Chapter-10

ASYMPTOTES
Definition: A straight line at a finite distance from the origin is aid to be an
asymptote of the curve, if the perpendicular distance of a point P on the curve
from the straight line tends to zero as P tends to infinity along the curve.

In other words, a straight line is called an asymptotes to a curve if

the perpendicular distance of the straight line from a point on the curve tends
to zero as the point moves to infinity along the curve.
Y
The line AB is an asymptote to the curve y=f(x).

Note : A curve which is finitely bounded has no asymptotes at A

all. Y=f(x)
The asymptotes are of two categories.
(i) Parallel asymptotes.
(a) Asymptotes parallel to X-axis. (horizontal asymptote)
(b) Asymptotes parallel t Y-axis.(vertical asymptote) B X
(ii) Oblique asymptotes.
Note: An algebraic curve degree n can have at most n asymptotes.
Rules of finding asymptotes of algebraic curves:
1. To find the asymptotes parallel to y-axis, equal to zero the real linear
factors in the coefficient of the highest power of y in the given
equation of the curve.
If the coefficient of the highest power of y is a constant or if its
linear factors are all imaginary, there will be no asymptotes parallel
to y-axis,
2. To find the asymptotes parallel to x-axis, equate to zero the real linear
factors in the coefficient of the highest powers of x in the equation
of the curve.
If the coefficient of the highest power of x is a constant or if its
linear factors are all imaginary, there will be no asymptotes parallel
3. To find oblique asymptotes, the following steps are to be followed.
i. Find , by putting x = 1, y = m in the highest degree terms of the
given equation of the curve
ii. Solve for m and let its roots be
iii. Find by putting x = 1, y = m in the next lower degree terms of
the equation. Similarly , by putting x = 1, y = m in the next lower
degree terms of the equation and so on.
iv. Find the values of corresponding to the values
by using ,

v. Then the required asymptotes are

vi. If , for some values of m and there will be no
asymptotes corresponding to the value of m.
vii. If and , for some value of m, the value of c are
determined by

And this will determine two values of c. this determines two asymptotes
parallel to each other. This is the case when two values of m are equal.
viii. If three values of m are equal, the values of c are determined by

This will determine three asymptotes parallel to each other.

ix. If more than 3-values of m are repeated, the procedure as above would
be applied.
Determination of oblique asymptotes:
Let y=mx+c be an oblique asymptotes of a curve y=f(x). The
perpendicular distance of any point P(x, y) on the curve from t he line
should tend to zero as the point moves to infinity along the curve.
We shall now determine m and c so that the line y=mx +c may be
an asymptote to the given curve.
Since, y – mx – c = 0,
Or,

Or,

Substituting the value of m and c in the equation y=mx+c the obliqe asymptotes are found.
 Exercise-10(A)

1. Find the asymptotes parallel to co-ordinate axes:

3
Solution: This is an equation of degree three and x is present
so,there is no asymptote parallel to X- axis (i.e. horizontal asymptote).
3 2
Since y is absent, equate the co-efficient of y to 0. i.e. x - a = 0.
which is the equation of vertical asymptote(i.e. asymptote parallel to
Y-axis)
Hence the required equation of asymptote is x – a = 0.
2. Find the asymptotes of the following curves.

th
This is a 4 degree equation x 4 and y 4 both are absent.
Comparing the coefficient of x 3 to zero, we get horizontal asymptote.
Thus, y = 0 is the horizontal asymptote.
Since, highest degree in y is 1. So, equating the coefficients of y to zero
we obtain the vertical asymptotes.
Thus, vertical asymptotes are,

Thus, the required asymptotes are,

2. (iV).

Ans.
3.(ii)Find the asymptotes and the relative position of the curves and
asymptotes of the curve,

, Which can be written as,

This is an equation of degree 3 and both x 3and y 3are absent.

So, for horizontal asymptotes , equating the coefficients of highest

power of x to zero, we get, y = 0.
Also for vertical asymptotes equating the coefficients of highest power
of y to zero, we get,

[There are no oblique asymptotes.]

(v)
Hence, the relative position of the asymptote is
y
as, follow.
For (i) the curve approaches to the line x=2
upward as x approaches to 2 from above.

For (ii) the curve approaches to the line x=2

downward as x approaches to2 form below.

For (iii) the curve approaches to the line x=1

upwards as x approaches to 1 from above

O X
For (iv) the curve approaches to the line x=1 Y=0
downwards as x approaches to 1 from below.

And for (v) the curve approaches to X=1 X=2

the line y = 0 form above as x
approaches to and from below as x
Approaches to
 4. Find the asymptotes of the following curves.
(i)

For the oblique asymptotes, put x=1 and y = m in third and second degree
term, to obtain,
Also,
For m = 1 which is a repeated root.
6.Show that the asymptotes of the curve,
Form a square, through two of whose angular points the curve passes.

Or,

This is an equation of degree four and both are absent.

for horizontal asymptotes equating the coefficients of to 0 we get

For vertical asymptotes equating the coefficients of to 0 we get

Therefore, the required asymptotes are:

Y = a, y = -a, x = a and x = -a
This curve has no oblique asymptotes .
 y

Y=a
From figure, the vertices of quadrilateral B(-a,a) A(a,a)
are,
X = -a X=a
A(a,a), B(-a,a), C(-a,-a), D(a,-a). As, AB and x
x’ O
A D are horizontal and vertical
asymptotes (lies), BAD = 90º. i.e. all C(-a,-a) D(a,-a)
internal angle of the figure are of 90º and

Y = -a
the length of all sides of the figure is 2a.
y’
Hence, it is a square. i.e. asymptotes of the given curve forms a square.
And, for point A(a,a).

For point B(-a,a) Hence,

Two vertices B(-a,a) and D(a,-a) of
For point C(-a,-a) the square lies on the curve.
Hence Proved.
For point D(a,-a)
 Asymptotes of Polar curves:

Polar equation of a line: P(r, )

Q
Let PQ be a line, o be the pole and
OX be the initial line with OQ PQ. Let OQ = p and r
= . If

o X

Which is the required equation of the line.

Equation of asymptotes of the polar curves:
If

Are the asymptotes of the polar curve .

Rules of finding asymptotes of Polar curves:

1. Write down the given equation of the curve in the form .

2. Equate to zero and solve for . Let its roots be
3. Find and calculate at
4. Then, write the asymptotes as,
 Exercise-10(B)
1.Find the asymptotes of the following Polar curves.
Note: The equation of asymptote polar equation can also be obtained by changing it in to
Cartesian form.
For, oblique asymptotes , put x=1 and y = m in 4th and 3rd degree term to obtain,
or,

Hence, the oblique asymptote is, y = mx + c

Or,