DPH MATHEMATICS SERIES TEXT BOOK OF CONICFirst Published-2005 ISBN 81-8356-000-8 © Author Published by DISCOVERY PUBLISHING HOUSE 4831/24, Ansari Road, Prahlad Street, Darya Ganj, New Delhi-110002 (India) Phone: 23279245 © Fax: 91-11-23253475 E-mail:dphtemp@indiatimes.com Printed at Arora Offset Press Laxmi Nagar, Delhi-92Contents Preface The General Equation of the Second Degree Conic Section, To Prove that the General Equation of the Second Degree Always Represents a Conic Section in General, Centre Definition, Centre ofa Conic, Working Rule for Finding the Coordinates of the Centre of a Conic, Asymptotes, Nature of Conic, If (x,, y,) are the Coordinates of the Centre of the Hyperbola, To Find the Equation of the Hyperbola Conjugate to (1), Eccentricity, Coordinates of the Foci and the Equation of the Directories of the Central Conic, Working Rule to Trace and Ellipse or a Hyperbola, Tracing of a Parabola. Polar Equation of a Conic Conic Section, Polar Co-ordinates, To Find the Polar Equation of a Conic with its Latus Rectum of Length 2L, Eccentricity E and the Focus Being the Pole, To Find the Equation to the Directrix of the Conic, To Find the Polar Equation of a Conic with its Focus as the Pole and its Axis Inclined at an Angle a to the Initial Line, Chord Joining Any + Two Points on the Conic, Tangent to the Conic at a Given Point, Asymptotes, Auxiliary Circle, To Find the Point of Intersection of the Two Tangents at the Points A and B on the Conic, Director Circle, Pair of Tangents, To Find the Asymptotes, Chord of Contact, Polar, Perpendicular Lines, Normal. General Conics, Contacts and Confocals. Equation of a Conic Section, Conic Through Five Points, Intersection of a Straight Line and a Conic, Tangent to the General Conic, Condition of Tangency, Director Circle of a PagesConic, Foci, Tangents from a Focus to a Conic, To Find the Foci ofa Conic, Conjugate Lines, Chord with a Given Middle Point, Diameter, Conjugate Diameters, Find Condition that the two Straight Lines, Pair of Tangents, Axis of the Conic, Directrices of the Conic, Contact of Conics, The Equation of a Family of Conics Through the Points of Intersection of a Given Conic and two Straight Lines, Tangents from an External Point to a Conic Found by the Method of Double Contact, To Find the General Equation of the Conic Passing Through the Vertices of a Quadrilateral, Equation of a Conic Referred to Tangent and Normal as Coordinate Axes, Confocal Conics, To Find the Equation of Confocals to an Ellipse, Propositions on Confocals Conics.® THE GENERAL EQUATION OF THE SECOND DEGREE CONIC SECTION The curve which come under the catagory of conic section are : a pair of straight lines, circle, a parabola, an ellipse and a hyperbola. The name conic section is derived from the fact that these curve were first obtained by cutting a cone in various ways. Analytically a conic section is defined as follows : A conic section or conic is the locus of a point which moves so that its distance from a fixed point called the focus, is in a constant ratio to its perpendicular distance from a fixed straight line called the directrix. The constant ratio is called the eccentricity and it is denoted by e. If the focus does not lie upon the directrix, the conic is an ellipse, a parabola or a hyperbola according as e <, -, or > 1. The circle is a special case of an ellipse when e = 0. In this case the focus is the centre of the circle and the directrix is at an infinite distance from the focus. Is the focus lies on the directrix, the conic section is a pair of straight lines. TO PROVE THAT THE GENERAL EQUATION OF THE SECOND DEGREE ALWAYS REPRESENTS A CONIC SECTION IN GENERAL The general equation of the second degree is given as ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy +c = 0. (1) Let us remove the term of xy. For this we turn the coordinate axes through an angle 0, the origin remaining the same. So replacing x by x cos @-y sin 0. and y by x sin 8 + y cos @ in equation (1), we obtain2 Text Book of Conic Section a(x cos 6 —y sin 6) + 2h (x cos 6 — y sin 4) (x sin 8 + y cos @) +b (x sin 6 + y cos 6)? + 2g (x cos 6 — y sin 4) + 2f (x sin 0 + y cos 6) + ¢ =0 =>x? (a cos? @ — 2h cos 6 sin @ + b sin? © + 2xy{h (x cos* @ —sin? 6) + (b — a) sin @ cos 0} + y? (a sin? @ — 2h cos @ sin 8 + b cos? 6) + 2x (g cos 6 + f sin 6) + 2y (fcos8-gsin6)+c=0 ...(2) We choose @ so that the coefficient of xy in (2) becomes zero. Thus, we have h (cos? 6 - sin? @) + (b — a) sin 8 cos 9 = 0 1 > h cos 26—- > (a—b) sin 26 = 0 => tan 20 = 2h/(a — b) (3) The relation (3) always gives real values of @ for all values of a, b and h. If we substitute the values of cos 8 and sin @ found from (3) in (2) the term of xy is removed and the equation (2) takes the form Ax? + By? + 2Gx + 2Fy +C = 0. (dD) Now the following tow cases arise. Case / ; Let A # 0 and B # 0. The equation (4) may be written as 2 2 2 2 ale +2%.9 +a(y +25 }+-F-F ceo A A B B 2 B 2 A 2 2 2 z G F G F Al[x+— B ( ‘) =—-—-C r (x * -] ‘°C R TAB = K, (say). Shifting the origin to (-G/A, -F/B), this equation becomes Ax? + y? = K, (5) Case IJ ; One of A and B is zero while the other is not zero. Without loss of generality was can take A = 0 and B # 0 because if B = 0 and A + 0, the procedure and the result are similar. Now if A = 0 and B = 0, the equation (4) becomes as follows: By? + 2Gx + 2Fy +C =0.The Equation of the Second Degree 3 FP 2G) cE => yt+e "SX gta wT) If G = 0, the equation (7) represents two parallel straight lines, which are coincident if F? — BC also is zero. If G # 0, the equation (7) can be written as ( Fy 20 PoC yt+s| =-—1x-=ts| B B 2BG 2G ree Shifting the origin to = 3G" | this equation becomes y? = ~+(2G/B) x, which represents a parabola. Hence is every case the general equation of seccnd degree represents a conic sectior: CENTRE DEFINITION (a) The centre of a conic section is a point which bisects all those chords of the conic that pass through it is known as centre. (b) To show that the origin is the centre of the conic when the equation of the conic is of the form of conic section, ax? + 2hxy + by? + ¢ = 0 Al) Let P (x,, y,) be any point on the conic (1). Then we have ax,? + 2hx,y, + by? + ¢ = 0. (2) Obviously the point Q (-x,, -y,) also lies on equation (1) because if (-x,, -¥,) is to lie on (1), we must have a(-x,) + 2h (-x,) Gy) + by te=0 or ax,’ + 2hxy, + by? +¢=0 which is true by virtue of (2). We now Q is the point on.the line PO produced to O i.e, the origin (0, 0) is the middle point of P and Q. Thus all chords of the conic (1) passing through (0, 0) are bisected at (0, 0) and hence, by the definition of the centre, the origin is the centre of the conic whose equation is of the form (1). (c) The general equation of the second degree namely ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2ex + 2fy +c =0 will represent a conic with centre at the origin only if the coefficient of x = the coefficient of y = 04 Text Book of Conic Section ie, only if g = f = 0, ie, only if the first degree terms are absent from the equation of the conic. If the centre of the conic is to be at the origin, then for each point (x,, y,) on the conic, the point (—x,, —y,) must also lie on the conic. Substituting the coordinates of these points in the equation of the conic, we have ax,’ + 2hx,y, + by,? + 2gx, + 2fy, +c =0 (3) and ax? + 2hx,y, + by? — 2gx, — 2fy, +c=0 -f4) Subtracting (4) from (3), we obtain 4ex, + 4fy, = 0 ie, gx, + fy, = 0. «--(5) Since the relation (5) is to hold for all the points (x,, y,) lying on the conic, therefore we must have g = 0, f = 0. (d) Standard Form of the equation of a conic with centre at the origin the equation of a conic with the centre at the origin is given by ax? + 2hxy + by? +c = 0 > ax? + 2hxy + by? - => (-2) x7 42 (=) xy + (=) yal c c c This is of the form Ax? + 2hey + By? = 1. -.