Differential Calculus and Coordinate Geometry

Rotation of Axes

P(x, y)
P(X, Y)
Y X
r

x x
O X

Let, 𝑃(𝑥, 𝑦) be a point under 𝑥𝑦 −coordinate system. 𝑂𝑃 = 𝑟 makes an angle 𝜙 with positive
𝑥 −axis.
𝑥 = 𝑟 cos𝜙,
𝑦 = 𝑟 sin𝜙.
Suppose that the coordinate system is rotated through an angle  keeping the origin fixed. If P
has coordinates ( X , Y ) referred to the new axes, then
𝑋 = 𝑟cos(𝜙 − 𝜃)
⟹ 𝑋 = 𝑟 cos𝜙 cos 𝜃 + 𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙 sin 𝜃
⟹ 𝑋 = 𝑥 cos 𝜃 + 𝑦 sin 𝜃 … … … . . (1)

And
𝑌 = 𝑟 sin(𝜙 − 𝜃)
⟹ 𝑌 = 𝑟 sin 𝜙 cos 𝜃 − r cos 𝜙 sin 𝜃
⟹ 𝑌 = 𝑦 cos 𝜃 − 𝑥 sin 𝜃.
⟹ 𝑌 = −𝑥 sin 𝜃 + 𝑦 cos 𝜃 … … … … … (2)
Converting equation (1) and equation (2) into matrix form we get,

𝑋 cos 𝜃 sin 𝜃 𝑥
( )=( )( )
𝑌 − sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 𝑦
𝑥 cos 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 𝑋
⟹ (𝑦) = ( )( )
sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 𝑌

⟹ 𝑥 = 𝑋 cos 𝜃 − 𝑌 sin 𝜃
𝑦 = 𝑋 sin 𝜃 + 𝑌 cos 𝜃.

General Equation of Second Degree

The general equation of second degree is
ax 2 + 2hxy + by 2 + 2 gx + 2 fy + c = 0 --------------- (1)
Where a, h, b, g, f and c are constants.

Angle of rotation to remove xy term from general equation of second degree

The general equation of second degree is
ax 2 + 2hxy + by 2 + 2 gx + 2 fy + c = 0 --------------- (1)
Under rotation through an angle  , the transformation equations are
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Differential Calculus and Coordinate Geometry

x = X cos − Y sin 
y = X sin  + Y cos
and the general equation of second degree becomes
a( X cos − Y sin  ) 2 + 2h( X cos − Y sin  )( X sin  + Y cos )
b( X sin  + Y cos ) 2 + 2 g ( X cos − Y sin  ) + 2 f ( X cos − Y sin  ) + c = 0

which can be written as

AX 2 + 2HXY + BY 2 + 2GX + 2FY + C = 0
where
A = a cos2  + 2h cos sin  + b sin 2 
B = a sin 2  − 2h cos sin  + b cos2 
H = h(cos2  − sin 2  ) − (a − b) sin  cos
G = g cos + f sin 
F = − g sin  + f cos
C =c

The transformed equation will be independent of the product term XY if H = 0 i.e.

h(cos2  − sin 2  ) − (a − b) sin  cos = 0
1
h cos 2 = (a − b) sin 2
2
2ℎ
tan 2𝜃 = 𝑎−𝑏.

The nature of the conics represent by (1)

ax2 + 2hxy + by 2 + 2 gx + 2 fy + c = 0
may be predicted by the sign of the discriminant
 = h2 − ab .
Results are summarized below:

Conditions on Regular Conics

 = h2 − ab
0 Ellipse
0 Hyperbola
=0 Parabola

To reduce to standard form, we may follow the following steps:

a −b
Rotate the coordinate axes through an angle  such that cot 2 = to get rid of xy term
2h
and then use translation to reduce to standard form.

Example: Find the angle of rotation to remove xy term from 5x 2 + 4 xy + 2 y 2 = 6 and hence
write the transformed equation. Also reduce them to standard form and sketch them showing
both set of axes.

