CURVATURE

INTRINSIC FORMULA FOR RADIUS OF CURVATURE: - The relation between s and 

for any curve is called its intrinsic equation.
𝒅𝒔
𝝆=
𝒅𝝍
CARTESIAN FORMULA FOR RADIUS OF CURVATURE: -
𝟑
𝐝𝐲 𝟐 𝟐
{𝟏 + ( ) }
𝐝𝐱
𝛒=
𝐝𝟐 𝐲
𝐝𝐱 𝟐
Since radius of curvature is a length therefore its value is independent of the choice of x-axis and
y-axis. Hence interchanging x and y, we get
𝟑
𝐝𝐱 𝟐 𝟐
{𝟏 + ( ) }
𝐝𝐲
𝛒=
𝐝𝟐 𝐱
𝐝𝐲 𝟐
PARAMETRIC FORMULA FOR RADIUS OF CURVATURE: -
𝟑
𝟐 𝟐 𝟐
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒚
[( ) +( ) ]
𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒕
𝝆=
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒙 𝒅𝒙
−
𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒕𝟐 𝒅𝒕𝟐 𝒅𝒕
CO-ORDINATES OF CENTER OF CURVATURE: -
𝐝𝐲 𝐝𝐲 𝟐 𝐝𝐲 𝟐
[𝟏+( ) ] [𝟏+( ) ]
𝐝𝐱 𝐝𝐱 𝐝𝐱
𝜶=𝒙− 𝐝𝟐 𝐲
and 𝜷 = 𝒚 + 𝐝𝟐 𝐲
𝐝𝐱𝟐 𝐝𝐱𝟐

EXERCISE
1. Find the radius of curvature at the point (s, ψ)on the following curves
(i) s = c tan ψ
(ii) s = 4a sin ψ
ψ
(iii) s = 8a sin2 ( 6 )

(iv) s = c logsec ψ
(v) s = a sec 3 ψ
2. Find the radius of curvature for the curve whose intrinsic equation is s =
π ψ
c logtan ( 4 + 2 )
π ψ
3. Prove that for the curve s = a logcot ( 4 − 2 ) + a sin ψ sec 2 ψ , ρ = 2a sec 3 ψand hence
d2 y 1
that dx2 = 2a

4. Prove thatρ = 2a sec 3 ψ for the curve s = a log(tan ψ + sec ψ) + a tan ψ sec ψ
5. Find the radius of curvature at the point ( x, y ) on the following curves
x x
(i) xy = c 2 (vii)
1
y = a (ea + e−a ) =
2
(ii) ay = x 3 x
2 3 3
a cosh (c)
(iii) a y=x −a
1 1 1
(iv) y 2 = 4ax (viii) x 2 + y 2 = a2
2 2 2
(v) ay 2 = x 3 (ix) x 3 + y 3 = a3
x
(vi) y = c logsec (c) (x) x m + y m = am
3a 3a
6. Find the curvature at the point ( 2 , 2 ) of the curve x 3 + y 3 = 3axy (BTU 2022)
1 1
1 1
7. Find the radius of curvature of the curve x 2 + y 2 = 1at the point (4 , 4)
𝑎 𝑎
8. Find the equation of the circle of curvature of the curve √𝑥 + √𝑦 = √𝑎 at (4 , 4)

(BTU 2022)
2 2
9. Show that the radius of curvature at the point (𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑠 3 𝜃 , 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛3 𝜃)on the curve x 3 + y 3 =
2
a3 is 3𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃
x2 y2
10. In the ellipse + b2 = 1 , show that the radius of curvature at the end of major axis is
a2

equal to the semi latus rectum of the ellipse.

x2 y2 a2 b2
11. Prove that for the ellipse a2 + b2 = 1, ρ = , pbeing the perpendicular from the
p3

Centre upon the tangent at (x, y ) (RTU 2002,03,10,13,19)

12. If  and   be the radii of curvature at the extremities of two conjugate diameters of an
2 2 2
ellipse prove that ((𝜌)3 + (𝜌′ )3 ) (𝑎𝑏)3 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 (RTU2002,03)
4𝑎2 (2𝑎−𝑥)
13. Find the radius of curvature at the vertex the curve 𝑦 2 = (RTU 2009,11)
𝑥
 3
2(SP)2
14. Show that in the parabola y = 4ax , the radius of curvature at any point P is
2
,
√a

where s is the focus of the parabola. Also, if 𝜌1 and 𝜌2 are radii of curvature at the
2 2 2
extremities of a focal chord od the above parabola, then (ρ1 )−3 + (ρ2 )−3 = (2a)−3
(RTU 2012,14, 15,16,18)
2 2 2
15. Prove that the radius of curvature at any point (𝑥, 𝑦) on the asteroid x 3 + y 3 = a3 is three
times the length of the perpendicular from the origin on the tangent at that point.
(RTU 2018)
16. The tangents at two points A and B on the cycloid x = a(θ − sin θ),y = a(1 − cos θ) are
at right angle. if  1 and  2 be the radii of curvature at these points, then prove that
𝜌1 2 + 𝜌2 2 = 16𝑎2 (RTU 2013,14)
17. Find the radius of curvature at origin 𝑥 3 + 𝑦 3 − 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 = 0 (BTU 2023)
18. Show that the coordinate (𝛼, 𝛽) of the center of curvature of the curve 27𝑎𝑦 2 = 4𝑥 3 at
9𝑎𝑦
(𝑥, 𝑦) are given by 3𝑎(𝛼 + 𝑥) + 2𝑥 2 = 0 and 𝛽 = 4𝑦 + (BTU 2023)
𝑥