Date:23rd May 2020 Dr.

Sachin Kaushal (22206)

UNIT-III

DEFINITION :
The curvature of a curve C at a point (x, y) on C is denoted by the Greek letter  (kappa) and is
given by the equation
d

ds
where  is the angle which the tangent line to C at (x, y) makes with the positive x-axis and s is the
arc length as measured along the curve.
d
Remark : A straight line does not bend at all (as  is constant so is zero). Hence the curvature
ds
of a straight line is zero.

CURVATURE OF CIRCLE
To prove that the curvature of a circle at any point on it is constant and is equal to the
reciprocal of the radius of the circle.
Let there be a circle of radius r with centre at O. Let P and Q be two points on the circle, so
that arc PQ = s. Let the angle between the tangents at P and Q be . Then POQ = . Using the
formula
l = r, we have
s = r
Differentiating w.r.t. , we get T2
O
ds
r
d r s Q

d T1
Curvature = P
ds
1
= (constant) (1)
r

RADIUS OF CURVATURE
The radius of curvature of a given curve, at a given point on it, is the radius of the circle,
whose curvature is equal to the curvature of the curve at that point.
Let P be any point on the curve AB.
Let the circle with centre C and radius has the same
MTH125 Calculus
Date:23rd May 2020 Dr. Sachin Kaushal (22206)

curvature as that of the curve at point P. Then the curvature of T

the curve at P = the curvature of the circle B

d 1
i.e., 
ds  C  P

ds
or  A
d
Example 1 : Find the radius of curvature for s = log(sec  + tan ).
Solution : s = log( sec  + tan )
ds 1
  (sec  tan   sec2 )
d sec   tan 
or  = sec  .
Formulae to find radius of curvature
1. Cartesian Equation y = f(x)
3
(1  y12 ) 2 dy d2 y
 , y1  , y2  2
y2 dx dx
2. Parametric Equation x = f(t),
y = g(t)
dx dy
x'  , y' 
3


 x '2  y '2  2 where
dt dt
x ' y '' x '' y ' 2
dx d2y
x ''  2 , y''  2
dt dt
3. Polar Equation r = f()
3
  r  r
2
1
2 2

r 2  2r12  rr2

dr d 2r
where r1  , r2  2
d d
Example 1 : Show that in the parabola y2 = 4ax,  the radius of curvature at any point P is twice the
part of the normal intercepted between the curve and the directrix. Also prove that 2 varies as (SP)3
where S is the focus.

Solution : The curve is y2 = 4ax  y a x

MTH125 Calculus
Date:23rd May 2020 Dr. Sachin Kaushal (22206)

1 a
 y1  2 a. 
2 x x

a
and y2  
2x 3/ 2
3/ 2
 a
(1  y12 )3/ 2 1  

x
 
y2 a
 3/ 2
2x
2(x  a)3/ 2
 (in magnitude) (2)
a
1 x
Slope of the normal   
y1 a

x
and the equations of the normal at P is Y  y   (X  x)
a

x
It meets the directrix X = a at Y  y  (a  x)
a
or

x  y  2 a x 
Y (x  3a)  
a
 x 
 The point where the normal at P meets the directrix x  a is  a, (x  3a)  and the distance
 a 
between this point and P is
1
  x
   2 (x  a)3/ 2

2

(x  a)  
2
(x  3a)  2 a x    (on simplification) (3)
 
 a 
  a
 
From (2) and (3), we have  = twice this distance.
Hence the result.
Again S being the focus, its coordinates are (a, 0)

 SP  (x  a)2  y2  (x  a) 2  4ax  x  a (4)

 2 (SP)3 [From (2)]

MTH125 Calculus
Date:23rd May 2020 Dr. Sachin Kaushal (22206)

Example 2 : If 1 and 2 are the radii of curvature at the extremities of a focal chord of a parabola
whose semi latus-rectum is l, prove that (1)-2/3 + (2)-2/3 = (l)-2/3.
Solution : Let the equation of parabola be
y2 = 4ax
Its parametric equations are
x = at2, y = 2at (1)
Also, semi latus-rectum = 2a = l (given)
From (1), x = 2at, y = 2a,
x = 2a, y = 0,
where dashes denote differentiation w.r.t. parameter t.
(x2  y2 )3/ 2
 
xy  xy

(4a 2 t 2  4a 2 )3/ 2 8a 3 (1  t 2 )3/ 2

 
0  4a 2 4a 2
= 2a(1 + t2)3/2 (numerically)
= l(1 + t2)3/2 (2)
Let P (at12 ,2at1 ) and Q(a t 22 , 2at2) be the extremities of focal chord of the parabola, then t1t2 = 1.

