Parabola

Find the equation of the circle described on a focal chord with slope m, of the parabola y2=4ax as diameter.

There are two approaches to this problem.

1) The end points of the focal chord are (a/m2,2a/m) and (am2,-2am)

So the equation of the circle will be (x-a/m2)(x-am2) + (y-2a/m)(y+2am)=0

on solving
x2 + y2 -a(m2 - 1/m2)x + 2a(m - 1/m)y -3a2=0

2) The slope of the line joining focus and one of the end points of focal chord (at2,2at) is

2at/at2-a = m
i.e. mt2 - 2t - m = 0
from here, t1 + t2 = 2/m and t1t2 = -1
so equation of the circle will be (final answer)-

x2 - a[4/m2 +2]x + a2 +y2 - 4ay/m - 4a2 = 0

I wanted if any approach is wrong (as final answers are different)
Thanks

2 Answers

62
Lokesh Verma ·

The first method is wrong...

Here you have assumed that the slope with the focus is m.. which is not...

the slope here is -2am-0am2-a which is not equal to m...

1
swordfish ·

Thanks!

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