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Example 2. The chord AB of the parabola y=x2y=x^{2} keeps moving while being tangent to the circle O\odot O x2+y2=1x^{2}+y^{2}=1. Find the locus of the intersection of the tangents to the parabola at points A and B.

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Solution

Solution 1 As shown in Figure 3, let the chord AB of the parabola be tangent to O\odot \mathrm{O} at P(α,β)\mathrm{P}(\alpha, \beta). Then the equation of the tangent line to O\odot \mathrm{O} at point P\mathrm{P} is
αx+βy=1, Let A(x1,x12),B(x2,x22), From {αx+βy=1,y=x2 we get βx2+αx1=0, \begin{array}{c} \alpha \mathrm{x}+\beta \mathrm{y}=1, \\ \text { Let } \mathrm{A}\left(\mathrm{x}_{1}, \mathrm{x}_{1}^{2}\right), \\ \mathrm{B}\left(\mathrm{x}_{2}, \mathrm{x}_{2}^{2}\right), \\ \text { From }\left\{\begin{array}{l} \alpha \mathrm{x}+\beta \mathrm{y}=1, \\ \mathrm{y}=\mathrm{x}^{2} \end{array}\right. \text { we get } \\ \beta \mathrm{x}^{2}+\alpha \mathrm{x}-1=0, \end{array}

By Vieta's formulas, we have
x1+x2=αβ,x1x2=1β. \mathrm{x}_{1}+\mathrm{x}_{2}=-\frac{\alpha}{\beta}, \mathrm{x}_{1} \cdot \mathrm{x}_{2}=-\frac{1}{\beta} .

The equations of the tangents to the parabola y=x2y=x^{2} at points AA and BB are y+x12=2x1xy+x_{1}^{2}=2 x_{1} x and y+x22=2x2xy+x_{2}^{2}=2 x_{2} x, respectively. Therefore, the intersection point Q(x,y)Q(x, y) of the two tangents is
{y+x12=2x1x,y+x22=2x2x \left\{\begin{array}{l} y+x_{1}^{2}=2 x_{1} x, \\ y+x_{2}^{2}=2 x_{2} x \end{array}\right.
Subtracting (2) from (1) gives: x12x22=2(x1x2)xx_{1}^{2}-x_{2}^{2}=2\left(x_{1}-x_{2}\right) x.

Thus, 2x=x1+x2=αβ2 \mathrm{x}=\mathrm{x}_{1}+\mathrm{x}_{2}=-\frac{\alpha}{\beta}.
Multiplying (1) by x2x_{2} and (2) by x1x_{1} and then subtracting, we get: (x2x1)y+x1x2\left(x_{2}-x_{1}\right) y+x_{1} x_{2} - (x1x2)=0\left(\mathrm{x}_{1}-\mathrm{x}_{2}\right)=0.
Thus, y=x1x2=1β\mathrm{y}=\mathrm{x}_{1} \mathrm{x}_{2}=-\frac{1}{\beta}.
From (3) and (4), we get β=1y,α=2xy\beta=-\frac{1}{\mathrm{y}}, \alpha=\frac{2 \mathrm{x}}{\mathrm{y}}.
Since P(α,β)\mathrm{P}(\alpha, \beta) lies on the circle x2+y2=1\mathrm{x}^{2}+\mathrm{y}^{2}=1,
(2xy)2+(1y)2=1\therefore\left(\frac{2 x}{y}\right)^{2}+\left(\frac{1}{y}\right)^{2}=1.
Simplifying, we get: y24x2=1y^{2}-4 x^{2}=1.
By the given conditions, the required trajectory is part of the lower branch of a hyperbola with foci on the y\mathrm{y}-axis, a=1a=1, and b=12b=\frac{1}{2}.

Solution 2 As shown in Figure 3, let the chord AB\mathrm{AB} of the parabola be tangent to \odot O at P(α,β)\mathrm{P}(\alpha, \beta). Then the equation of the tangent line AB\mathrm{AB} to O\odot \mathrm{O} at point P\mathrm{P} is: αx+βy1=0\alpha \mathrm{x}+\beta \mathrm{y}-1=0.

Let the intersection point of the tangents to the parabola at points AA and BB be Q(x0,y0)Q\left(x_{0}, y_{0}\right). Then the equation of the chord of contact ABAB is:
y+y0=2x0xy+y_{0}=2 x_{0} x, i.e., 2x0xyy0=02 x_{0} x-y-y_{0}=0. (2)
Since (1) and (2) are the same line, by the necessary and sufficient condition for two lines to coincide, we have:
α2x0=β1=1y0 \frac{\alpha}{2 x_{0}}=\frac{\beta}{-1}=\frac{1}{y_{0}} \text {. }

Thus, α=2x0y0,β=1y0\alpha=\frac{2 x_{0}}{\mathrm{y}_{0}}, \quad \beta=\frac{-1}{\mathrm{y}_{0}}.
Since P(α,β)\mathrm{P}(\alpha, \beta) lies on the circle x2+y2=1\mathrm{x}^{2}+\mathrm{y}^{2}=1,
(2x0y0)2+(1y0)2=1\therefore\left(\frac{2 x_{0}}{y_{0}}\right)^{2}+\left(-\frac{1}{y_{0}}\right)^{2}=1.
Simplifying, we get: y024x02=1y_{0}^{2}-4 x_{0}^{2}=1,
i.e., y24x2=1y^{2}-4 x^{2}=1.

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.