-(6) The equation (6) is the standard form of all the conics with centre at the origin. CENTRE OF A CONIC To find the coordinates of the centre of the conic ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fv + ¢ = 0 and to find the equation of the conic with respect to the coordinate axes through its centre parallel to the directions of the original coordinates axes. The given conic is ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2ex + 2fy+e=0. ...(1) Let (x,, y,) be the centre of the given conic (1). Then shifting the origin to the point (x,, y,) on replacing x by x + x, and y by y + y,, the coordinate axes remaining parallel to their original directions, the equation (1) becomes as a(x tx + 2h +x) ty)tbG ty? +2ig(x+x)+2fyty)+c=0 =>ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2 (ax, + hy, + g)x + 2 (hx, + by, + flyThe Equation of the Second Degree 5 + ax,? + 2hx,y, + by? + 2gx, + 2fy, + ¢ = 0. (2) Since the centre of the conic (2) is at the origin, we must have the coefficient of x in (2) = 0. ie, ax, + hy, +2 =0 +(3) and the coefficient of y in (2) = 0 ie, hx, + by, + f = 0. (4) Solving (3) and (4) for x, and y,, we obtain XY Mv dd hf-bg gh-af ab—bk? 6) -. the centre (x,, y,) of the conic (1) is given as & -bg gh- sf) ab -h?” ab -h?) If the constant term in the equation (2) is denoted by c,, then c, = ax? + by? + 2hxyy, + 2gx, + 2fy, + ¢ = x,(ax, + hy, + g) + y, (hx, + by, + f) + ex, + fy, + ¢ =x,.O+y,.0+ gx, + fy, +c, by (3) and (4) we have = gx, + fy, +c ...(6) hf - ts} (2 - ) = +f =| +c, =e 8 oe ab - h” substituting for x,, y, (5) _ abe +2igh-af?-bg>-ch? A ab = h? ab -h?? where A = abc + 2fgh — af* — bg? — ch? is called the discriminant of the equation (1). Hence the equation (2) ie, the equation of the given conic with respect to the centre as the origin reduces to A ax? + 2hxy + by? + ab_-h? =% (7) WORKING RULE FOR FINDING THE COORDINATES OF THE CENTRE OF A CONIC The coordinates of the centre of the conic (1) can be conveniently found by the use of partial differentiation. Let F (x, y) = ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy + ¢ = 0.6 Text Book of Conic Section oF oF We have me = 2 (ax + hy + g), ay = 2 (hx + by + f). From the equations (3) and (4), we see that the centre of the conic F (x, ¥) = 0 is obtained by solving the equations ax. + hy +g¢=0 and hx + by + f=0 oF OF - Le, > 9 and ey 7% Let (x,, y,) be the centre of the conic (1). Then referred to the centre as the origin, the coordinates axes remaining parallel to their old directions, the equation of the conic becomes as ax? + 2hxy + by? +c, = 0, where c, = gx, + fy, + ¢ The equation ax? + 2hxy + by? + ¢, = 0 can then be put in the standard form Ax? + 2Hxy + By? = 1. ASYMPTOTES To find the equation of the asymptotes of the central conic ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy + ¢ = 0. (1) The equation ofa conic and its asymptotes differ only by a constant term. So let the equation of the asymptotes of the conic (1) be given as ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy +c +A = 0. 22) where 4 is to be so chosen that (2) represents a pair of straight lines. Now the condition for (2) to represent a pair of straight lines is given as ab (c + A) + 2fgh — af? - bg? - (c + A) bh? =0 (Here the constant term in (2) is ¢ + A)] => (abc + 2fgh — af? - bg? - ch’) + A (ab - h?) = 0 => A +A (ab — h?) = 0, or A = —A/(ab — h’). Putting this value of | in (2), the equation of the asymptotes of (1) is given as ax? + Dhxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy + = =0. ...