Parabola..

Normal at 3 points P,Q,R of parabola y^2=4x meet at A and SP\cdot SQ\cdot SR=\alpha SA^2 . If S is the focus of the parabola find the value of \alpha.

1 Answers

66
kaymant ·

The equation of the normal at the point (m2, 2m) is
y = mx -2m -m3
If this normal passes through A(h,k) then
k = mh -2m -m3 i.e. m3 +(2-h) m +k =0
This being a cubic in m gives three values of m, say m1, m2, m3 which would give the three points P(m12 , 2m1), Q(m22 , 2m2), and R(m32 , 2m3), the normals at which intersect in A.
We have,
m1 + m2 + m3 = 0
m1m2 + m2m3 + m3m1 = 2-h
m1m2m3 = -k

Then,
SP . SQ . SR = (1+m12)(1+m22)(1+m32)
= 1 + m12 + m22 + m32 + m12m22 + m22m32 + m32m12 + m12m22m32

But
m12 + m22 + m32 = (m1 + m2 + m3)2 - 2(m1m2 + m2m3 + m3m1 ) = 2(h-2)

And
m12m22 + m22m32 + m32m12 = (m1m2 + m2m3 + m3m1 )2 - 2m1m2m3(m1 + m2 + m3)
=(2-h)2

Plugging back, we get
SP . SQ . SR = 1 + 2(h-2) + (2-h)2 + k2 = (1+h-2)2+k2 = (h-1)2+k2 = SA2

Hence, \alpha = 1

Your Answer

Close [X]