Question 13 Marks
Find the locus of a point such that the sum of its distances from (0, 2) and (0, -2) is 6.
Answer
View full question & answer→Let P(h, k) be any point on the locus let A(0, 2) and B(0, -2) be the given point. By the given condition $\text{PA}+\text{PB}=6$ $\Rightarrow \sqrt{(\text{h}-0)^2+(\text{k}-2)^2}+\sqrt{(\text{h}-0)^2+(\text{k}+2)^2}=6$ $\Rightarrow \sqrt{\text{h}+(\text{k}-2)\text{h}^2}=6-\sqrt{\text{h}^2+(\text{k}+2)^2}$ $\Rightarrow \text{h}^2+(\text{k}-2)\text{h}^2=36-12\sqrt{\text{h}^2+(\text{k}+2)^2}+\text{h}^2+(\text{k}+2)^2$ $\Rightarrow 8\text{k}-36=-12\sqrt{\text{h}^2+(\text{k}+2)^2}$ $\Rightarrow (2\text{k}+9)=3\sqrt{\text{h}^2+(\text{k}+2)^2}$ $\Rightarrow (2\text{k}+9)^2=9\Big(\text{h}^2+(\text{k}+2)^2\Big)$ $\Rightarrow 4\text{k}^2+36\text{k}+81=9\text{h}^2+9\text{k}^2+36\text{k}+36$$\Rightarrow 9\text{h}^2+5\text{k}^2=45$
Hence, locus of (h, k) is $ 9\text{h}^2+5\text{k}^2=45.$
Hence, locus of (h, k) is $ 9\text{h}^2+5\text{k}^2=45.$