(3) ab — NATURE OF CONIC (a) We can find the nature of the conic ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy +c =0 wl) from its second degree terms as shown below.The Equation of the Second Degree 7 Let A # 0, so that the equation (1) does not simply represent a pair of straight lines. The equation of the pair of straight lines passing through the origin and parallel to the asymptotes of the conic (1) is given by ax? + 2hxy + by? = 0 ..(2) If h? — ab > 0, the straight lines (2) are real and so the asymptotes are real. Hence in this case the conic (1) is a hyperbola. If h? - ab = 0, the second degree terms in (1) are in a perfect square, and so the conic (1) is a parabola. If h? — ab < 0, the straight lines (2) are imaginary and so the asymptotes are imaginary. Hence in this cases the conic (1) is an ellipse. Thus the general equation of the second degree ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2ex + 2fy +c =0 represents a hyperbola, a parabola or an ellipse according as h? - ab >, =, or <0, unless A = 0, when it represents two straight lines. (b) Criteria far ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0 to represent a pair of straight lines, circle, parabola, ellipse or hyperbola. The equation ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy + ¢ = 0 represents (i) a pair of straight lines if A = 0, (ii) a pair of parallel straight lines if A = 0 and h? = ab. (iii) a circle if a = b and h = 0. (iv) a parabola if h? — ab and A # 0. (v) an ellipse if b> < ab and A = 0. (vi) a hyperbola if h? > ab and A + 0. (vii) a rectangular hyperbola if A # 0, h? > ab and a + b = 0. IF (x,, y,) ARE THE COORDINATES OF THE CENTRE OF THE HYPERBOLA F (x, y) = ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2ex + 2fy +e = 0. then to prove that the equation of the asymptotes is F (x, y) = 2F (x,, y,) and the equation of the conjugate hyperbola is F (x, y) = 2F (x, y)).8 Text Book of Conic Section The equations of a hyperbola and its asymptotes differ only by a constant term. So let the eon of the asymptotes of the hyperbola F (x, y) = 0 be F(x, ) +A =0, () where A is a constant. Since the asymptotes of a hyperbolas pass through its centre, therefore the point (x,, y,) must satisfy the equation (1). So we have F(X, y) +A =0 or A=—F(X,, y,). Putting this value of 2 in (1), the equation of the asymptotes of the given hyperbola is given by F(x, y) — F(x, y,) = 0 (2) => F(x, y) = F(x, y,). We know that the equation of the conjugate hyperbola differs from the equation of the asymptotes by the same constant as the equation of the asymptotes differs from the equation of the hyperbola. So adding the constant term —F(x,, y,) to the equation (2), we get the equation of the hyperbola conjugate to the given hyperbola as F(x, y) - 2F(x,, y,) = 0 => F(x, y) - 2F(x,, y,)- TO FIND THE EQUATION OF THE HYPERBOLA CONJUGATE TO (1) The conjugate hyperbola differs from the equation of the asymptotes by the same constant as the equation of the asymptotes differs from the equation of the hyperbola. The equation (3) of the asymptotes is obtained by adding the constant term — A/(ab — h?) to the equation (1) of the given hyperbola. We get the equation of the hyperbola conjugate to (1) as ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy +¢ - 2A = 0. . ab—-h Lengths and Equations of the Axes of a Central Conic To find the lengths and positions of the axis of the central conic represented by Ax? + 2Hxy + By? = 1 is equation of conic is Ax? + 2Hxy + By? = 1. (D)The Equation of the Second Degree 9 The equation (1) is