Question 12 Marks
Find the equations of the lines which cut$-$off intercepts on the axes whose sum and product are $1$ and $-6$ respectively.
Answer
View full question & answer→Let $\frac{x}{a}+\frac{y}{b}=1$ be the equation of line.
It is given that $a+b=1$ and $a b=-6$
We know that $(a-b)^2=(a+b)^2-4 a b$
$\Rightarrow(a-b)^2=(1)^2-4 \times-6=1+24=25$
$\Rightarrow a-b= \pm 5$
Solving $a + b = 1$ and $a - b = 5$
we have $a = 3$ and $b = -2 $
Solving $a +b = 1$ and $a - b = -5,$
we have $a = -2$ and $b = 3 $
Thus the required equations are
$\frac{x}{3}+\frac{y}{-2}=1$
$\Rightarrow-2 x+3 y=-6$
$\Rightarrow 2 x-3 y=6$
and $\frac{x}{-2}+\frac{y}{3}=1$
$\Rightarrow 3 x-2 y=-6$
$\Rightarrow-3 x+2 y=6$
It is given that $a+b=1$ and $a b=-6$
We know that $(a-b)^2=(a+b)^2-4 a b$
$\Rightarrow(a-b)^2=(1)^2-4 \times-6=1+24=25$
$\Rightarrow a-b= \pm 5$
Solving $a + b = 1$ and $a - b = 5$
we have $a = 3$ and $b = -2 $
Solving $a +b = 1$ and $a - b = -5,$
we have $a = -2$ and $b = 3 $
Thus the required equations are
$\frac{x}{3}+\frac{y}{-2}=1$
$\Rightarrow-2 x+3 y=-6$
$\Rightarrow 2 x-3 y=6$
and $\frac{x}{-2}+\frac{y}{3}=1$
$\Rightarrow 3 x-2 y=-6$
$\Rightarrow-3 x+2 y=6$

