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Grade 11Differential Calculus

Let the intercepted portion of tangent between the points on a curve and x-axis is bijected by y-axis , then find the curve.

Profile image of Ajudiya Janvi
8 Years agoGrade 11
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ApprovedApproved Tutor Answer11 Months ago

To find the curve where the intercepted portion of the tangent between the points on the curve and the x-axis is bijected by the y-axis, we can start by analyzing the properties of tangents and curves in the Cartesian plane. This problem involves some calculus and geometry, so let’s break it down step by step.

Understanding the Tangent Line

Consider a curve represented by a function \( y = f(x) \). The tangent line at any point \( (x_0, f(x_0)) \) on this curve can be expressed using the point-slope form of a line:

Equation of the tangent line:

y - f(x_0) = f'(x_0)(x - x_0)

Finding the Intercept with the X-axis

To find where this tangent line intersects the x-axis, we set \( y = 0 \) and solve for \( x \):

0 - f(x_0) = f'(x_0)(x - x_0)

Rearranging gives:

x = x_0 - \frac{f(x_0)}{f'(x_0)}

This point of intersection, let’s call it \( x_1 \), is given by:

x_1 = x_0 - \frac{f(x_0)}{f'(x_0)}

Intercept Length on the X-axis

The length of the intercepted portion of the tangent line between the curve and the x-axis is the distance from \( x_0 \) to \( x_1 \):

Length = |x_1 - x_0| = \left| -\frac{f(x_0)}{f'(x_0)} \right| = \frac{|f(x_0)|}{|f'(x_0)|}

Bijective Relationship with the Y-axis

The problem states that this intercepted length is bijected by the y-axis. This implies that for every point on the curve, there exists a corresponding point on the y-axis that reflects this length. In mathematical terms, we can express this relationship as:

f(x_0) = k \cdot \frac{|f(x_0)|}{|f'(x_0)|}

where \( k \) is a constant that represents the bijection. Simplifying this gives us:

f'(x_0) = k \cdot \text{sgn}(f(x_0))

Finding the Form of the Curve

To find the specific form of the curve, we can assume a simple case where \( k = 1 \). This leads us to the differential equation:

f'(x) = \text{sgn}(f(x))

From here, we can separate variables and integrate:

1. If \( f(x) > 0 \), then \( f'(x) = 1 \) implies \( f(x) = x + C \) for some constant \( C \).

2. If \( f(x) < 0 \), then \( f'(x) = -1 \) implies \( f(x) = -x + C \).

General Solution

Combining these results, we can conclude that the general form of the curve is:

f(x) = C + x or f(x) = C - x

These represent straight lines with slopes of 1 and -1, respectively. Therefore, the curves that satisfy the given condition are linear functions.

Final Thoughts

In summary, the curves that meet the criteria of having their tangent intercepts bijected by the y-axis are linear functions of the form \( y = C + x \) or \( y = C - x \). This result highlights the elegant relationship between geometry and calculus in analyzing curves and their tangents.