the standard form ofa conic with centre at the origin. Let the conic (1) be cut by a concentric circle of radius r whose equation is w+yt=r 2) Clearly the circle (2) will cut the conic (1) in four points, say, Q,, Q,, Q,, Q, as shown in the figure given below. The combined equation of the lines Q,Q, and Q,Q, i¢., the lines joining the points of intersection of (1) and (2) to the origin is obtained on making (a) (b) (1) homogeneous with the help of (2) and so is : 2,42 Ax? + 2Hxy + By? = ~—» e I I\ 3 = (a-4) x? +2Hhy +(B- 4) y =0. (3) (c) (d) The two lines given by (3) will coincide if and only if the circle (2) is so drawn that it touches the conic at the extremities of either axis of the conic.10 Text Book of Conic Section Hence in this case the radius of the circle is equal to the length of either of the semi-axes of the conic. Now (3) will represent a pair of coincident straight lines if *=(a-2)(8- 3) H* =|A--—||B-— ( re r (4) {using the condition h? = ab] 1 1 ie, ~GP~ AB) =0, 4) = (AB — H)—- 2 (A +B)+1=0. 4") This equation is a quadratic in r°. Let r,? and r,? be the two values of P given by this equation. r+? = At B. 11? = l Then 1 2 AB-H?’ | 2 AB-H2. Case 1: The conic be an ellipse. 1f AB — H* > 0, the conic is an ellipse. Here both r,? and r,? are positive. The greater value of r? is the square of the semi-major axis of the ellipse, say it is r,?; (the smaller value of ) is the square of the semi-minor axis. Hence, the lengths of the major and minor axes are 2r, and 2r, respectively. Case I. The conic be a hyperbola : If AB — H? < 0, the conic is a hyperbola. Here one value of 1°, say r,’, is positive and the other, say r,? is negative. The value r, is the length of the semi-transverse axis and the value y r,?| is the semi-conjugate axis. Hence, the lengths of the transverse and conjugate axes are 2r, and 24 ry | respectively. The equations of the axes ; The axes of the conic (1) coincide with the l coincident lines given by the equation (3). Multiplying (3) by (a - 4), then we have x} 02H (4-3) (4-3) (8-3) 7 A-—+|+2H|A--—>] xy +/A - B-—; =0 ( r? r? y r? rl? =(A -4) +2{A -4) Hxy + H’y? = 0, r r using the condition (4) for coincident lines ={(4-3) x+y} =0The Equation of the Second Degree i 1 => (A-4)x+Hy=0 (5) Putting the algebraically grater value of r’, say r,?, in (5), the equation of the major axis in the case of the conic (1) being an ellipse or that of the transverse axis in the case of the conic (1) being a hyperbola is given as I A-—= Hy = 0. ( +] xe 6) Again putting the algebraically smaller value of r°, say r,’, in (5), the equation of the minor axis in the case of an ellipse or that of the conjugate axis in the case of a hyperbola is 1 [4-2 x+y = 0. ..(7) It should be noted that the equations (6) and (7) are the equations of the axes of the conic (1) whose centre is at the origin. However if the equation of the conic is given by ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy + ¢ = 0 «- (8) and after shifting the origin to its centre (x,, y,), the equation (8) takes the standard form (1); then referred to the original coordinate axes the equations of the axes of the conic (8) are given as [a-2] (x - x,) +H (y-y,) =0 1 and [a-3] (x-x,) +H(y-y,) =0. Ls ECCENTRICITY, COORDINATES OF THE FOCI AND THE EQUATION OF THE DIRECTORIES OF THE CENTRAL CONIC ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2px + 2fy +c =0 The equation of the given central conic is given by ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy + = 0. (1) Let (x,, y,) be the centre of the conic (1). Shifting the region to the centre (x,, y,) suppose the equation (1) takes the standard form as Ax? + 2Hxy + By? = 1. (2)12 Text Book of Conic Section Let r7, r,? be the roots of the