Vertical and horizontal gaps to a parabola
The curve and the line have equations and respectively.
(i) The point on and the point on are such that they have the same -coordinate. Find the coordinates of and that gives the shortest distance . marks
(ii) The point on and the point on are such that they have the same -coordinate. Find the coordinates of and that gives the shortest distance . marks
(iii) Find the exact area of the polygon formed by joining the points found in (i) and (ii). marks
(iv) A variable point on with coordinates starts from origin and moves along the curve with increasing at a rate of 2 units/s. Find the rate of change of the area bounded by the curve, the -axis and the line , at the instant when . marks
[2017/ACJC/Prelim/I/8]
Solution
If this part uses an earlier result, revisit (ii) Optimisation: horizontal gap or open all working together.
Area of a polygon
Find the exact area of the polygon formed by joining the points found in (i) and (ii).
Hint
and are the same point, so the polygon is the triangle .
The base is vertical and the base is horizontal, so the angle at is a right angle.
and coincide, so the polygon has only three distinct vertices.
Answer · (iii)
Area square units.
The legs
Vertical and horizontal distances.
Area
Right-angled triangle: half the product of the legs.
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