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Geometry Difficulty 5.5 AIME, harder Find the answer

Example 2. A moving point P(x,y)\mathrm{P}(\mathrm{x}, \mathrm{y}) draws tangents to the ellipse b2x2\mathrm{b}^{2} \mathrm{x}^{2} with angles θ1,θ2\theta_{1}, \theta_{2}. (1) When tgθ1+tgθ2=m\operatorname{tg} \theta_{1}+\operatorname{tg} \theta_{2}=\mathrm{m} (a constant), find the equation of the locus of point PP; (2) When ctgθ1+ctgθ2=n\operatorname{ctg} \theta_{1} +\operatorname{ctg} \theta_{2}=\mathrm{n} (a constant), find the equation of the locus of point P\mathrm{P}.

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

(1) Let the slope of a tangent be k1k_{1}, then the tangent line is
y=k1x+k12a2+b2 or y=k1xk12a2+b2, \begin{aligned} y & =k_{1} x+\sqrt{k_{1}^{2} a^{2}+b^{2}} \\ \text { or } y & =k_{1} x-\sqrt{k_{1}^{2} a^{2}+b^{2}}, \end{aligned}

i.e., ±k12a2+b2=yk1x\pm \sqrt{k_{1}^{2} a^{2}+b^{2}}=y-k_{1} x. Squaring both sides, we get:
a2k12+b2=y22xyk1+k12x2, a^{2} k_{1}^{2}+b^{2}=y^{2}-2 x y k_{1}+k_{1}^{2} x^{2},

i.e., (a2x2)k12+2xyk1+(b2y2)=0\left(a^{2}-x^{2}\right) k_{1}^{2}+2 x y k_{1}+\left(b^{2}-y^{2}\right)=0.
Similarly, if the slope of another tangent is k2k_{2}, then we must have:
(a2x2)k22+2xyk2+(b2y2)=0. \left(a^{2}-x^{2}\right) k_{2}^{2}+2 x y k_{2}+\left(b^{2}-y^{2}\right)=0.

From (A) and (B), we know that k1,k2k_{1}, k_{2} are the two roots of the equation (a2x2)k2+2xyk+(b2y2)=0\left(a^{2}-x^{2}\right) k^{2}+2 x y k+\left(b^{2}-y^{2}\right)=0,
thus k1+k2=2xya2x2k_{1}+k_{2}=\frac{-2 x y}{a^{2}-x^{2}}.
Given that θ1+tgθ2=m\theta_{1}+\operatorname{tg} \theta_{2}=m,
2xya2x2=m, \therefore \frac{-2 x y}{a^{2}-x^{2}}=m,

i.e., m(x2a2)=2xym\left(x^{2}-a^{2}\right)=2 x y is the required equation.
(2) From (a2x2)k2+2xyk+(b2y2)=0\left(a^{2}-x^{2}\right) k^{2}+2 x y k+\left(b^{2}-y^{2}\right)=0,

we get k1+k2=2xya2x2,k1k2=b2y2a2x2k_{1}+k_{2}=\frac{-2 x y}{a^{2}-x^{2}}, k_{1} k_{2}=\frac{b^{2}-y^{2}}{a^{2}-x^{2}}.
Given the condition ctgθ1+ctgθ2=n\operatorname{ctg} \theta_{1}+\operatorname{ctg} \theta_{2}=n,
 i.e., 1k1+1k2=n,k1+k2k1k2=n,2xyb2y2=n, i.e., n(y2b2)=2xy \begin{array}{l} \text { i.e., } \frac{1}{k_{1}}+\frac{1}{k_{2}}=n, \frac{k_{1}+k_{2}}{k_{1} k_{2}}=n, \\ \therefore \frac{-2 x y}{b^{2}-y^{2}}=n, \text { i.e., } n\left(y^{2}-b^{2}\right)=2 x y \end{array}

is the required equation.

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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.