quadratic (A - I/r) (B - l/r?) = H? in r, and let r,? be the algebraically greater value ofr? and r,? be the algebraically smaller value of r’. In the case of an ellipse, the eccentricity e is given by e= | — bya? and in the case of a hyperbola, the eccentricity e is given by e = 1 + ba? where in either case the symbols a and b have their standard meanings. If the conic (1) is an ellipse, both r,? and r, are positive and r,? = a’, r,? = b?. So the eccentricity e is given by e? = 1 — r,2/r,?. If the conic (1) is a hyperbola, r,? is positive and r,? is negative and r,? = a?, r,? = —b?. So the eccentricity ¢ is given by e? = 1 -1,/r,?. Thus in either case the eccentricity e is given as ? 1? sin y +3) Y To find the coordinates of the foci, let 9 be the inclination of the major or transverse axis to the x-axis. Then we have tan @ = the gradient of the line represented by the equation _ (A=W?) (6) of 7 = Hl . First consider the case when the conic (1) is an ellipse. Let C(x,. y,) be the centre of the ellipse (1). The foci are the points on the major axis at a distance er, from the centre C(x,, y,). Hence the coordinates of the foci of the ellipse (1) are given by (x, + er, cos 8, y, + er, sin 0) and (x, - er, cos 6, y, — er, sin 6) where er, = V(r? — 1,2). The directories are the lines perpendicular to the major axis at a distance re ie, r2/N(r? — 1,4), from the centre C. Their equations are, (x — x’) cos @ + (y -y)) sin @ = + r2/V(r,? - 1,2). In case the conic (1) is a hyperbola the same formulae hold but in this case the value of r,? is negative. WORKING RULE TO TRACE AND ELLIPSE OR A HYPERBOLA Let the equation of the given conic be F (x, y) = ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2ex + 2fyte=0 (IThe Equation of the Second Degree 13 Here we are giving the summary of the method to be adopted to trance an ellipse or a hyperbola i.¢., when the second terms in the equation (1) do not form a perfect square. Step I. Centre. Find the centre (x, y,) of the conic (1) by solving the OF equations = 0 and ay =0. Step II. New constant term and the equation of the conic referred to the centre as origin. Transferring the origin to the centre (x,, y,), the equation (1) becomes as ax? + 2hxy + by? + c,=0 -.(2) where c, = the new constant term = gx, + fy, +c. In case c, = 0, the equation (1) will represent a pair of straight lines. Step IIL. Standard form of the equation of the conic. fa' 0, the equation (2) may be rewritten as -2 2 thy by =1, cy cy cy => Ax? + 2Hxy + By? = 1, where A = a/c, etc. (3) Step IV. Length of the axes of the conic. The squares of the lengths of the semi axes of the conic are the roots of the equation (-B)(0-3)e which is a quadratic in r. If r,? and r,? are its roots and both are +ve, the conic will be an ellipse and if they are of opposite signs, the conic will be a hyperbola. Step V. Equation of the axes. The equation of the major axis (in the case of an ellipse) or that of the transverse axis (in the case of a hyperbola) referred to the centre as origin is given as I A-—|x+HY=0. ( 5] . ~@ The equation of the other axis is given as14 Text Book of Conic Section 1 A-—|x+HY=0 . ( 4 (5) Referred to the original coordinates axes, the equation of the major or the transverse axis, as the case may be is ' . = (x-x)+H(y-y) =0 (6) 1 The equation of the other axis in this case can also be more conveniently written as 1 ; . [a-4) (y-y)-H(x-x))=0. 