Worked solution
Differentiate a restricted parametric curve and find an intersection
Curve has , , where .
(i) Find in terms of .
(ii) Find the coordinates of where cuts .
[2008/TJC/Promo/5(modified)]
CJC · Discussion · Question 5
Answer
(i) for , with endpoint one-sided slope . (ii) .
(i) Form the derivative ratio
and . For , . At the uncancelled ratio is ; the one-sided slope of the traced curve tends to at the endpoint .
How did this part go?
(ii) Solve the intersection condition
Substitution gives , so . The printed calculator solution gives ; algebraically the factorisation is , and the quadratic has discriminant , so this is the only real root and satisfies . Hence .
How did this part go?
Common mistakes
Do not cancel t at zero without separately checking the endpoint slope.