －1=0
x2 －2x2 － cx－ 8x2－ 8xc －2c2 －1=0
0=9x2 +9cx+2c2 +1
For tangency, there is only 1 answer for x. Thus the discriminant is 0.
(9c)2=4(9)( 2c2 +1)
9c2=8c2 +4
c2=4
c=±2
Hence, the tangents are: y=2x ± 2

3
Your Turn:

Q1. Find the equations of the tangents to the curve x2 + y2 = 8 which are parallel to x + y = 0.

Answers:
x + y = ±4
Q2. Find the equations of the tangents to the curve x2 － y2 = 3 which are parallel to y = 2x + 1.

Answers:
y = 2x ±3
2x
Q3. Find the slope of the tangent to the curve y = at x = －1.
x + 4x +1
2

Answer:
0
Q4. Show that the tangents to the curve y = x3 +9x2 + 30x − 1 cannot be parallel to x-axis.
Q5. Show that the tangents to the curves xy=2 and x2 － y2 = 3 at the points of intersection are
perpendicular.
Q6. Find the equation of the normal to the curve xy = 4 at x = 2 .
Find the coordinates of the point where the normal meet the curve again, if it does.
Answers:
normal: x = y

(-2, -2)

Q7. Find the equation of the normal to the curve xy = 4 at x = 1 .

Find the coordinates of the point where the normal meet the curve again, if it does.
Answers:
normal: 4y - x=15

(-16, -1/4)
 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

3 3
Q1. Find the equation of each tangent of the function f (x) = x − 5x + 5x − 4 which is parallel to the line y
= 2x + 1.
Answers:
y = 2x −95/27, y = 2x − 13

1 3 1
Q2. Find the equation of each normal of the function f ( x) = x + x2 + x − which is parallel to the line
3 3
1 1
y= - x+ .
4 3
Answers:
1 9
y= - x+
4 4
1 49
y= - x-
4 12
3 2
Q3. Find the equation of each tangent of the function f (x) = x + x + x + 1 which is perpendicular to the
line 2y + x + 5 = 0.
Answers:
y = 2x + 2, y = 2x +22/27
2
Q5. Find the x co-ordinate of the point where the normal to f (x) = x − 3x + 1 at x = −1 intersects the curve
again.
Answer:
21/5