FAMILIES OF CURVES

Obtain the differential equation of the family of plane curves described.

1. Straight lines through origin.

Solution:

General Equation: y=mx

m=Slope
dy
∴ y ' =m or m= dx

Substitute m ,

dy
y= x
dx
ydx=xdy
∴ ydx−xdy=0 answer

2. Straight lines through the fixed point(h , k ); h and k not to be eliminated.

Solution:

General Equation:

( y−k )=m ( x−h )

dy =mdx
dy
∴ m=
dx
Substitute,

dy
( y−k )= ( x−h )
dx
( y−k ) dx=( x−h ) dy
( y−k ) dx−( x−h ) dy =0 answer

3. Straight lines with slope and y-intercept equal.

Solution:

General Equation:

y=mx+b
 m=Slope; b= y -intercept , b=m
∴ y=mx+ m
dy =mdx
dy
∴ m=
dx
Substitute,

dy dy
y= x+
dx dx
ydx=xdy + dy
∴ ydx−( x +1 ) dy=0 answer

4. Straight lines with slope and x -intercept equal.

Solution:

General Equation:

y=m ( x−a )
m=Slope ; a=x -intercept
But, a=m

∴ y=m ( x−m )
dy =mdx
dy '
∴ m= =y
dx
Substitute,

y= y ' ( x− y ' )
' 2
y=x y −( y )
'

∴ ( y ¿¿ ' )2=x y ' − y answer ¿

5. Straight lines with the algebraic sum of the intercept fixed as k .

Solution:

For x -intercept :

y=m ( x−a )
'
y =m
 ∴ y= y ' ( x−a )
' '
y=x y −a y
'
x y −y
∴ a= '
y

For y -intercept : But, k =a+ b

y=mx+b '
x y −y (
+ y−x y )
'
k= '
y =m
'
y

∴ y= y ' x +b Multiply by y ' ,

∴ b= y−x y ' k y ' =x y ' − y + y ' ( y −x y ' )

¿ ( x y ' − y )− y ' (x y ' − y)

k y ' =( 1− y ' )( x y ' − y )

6. Circles with center on the x -axis .

Solution:

General Equation:

( x−h )2+ y2 =r 2
'
2 ( x−h ) +2 y y =0
( x−h )+ y y ' =0
1+¿
2
∴ y y ' ' + ( y ' ) + 1=0 answer

7. Circles with center at the origin.

Solution:

General Equation:
2 2 2
x + y =r
2 xdx+ 2 ydy =0
∴ xdx+ ydy=0 answer

8. Circles with fixed radius r and tangent to x -axis .

Solution:

General Equation:

( x−h )2+ ( y−k )2=r 2

k =± r
'
2 ( x−h ) +2 ( y−k ) y =0
( x−h )=−( y−k ) y '
Square both sides,
2
( x−h )2=( y−k )2 ( y ' )

But, ( x−h )2=r 2−( y −k )2

Since, k =± r

Substitute,
' 2
r − ( y ± r ) =( y ± r ) ( y )
2 2 2

' 2
r =( y ± r ) ( y ) + ( y ± r )
2 2 2

' 2
r = ( y ± r ) ( y ) +( y ¿ ¿ 2 ±2 ry ± r )¿
2 2 2

2
∴ ( y ± r )2 ( y ' ) + y 2 ± 2 ry=0 answer

9. Circles with center on the line y=− x, and passes through origin.

Solution:

General Equation:

( x−h )2+ ( y−k )2=r 2

But, r 2=a2 +a2 → r 2=2 a2

Substitute,

( x−a )2+ ( y−a )2=2 a2

2 2 2 2 2
x + 2 ax+ a + y −2 ay +a =2 a
2 2
x + y + 2 ax−2 ay=0
2 2
x +y
∴−2 a=
x− y
Differentiate,
2 2
x +y
−2 a=
x− y
 ( x− y )( 2 xdx +2 ydy )−( x 2 + y 2 ) ( dx−dy )
0=
( x− y )2
2 2 2 2 2 2
0=2 x dx−2 xydx +2 xydy −2 y dy −x dx + x dy− y dx+ y dy
2 2 2 2
0=x dx−2 xydx− y dx + x dy+ 2 xydy − y dy

∴ ( x 2−2 xy − y 2 ) dx+ ( x 2+2 xy− y 2) dy =0 answer

10. Circles of radius unity, use the fact that the radius of curvature is 1.

Solution:

General Equation:

( x−h )2+ ( y−k )2=1

'
2 ( x−h ) +2 ( y−k ) y =0
( x−h )=−( y−k ) y '
Square both sides,
2 2
( x−h )2=( y ' ) ( y −k )
Substitute,
2 2
( y ' ) ( y−k ) + ( y −k )2=1
( y−k )2 [ 1+ ( y ' ) ]=1
2

∴ ( y−k )2=[ 1+ ( y ' ) ]

2 −1

−1

y−k=[ 1+ ( y ) ]
' 2 2

Differentiate,
−3
−1
y=
'
2
[ 1+ ( y ) ]
' 2 2
2y y
' ''

−3

1=− y [ 1+ ( y ) ]
'' ' 2 2

[
Multiply by 1+ ( y' )2 ] 2

[ 1+( y ) ] ' 2 2
=− y
''

Square both sides,

∴ [ 1+ ( y ' ) ] =( y ' ' ) answer

2 3 2
 11. All circles, use the curvature.