7) 1 Step VI. The eccentricity e (if required) is given as Step VIL The coordinates of the foci (if required). lf q is the inclination of the major (or transverse) axis to the x-axis, then the coordinates of the foci with respect to the original coordinates axes are given as (x, + er, cos 0, y + er, sin 8) and (x, — er, cos @, y, — er, sin 8). where = er, = Vcr ~ 1,2). Step VIL. The length of the latus rectum (if required) is 2r,’ 1 . Step IX. Special points. Find the points where the gives conic (1) meets the original x and y axes, This will enable us to draw the figure of the conic more accurately. Step X. To skeich the curve. (i) Draw the coordinate axes OX and OY. (ii) Mark the centre C(x,, y,). (iii) Draw the lines CX,, CY, through C parallel to the lines OX and OY. (iv) Draw the axes of the conic through the point C. (v) Mark lengths CA, CA' each equal to r, on the major axis (in the case of an ellipse) or on the transverse axis (in the case of a hyperbola) and mark lengths CB, CB' each equal to vj r,? | on the other axis.The Equution of the Second Degree 15 {vi) Mark points L, M, N etc. where the conic meets the coordinate axes OX and OY. (vii) Draw lines through A and A’ perpendicular to AA’, and lines through B and B' parallel to AA‘, so that the rectangle PQRS is formed. (viii) The ellipse lies within this rectangle, touching it at the points A, B, A‘ and B'. Hence it can be easily drawn. The hyperbola is outside this rectangle, touching it at the points A and A', The asymptotes of the hyperbola are the diagonals PR and QS of this rectangle. Hence the hyperbola can also be drawn easily.16 Text Book of Conic Section TRACING OF A PARABOLA If the general equation of the second degree a? + 2hxyy + by + Qex + Pte =O. represents a parabola, to trace it and also the find the different results concerning this parabola. The given general equation of. the second degree is ax? + 2hxy + by? + 2gx + 2fy +e = 0." w(1) We know that if the equation (1) represents a parabola, the second degree terms form a perfect square. So we can put ax? + 2hxy + by? = (ax + By) where a? = a, B?= b and af = h. The equation (1) then takes the form (ax + ByP 2ex + 2fy +c =0 => (ax + By? = — Qgx + 2fy +c) => (ox + By + A)? = 2x (Aa — g) + 2y (AB - f) + (A? - 0), ...(2) where 4 is an arbitrary constant. We choose A such that the lines ax + By + A = 0 and 2x (Aa — g) + 2y (AB-fA+ (0? -—c) = at right angles. Hence m, < m, = -1 eB) lass} => Ao? + AB? = og + Bf, or 4 ere (3) For this value of A, the coefficient of 2x in the right hand side of (2). _atg+aPf —_ B (af - Bg) a2 + B2 a2 + B2 and the coefficient of 2y obs + Bf. _ -a(af — Be) a2 + p2 a? + p2 Therefore the equation (2) becomes. at — 2iet — Pe) (ax + By + AY =————* (Px - ay) + -cThe Equation of the Second Degree 17 > (ax + By +a? = ZF = B®) gy - ay +c) a? +p? ,_ OF - 0) (a? + B) where ce 3 (af-pe wf) ax +Py +A ; _ 2(ef —Bg) |Bx-ay+e => | (a ae (a? + BP? [a2 +B) ee 5) In the equation (5) we have ax + By +A and Bx - ay +c’ y(a? - B?)} y(a? +B?) are the perpendicular distances of the point (x, y) on the curve from the mutually perpendicular straight lines ax + By + A= 0 and Bx-ay+c'=0 respectively. Let us transform the coordinate axes so that the straight lines ax + By +A =0 ++(6) and Bx -ay +c =0 AT) become the new axes of x and y respectively. If (X, Y) are the coordinates of the point (x, y) with respect to these new coordinate axes, the we have X = the perpendicular distance of the point (x, y) from the new y-axis i.e., the line (7) = (Bx - ay + cya? + B’) and Y = the perpendicular distance of the point (x, y) from the new x-axis Le, the line (6) = (ax — By + y/o? + 6). Therefore the equation (5) transforms into ¥? = 4p X, .(8)} 2(af — Bg) where = (a? + p22 (9) The equation (8) is the equation of the parabola in the standard form. The equation of the axis of the parabola is Y =O ie, ax+ By +A =O fe, the equation (6) and the equation of the tangent at the vertex is X = 0 ie, Bx -—ay + c'=0 ie, the equation (7). The length of the latus rectum of the parabola = 4p, given by (9).