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Differential Calculus and Coordinate Geometry

Solution: Identifying with a = 5, b = 2 and 2h = 4 and choosing  such that

a −b 5−2 3
cot 2 = = =
2h 4 4
From the triangle we see that
3 1 3
cos 2 =   = arc cos   = 26.50
5 2 5
The values of cos and sin  can then be computed from the half-angle formulas:
1 + cos 2 1 + 53 2
cos = = =
2 2 5
1 − cos 2 1 − 53 1
sin  = = =
2 2 5
The transformation equations become
x = X cos − Y sin  = 1 ( 2 X − Y )
5
and y = X sin  + Y cos = 1 ( X + 2Y )
5
Substitution in the original equation gives
5 4 2
(2 X − Y ) 2 + (2 X − Y )( X + 2Y ) + ( X + 2Y ) 2 = 6
5 5 5
Collecting similar terms
1 1 1
(20 + 8 + 2) X 2 + (−20 + 16 − 4 + 8) XY + (5 − 8 + 8)Y 2 = 6
5 5 5
or 6X + Y = 6 .
2 2

X2 Y2
or 2 + = 1.
1 ( )
6
2

Example: Find the angle of rotation to remove xy term from

11x 2 + 24 xy + 4 y 2 − 12 x + 16 y = 0 and then write the transformed equation. Also reduce them
to standard form and sketch them showing both set of axes.

Solution: Identifying with a = 11, b = 4 and 2h = 24 and choosing  such that

a − b 11 − 4 7
cot 2 = = =
2h 24 24
From the triangle we see that

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Differential Calculus and Coordinate Geometry

7 1  7 
cos 2 =   = arc cos    37
25 2  25 
The values of cos and sin  can then be computed from the half-angle formulas:

1 + cos 2 1+ 7
cos  = = 25 = 4
2 2 5

1 − cos 2 1− 7
sin  = = 25 = 3
2 2 5
The transformation equations become
7
x = X cos  − Y sin  = 1 (4 X − 3Y )
5
and y = X sin  + Y cos  = 1 (3 X + 4Y )
5
Substitution in the original equation give
11 24 4 12 16
(4 X − 3Y )2 + (4 X − 3Y )(3 X + 4Y ) + (3 X + 4Y )2 − (4 X − 3Y ) + (3 X + 4Y ) = 0
25 25 25 5 5
Collecting similar terms
1 1 1
(176 + 288 + 36) X 2 + (99 − 288 + 64)Y 2 + (36 + 64)Y = 0
25 25 5
or 20 X 2 − 5Y 2 + 20Y = 0
(Y − 2)2 X 2
or − =1 .
22 12

Example: Find the angle of rotation to remove xy term from

x 2 − 2 3 xy + 3 y 2 − 16 3 x − 16 y = 0 and hence write the transformed equation. Also reduce
them to standard form and sketch them showing both set of axes.

Solution: Identifying with a = 1, b = 3 and 2h = −2 3 and choosing  such that

a − b 1− 3 1
cot 2 = = =
2h −2 3 3
From the triangle we see that
1  
cos 2 =  2 =   =
2 3 6

The transform equations are 1

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Differential Calculus and Coordinate Geometry

x = X cos  − Y sin  = 1 ( 3 X − Y )
2
and y = X sin  + Y cos  = 1 ( X + 3Y )
2

Substitution in the original equation gives

1 2 3 3 16 3 16
( 3 X − Y )2 − ( 3 X − Y )( X + 3Y ) + ( X + 3Y ) 2 − ( 3 X − Y ) − ( X + 3Y ) = 0
4 4 4 2 2
Collecting similar terms
1 1 1
(3 − 6 + 3) X 2 + (−2 3 − 6 3 + 2 3 + 6 3) XY + (1 + 6 + 9)Y 2 − 32 X = 0
4 4 4
or 2
4 X = 32 X
or Y 2 = 8X .

Exercise

1. Find the angle of rotation to remove xy-term from the following curves.
(a) 4 x 2 + 8 xy − 4 y 2 − 3x = 5, (b) 3 3x2 + 2 xy + 3 y 2 = 16, (c)𝑥 2 + √3𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦 2 = 6.

2. The Coordinate axes are rotated by the following given angle  . Find the transformed
equations of the following curves. Also reduce them to standard form and sketch them showing
both set of axes.
𝜋
(a) 7𝑥 2 − 6√3𝑥𝑦 + 13𝑦 2 = 64, 𝜃 = 6
𝜋
(b) 5𝑥 2 − 8𝑥𝑦 + 5𝑦 2 = 9, 𝜃 = 4
2 2 𝜋
(c) 4𝑥 − 10𝑥𝑦 + 4𝑦 + 9 = 0, 𝜃 = 4
2 2 𝜋
(d) 𝑥 − 10√3𝑥𝑦 + 11𝑦 + 4 = 0, 𝜃 = 6
2 2 𝜋
(e) 𝑥 − 2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦 + 4√2𝑥 + 4√2𝑦 − 16 = 0, 𝜃 = 4
2 2 𝜋
(f) 𝑥 − 2√3𝑥𝑦 + 3𝑦 − 16√3𝑥 − 16𝑦 = 0, 𝜃 = 6 .

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