Solution:

General Equation:

( x−h )2+ ( y−k )2=r 2

2 ( x−h ) +2 ( y−k ) y' =0

( x−h )=− y ' ( y−k )
2
∴ ( x−h )2=( y ' ) ( y−k )2
Substitute,
2
( y−k )2 ( y ' ) + ( y −k )2=r 2

( y−k )2 [ 1+ ( y ' ) ]=r 2

2

( y−k ) [ 1+ ( y ' ) ] =r
2 2 2

y−k 1 −1
= ( y −k )
=[ 1+ ( y ) ]
' 2 2
r 1
→∴
[ 1+( y ) ] ' 2 2 r

Differentiate,
' −3
r y −1
2
=
2
[ 1+ ( y ) ]
' 2 2
2y y
' ''

r
−3
−1
= y [ 1+ ( y ) ]
'' ' 2 2

r
Differentiate again,

{ }
−5 −3
−3
0= y
2
[ 1+ ( y ' ) ]
'' 2 2
2 y y + [ 1+ ( y )
' ''
]
' 2 2
y '' '

−5 −3

3 y ( y ) [ 1+ ( y ) ] [ 1+( y ) ]
' '' '2 2 2 ''' ' 2 2
=y
−5

[
Multiply by 1+ ( y' )2 ] 2
,
2

3 y ( y ) =y
' '' 2 ' ''
[ 1+( y ) ]
' 2 2

∴ 3 y' ( y ' ' ) = y ' ' ' [ 1+ ( y ' ) ] answer

2 2
 12. Parabolas with vertex on the x -axis parallel to y -axis , and with distance from the
focus to vertex fixed as a .

Solution:

General Equation:

( x−b )2=4 ay
'
2 ( x−b )=4 a y

∴ ( x−b ) =2 a y '
Square both sides,
2
( x−b )2=4 a2 ( y ' )
Substitute,
' 2
4 a ( y ) =4 ay
2

2
∴ a ( y ' ) = y answer

13. Parabolas with vertex on y -axis , with axis parallel to x -axis and with distance from
focus to vertex fixed as a .

Solution:

General Equation:

( y−c )2=4 ax
'
2 ( y−c ) y =4 a
2a
∴ ( y−c )= '
y
Square both sides,
2
( y−c )2= 4 a 2
( y')
Substitute,
2
4a
2
=4 ax
( y' )
2
∴ a=x ( y ' ) answer

14. Parabolas with axis parallel to the y -axis and with distance from vertex to focus
fixed as a .
Solution:

General Equation:

( x−b )2=4 a ( y−c )

2 ( x−b )=4 a y '

' '
2 x=4 a y +2 b → x=2 a y +b

∴ 1=2 a y ' answer

15. Parabolas with axis parallel to the x -axis and with distance from vertex to focus
fixed as a .

Solution:

General Equation:

( y−c )2=4 a ( x −b )

2 ( y−c ) y ' =4 a
2a
∴ y−c= '
y
Square both sides,
2
( y−c )2= 4 a' 2
(y )
Substitute,
2
4a
2
=4 a ( x−b )
( y' )
a
2
= ( x −b )
( y' )
Differentiate,
' ''
−2 a y y
2
=1
( y' )
' 3
−2 a y =( y )
''

3
∴ ( y ' ) + 2 a y ' ' =0 answer

16. Parabolas with vertex and focus on the x -axis .

Solution:

General Equation:
 y 2=4 a ( x−b )
'
2 y y =4 a
' 2
2 y y +2 ( y ) =0
''

2
∴ y y ' ' + ( y ' ) =0 answer

17. Parabolas with axis parallel to x -axis .

Solution:

General Equation:

( y−c )2=4 a ( x −b )
'
2 ( y−c ) y =4 a
' 2
2 ( y−c ) y +2 ( y ) =0
''

' 2
yy −c y + ( y ) =0
'' ''