Also, 1(radius of curvature at P) = l(1 + t12)3/2 [From (2)]

2 (radius of curvature at Q) = l(1 + t 22 )3/2

 (1 )2/3  (2 )2/3  l 2/3 (1  t12 )1  (1  t 22 )1 

 1 1 
 l 2/3   2
1  t1 1  t 2 
2

 
 1 1 
 l 2/3    [ t1t 2  1]
1  t1 1  1 
2

 t12 
 1  t12  2/3
 l 2/3 . 2 
l
 1  t1 
Example 3 : If 1, 2 be radii of curvature at the extremities of a pair of semi-conjugate diameters
of an ellipse, prove that (1 )2/3  (2 )2/3  (ab)2/3  a 2  b2 .

MTH125 Calculus
Date:23rd May 2020 Dr. Sachin Kaushal (22206)

x 2 y2
Solution : Let the ellipse be  1
a 2 b2
Its parametric equations are x = a cos, y = b sin
 x = a sin , y = b cos 
x = a cos , y = b sin 
(a 2 sin 2   b2 cos 2 )3/ 2
 (a cos3 ,bsin 3 ) 
absin 2   abcos 2 
(a 2 sin 2   b2 cos 2 )3/ 2
 (1)
ab
Let CP and CD be two semi-conjugate* diameters. If the co-ordinates of P are (a cos , b sin
), then co-ordinates of D are
    
a cos  2    ,bsin  2    
    
If 1 is the radius of curvature at P, then
(a 2 sin 2   b 2 cos 2 )3/ 2
1 
ab
 
Changing       , we get
2 
(a 2 cos 2   b2 sin 2 )3/ 2
2, the radius of curvature at D 
ab
a 2 sin 2   b2 cos 2  a 2 cos 2   b2 sin 2 
 (1 ) 2/3
 (2 ) 2/3
 
(ab)2/3 (ab)2/3

or [(1 )2/3  (2 )2/3 ](ab)2/3  a 2 (sin 2   cos2 )  b2 (cos2   sin 2 )

= a2 + b2.
Example 4 : Prove that for the curve x = a cos3, y = a sin3 or the curve
x2/3 + y2/3 = a2/3at(a cos3, a sin3); = 3a sin cos.
Solution : The equation of the curve is
x = a cos3, y = a sin3 (1)
dx
 x = = 3a cos2 sin,
d

MTH125 Calculus
Date:23rd May 2020 Dr. Sachin Kaushal (22206)

dy
y = = 3a sin2.cos
d
Also, x = 3a cos(2sin2 cos2),
y = 3a sin(2cos2 sin2),
where dashes denote differentiation w.r.t. parameter ‘t’.
(x2  y2 )3/ 2
 
[xy  xy]

(9a 2 sin 2  cos 2 )3/ 2 (cos 2   sin 2 )3/ 2


9a 2 sin 2  cos 2 [2cos 2   sin 2   2sin 2   cos 2 
= (9a2 sin2 cos2)1/2(cos2+sin2)1/2
= 3a sin cos (numberically).
2a
Example 5 : Find the radius of curvature for the parabola  1  cos  . Hence show that the
r
square of the radius of curvature varies as the cube of the focal distance.
Solution : The given equation of parabola is
2a
 1  cos  (1)
r
1
Putting u  in (1), we have
r
2au = 1 + cos  (2)
Differentiating (2) w.r.t. , we have

2au1 =  sin  (3)

Differentiating (3) w.r.t. , we have

2au2 =  cos 

(u 2  u12 )3/ 2
  3
u (u  u 2 )

