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Tangents and Normals 1

The document discusses how to find the tangent and normal lines to plane curves at a given point. It provides the general formulas for finding the equations of the tangent and normal lines based on taking the derivative of the curve equation to determine the slope at a point. Two examples are worked through, finding the tangent and normal to an ellipse and a circle at given points. The document concludes with exercises asking to find the tangent and normal lines to various curves at specified points.

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Mildred Cardenas Bañez
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167 views5 pages

Tangents and Normals 1

The document discusses how to find the tangent and normal lines to plane curves at a given point. It provides the general formulas for finding the equations of the tangent and normal lines based on taking the derivative of the curve equation to determine the slope at a point. Two examples are worked through, finding the tangent and normal to an ellipse and a circle at given points. The document concludes with exercises asking to find the tangent and normal lines to various curves at specified points.

Uploaded by

Mildred Cardenas Bañez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TANGENTS and NORMALS to PLANE CURVES

The equation of a line of slope 𝑚 through the point 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 is


𝑦 − 𝑦1 = 𝑚 𝑥 − 𝑥1

Hence, to find the tangent at any point of a plane curve we


have only to find the slope of the curve (i.e., the value of 𝑦 ′ ) at that
point, and substitute for 𝑚 in the above formula.

The normal to a curve at the point 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 is defined to be


the line through that point and perpendicular to the tangent line
there.

The equation of the normal is found from that of the tangent


by recalling that if two lines are perpendicular, the slope of one is the
negative reciprocal of the slope of the other.
Example 1. Find the tangent and normal to the ellipse 4𝑥 2 + 9𝑦 2 =
25
at the point P(2, -1).
Differentiating the equation of
the ellipse yields
8𝑥 + 18𝑦𝑦 ′ = 0
At the point of contact (2, -1), 𝑥 P(2, -1)
has the value 2, 𝑦 the value
T N
−1 , and we shall denote the
slope there by 𝑚. Thus at (2, -1),
the derivative becomes
8 The normal line has a slope m
8 2 + 18 −1 𝑚 = 0; 𝑚 = 9
of 𝑚 = − 8, thus the equation
9
of the normal line at (2, -1) is
The equation of the tangent line 9
8 𝑦+1=− 𝑥−2
is 𝑦+1= 𝑥−2 8
9
8𝑥 − 9𝑦 = 25 9𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 10
Example 2: Find the tangent of slope 𝑚 = 2 to the circle
𝑥2 + 𝑦2 = 5

Solution:
From the equation, it follows that its derivative is
2𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 ′ = 0
𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 ′ = 0
The slope of the tangent line 𝑚 = 𝑦 ′ = 2 . Therefore, the
coordinates of the point of contact must satisfy the equation
𝑥+𝑦 2 =0
The coordinates of the point of contact must also satisfy the
equation of the original curve.
Solving the two simultaneous equation will give as the points of
contact
𝑥2 + 𝑦2 = 5 (1)
𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 0 (2)
From (2) 𝑥 = −2𝑦, we substitute this to (1)
(−2𝑦)2 +𝑦 2 = 5
4𝑦 2 + 𝑦 2 = 5
5𝑦 2 = 5
𝑦2 = 1
𝑦 = ±1
From (2)
if 𝑦 = 1, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = −2
if 𝑦 = −1, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 2

The equation of the tangent lines are:


If 𝑥 = −2 and 𝑦 = 1, then If 𝑥 = 2 and 𝑦 = −1, then
𝑦−1=2 𝑥+2 𝑦+1=2 𝑥−2
𝑦 − 1 = 2𝑥 + 4 𝑦 + 1 = 2𝑥 − 4
𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 5 𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 5
Exercises:
Instruction: Practice solving the odd numbers

Find the equations of the tangent and the normal at the point
indicated.
1. 𝑦 = 3𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 1 at (1, 2)
2. 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 − 3𝑥 2 − 2 at (1, −4)
3. 𝑦 = 2 + 4𝑥 − 𝑥 2 at 𝑥 = −1
4. 𝑥 2 − 6x + 2y − 8 = 0 at 𝑥=3
5. 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 − 6𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 0 at (0, 0)
6. 𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 1 2 at 𝑥=1
7. 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 at its point of intersection with the line y = 3
8. 2𝑥𝑦 + 5𝑥 − 3𝑦 = 0 at 𝑥=4
9. 𝑥 2 − 𝑥𝑦 + 2𝑦 − 2 = 0 at 𝑥 = −2
10. 𝑥 − 𝑦 2 + 4𝑥 − 1 = 0 at (0, 1)

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