' 2
yy + ( y )
''
∴c ''
y
Differentiate,

y ' ' [ yy '' ' + y '' y' +2 y ' ' y ' ]−[ yy ' ' + ( y ' ) ]
2

0= '' 2
(y )
2 2 ' 2
0= yy y + y ( y ' ) +2 y ( y ' ) − y y ' y −( y )
'' ' '' ' ' ' ' ' '' '

2 ' 2
0=3 y ( y ' ) −( y ) y
' ' ' ''

2
∴ y ' y ' ' ' −3 ( y ' ' ) =0 answer

18. The cubic, c y 2=x 2 ( x−a )with a held fixed.

Solution:
2
x ( x−a )
c=
y2

y [ 2 x ( x−a ) + x ]−x ( x−a ) 2 ( y )

2 2 2 ' 2

=0
y4
2 3 '
2 xy ( x−a ) + x y −2 x y ( x−a )=0
2 '
2 x ( a−x ) y + xy ( 3 x −2 a )=0
 '
−2 x (x−a) y + y ( 3 x−2 a )=0

∴ 2 x ( x−a ) y ' = y ( 3 x−2 a ) answer

19. The quartics c 2 y 2=x ( x−a)3 ; with a held fixed.

Solution:
3
x ( x−a )
c 2=
y2
Differentiate;

y 2 [ 3 x ( x−a )3 + ( x−a )3 ]−2 y y ' x ( x−a )3

0= 4
y

0= y ( x−a ) [ 3 x + ( x−a ) ] −2 y y x ( x−a )

2 2 ' 3

Divide by y ( x−a )2 ,
'
0= y ( 4 x−a )−2 x y ( x−a )

∴ y ( 4 x−a )=2 x y ' ( x −a ) answer

3
x
20. The cissoids, y 2=
a−x
Solution:
2 3
y ( a−x ) =x
3
( a−x )= x 2
y
Differentiate:
3
x
a−x= 2
y

y 2 ( 3 x 2 ) −x3 ( 2 y y ' )
−1= 2 2
(y )

− y 4 =( 3 x 2 ) y 2 −2 x 3 y y '
Divided by y ,
3 2 3 '
− y =3 x y−2 x y
3 ' 2 3
2 x y =3 x y + y

∴ 2 x 3 y ' = y ( 3 x 2 + y 2 ) answer
 21. Circles through the intersections of the circles x 2+ y 2=1, and the line y=x . Use the
u+kv form; that is, equation
Solution:
2 2
x + y −1+k ( y−x )=0
2 2
x + y −1
∴ k=
( y −x )
Differentiate,

( y−x ) 2 xdx +2 ydy ¿−(x 2 + y 2−1)(dy−dx) ¿

( y −x )2
2 2 2 2 2 2
2 xydx+ 2 y dy−2 x dx−2 xydy −x dy + x dx− y dy + y dx+ dy−dx=0

−( x 2−2 xy− y 2 +1 ) dx−( x2 +2 xy− y 2−1 ) dy=0

∴ ( x 2−2 xy − y 2+ 1 ) dx+ ( x 2+2 xy− y2 −1 ) dy=0 answer

22. Circles through the fixed point (a ,0) and (−a ,0 ) .Use the method of u+kv form.

Solution:

General Equation:
2 2 2
x + y −a + ky=0
2 2 2
x + y −a
∴−k=
y
Differentiate,

y ( 2 xdx +2 y 2 dy ) −( x 2 + y 2−a 2) dy
2
=0
y
2 2 2 2
2 xydx+ 2 y dy−x dy− y dy +a dy =0

∴ 2 xydx + ( y2 −x2 + a2 ) dy=0 answer

23. The circles, r =2 a ( sinθ−cosθ ) .

Solution:

Differentiate,

dr =2 a ( cosθdθ+ sinθdθ )
dr
∴ 2 a=
( cosθdθ+ sinθdθ )
Substitute 2 a ,
 dr ( sinθ−cosθ )
r=
(cosθ+ sinθ) dθ
r ( cosθ +sinθ ) dθ=dr ( sinθ – cosθ )
r ( cosθ +sinθ ) dθ=−( cosθ−sinθ ) dr
∴ r ( cosθ+ sinθ ) dθ+ ( cosθ−sinθ ) dr=0 answer
24. The cardioids, r =a ( 1−sin θ )

Solution:

r
∴ a=
( 1−sinθ )
Differentiate,

( 1−sinθ ) dr −r ( cosθdθ)
( 1−sinθ )2
∴ ( 1−sinθ ) dr + r ( cosθdθ )=0 answer

25. The stropoids, r =a ( sec θ+ tan θ )

Solution:

Differentiate,

d r=a ( secθtanθ dθ+ sec 2 θdθ )

dr =a ( secθ+tanθ ) secθ d θ
But:

r =a ( secθ +tanθ ) ,
∴ dr=rsecθdθ answer