 1  cos  2 sin 2  
   
 2a  4a 2 

 1  cos   1  cos  cos  
3

  
 2a   2 2a 

MTH125 Calculus
Date:23rd May 2020 Dr. Sachin Kaushal (22206)

1
[2(1  cos )]3/ 2
8a 3 4 2a 2 3/ 2
   r
1
(1  cos ) 3 (1  cos ) 3/ 2
a
16a 4
4
 2  r 3
a
2a
In the given equation of the parabola i.e.,  1  cos  , the pole is at the focus. Therefore the focal
r
distance of the point on the parabola is r. Hence the square of the radius of curvature varies as the
cube of the focal distance.

CENTRE OF CURVATURE, CIRCLE OF CURVATURE AND EVOLUTE

1. Centre of curvature (Cartesian form)

If (X, Y) = centre of curvature
Then
y1 (1  y12 ) dy d2y
Xx , y1  , y2  2
y2 dx dx
1  y12
Y y
y2
2. Circle of curvature
If (X, Y) = centre of curvature & = radius of curvature
Then equation of circle of curvature is
(x – X)2 + (y – Y)2 = 2
Example 1 : If Cx, Cy be the chords of curvature parallel to co-ordinates axes at any point of the
x
curve y  ccosh ; prove that 4c2(Cx2 + Cy2) = Cy4.
c
x
Solution : The given curve is y  c cosh (1)
c
Differentiating (1) w.r.t. x, we have

x 1 x 1 x
y1  csinh .  sinh and y 2  cosh
c c c c c

MTH125 Calculus
Date:23rd May 2020 Dr. Sachin Kaushal (22206)

x x
2sinh 1  sinh 2 
2y (1  y )2
c c
 Cx  1 1

y2 1 x
cosh
c c
x x  2 x 2 x
 2csinh cosh 1  sinh c  cosh c 
c c  
 x
2 1  sinh 2 
2(1  y )2
 
c x
and Cy  1
 2ccosh
y2 1 x c
cosh
c c
(2)
 L.H.S.  4c2 (C2x  C2y )

 x x x
 4c2 4c2 sinh 2 cosh 2  4c2 cosh 2 
 c c c
x x  x
 16c4 cosh 2  sinh 2  1  16c 4 cosh 4
c c  c
4
 x
  2ccosh   C4y  R.H.S.
 c
Hence the result.
x 2 y2
Example 2 : Find the coordinates of the centre of curvature at any point on the ellipse  1
a 2 b2
or x = a cos, y = b sin. Hence find the equation of its evolute.
Solution : It would be better to take the parametric equations of the ellipse i.e. x = a cos, y
= b sin.
dy
bcos 
y1  d 
b
   cot 
dx a sin  a
d
b d b 1 b
and y2  cosec2.  cosec2.   2 cosec3
a dx a a sin  a
y1 (1  y12 )
 XX
y2

MTH125 Calculus
Date:23rd May 2020 Dr. Sachin Kaushal (22206)

b  b2 
 cot  1  2 cot 2  
 a cos  
a  a 
b
 2 cos ec3
a
b2
 a cos   a cos  sin 2   cos3 
a
b2
 a cos (1  sin 2 )  cos3 
a
a 2  b2
 cos3  (1)
a
b2
1
cot 2 
1 y 2
a 2
Y  y  b sin  
1

y2 b
 2 cos ec3
a
a2 3
 bsin   sin   bsin  cos 2 
b
a2 3 a 2  b2 3
 bsin (1  cos 2 )  sin    sin  (2)
b b
Now (1) and (2) give co-ordinates of the centre of curvature in terms of  which are the parametric
equations of the evolute.
Eliminating  from (1) and (2) we get the Cartesian equation of the evolute of the ellipse.
From (1), aX = (a2 b2) cos3
or
(aX)2/3 = (a2 b2)2/3 cos2 (3)
Similarly from (2)
(bY)2/3 = (a2 b2)2/3 sin2 (4)
Adding (3) and (4), we get (aX)2/3 + (bY)2/3 = (a2 b2)2/3, which is the equation of the evolute.

MTH125 Calculus