FAMILY OF

CURVES
 FAMILY OF CURVES

An equation involving a parameter, as well as one or

both of the coordinates of a point in a plane, may
represent a family of curves, one curve corresponding
to each value of the parameter. For instance, the
equations
(1)

(2)

may be interpreted as the equation of a family of

circles, each having its center on the line y=x and
each passing through the origin.
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 FAMILY OF CURVES

If the constant c in equation (1) or in equation

(2) is treated as an arbitrary constant and
eliminated as in the preceding section, the result
is called the differential equation of the family
represented by equation (1).

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EXAMPLE:
The elimination of c is easily
performed by isolating c, then
differentiating throughout the
equation with respect to x.

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 (3)

Note that equation (3) associates a definite slope with

each point (x, y) in the plane

(4)

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When the denominator vanishes, the
curve passing through that point
must have a vertical tangent point.
From

y = (-1+√2) x (5)

y = (-1 - √2) x (6)

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In figure 2, the straight lines
(5) and (6) appear along with the
family (1). It is seen that the
lines (5) and (6) cut the members
of the family of circles in
precisely those points of
vertical tangency.

For a two-parameter
family of curves, the
differential equation will be of
order two, and such a simple
geometric interpretations is not
available.
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EXAMPLE (A)

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 FAMILY OF CURVES

Find a differential equation satisfied by

the family of parabolas (figure 3),Having
their vertices at the origin and their foci
on the y-axis.
An equation of this family of parabolas is

xy’ – 2y = 0

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EXAMPLE (B)

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 x + (y – b)y’ = 0

FAMILY OF CURVES

Find the differential equation of the family of

circles (figure 4) having their centers on the y-axis.
Because a member if the family of circles of this
example may have its center anywhere on the y-axis
and its radius o any magnitude, we are dealing with
the two-parameter family.

x + (y – b)y’ = 0

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EXAMPLE (C)

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Derive the differential equation for the family of plane curves defined by the equation

FAMILY OF CURVES

Derive the differential equation for the family of plane curves

defined by the equation

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PROBLEMS

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Derive the differential equation for the family of plane curves defined by the equation

FAMILY OF CURVES

Obtain the differential equation of the family of plane curves

described.
1. Straight lines through the origin.
2. Circles with center on the x-axis.
3. Write the corresponding differential equation for the
family of plane curves defined by the equation
4. Circles tangent to the x-axis

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THANK YOU!