Animated Solution for Mathematics - Conic Sections: The locus of the mid point of the line segment joining the point (4,3) and the points on the ellipse x2+2y2=4 is an ellipse with eccentricity :
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Visualized Solution
Visualizing the Setup
Given Ellipse: x2+2y2=4
Fixed Point: P(4,3)
Objective: Find the eccentricity of the locus of the midpoint of PQ, where Q is any point on the ellipse.
Standard Form of the Ellipse
Divide the equation x2+2y2=4 by 4:
4x2+42y2=44
Standard Form: 4x2+2y2=1
Here, a2=4 and b2=2.
Parametric Coordinates of Point Q
Any point Q on the ellipse a2x2+b2y2=1 is (acosθ,bsinθ).
For our ellipse: a=2,b=2
Coordinates of Q: (2cosθ,2sinθ)
Defining the Midpoint M(h,k)
Let M(h,k) be the midpoint of P(4,3) and Q(2cosθ,2sinθ).
Draw the line segment PQ.
The midpoint M will trace a path as Q moves.
Applying the Midpoint Formula
Using Midpoint Formula: h=2x1+x2,k=2y1+y2
h=24+2cosθ
k=23+2sinθ
Isolating cosθ
From h=24+2cosθ:
2h=4+2cosθ
2h−4=2cosθ
cosθ=h−2
Isolating sinθ
From k=23+2sinθ:
2k=3+2sinθ
2k−3=2sinθ
sinθ=22k−3
Eliminating the Parameter θ
Use the fundamental trigonometric identity: cos2θ+sin2θ=1
Substitute the isolated expressions:
(h−2)2+(22k−3)2=1
Simplifying the Locus Equation
Expand the squared term for k:
(h−2)2+2(2k−3)2=1
Factor out 2 from the k term inside the square:
(h−2)2+24(k−23)2=1
(h−2)2+2(k−23)2=1
Standard Form of the Locus
Replace (h,k) with (x,y) to get the general locus:
1(x−2)2+21(y−23)2=1
This is an ellipse of the form A2(x−x0)2+B2(y−y0)2=1
Where A2=1 and B2=21
Calculating Eccentricity
Eccentricity formula: e=1−A2B2
Substitute A2=1 and B2=21:
e=1−121
e=1−21=21
e=21
Conclusion
Final Answer: The eccentricity of the locus is e=21.
Key Takeaway: The locus of the midpoint of a segment joining a fixed point and a point on an ellipse is another ellipse with the same eccentricity as the original one!
Notice the original ellipse had e=1−2/4=21.
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Solution Diagram
Analyzing the Setup
The given ellipse is defined by the equation x2+2y2=4. To understand its geometry, we divide the entire equation by 4:
4x2+2y2=1
From this standard form, we identify the semi-major axis a=2 and the semi-minor axis b=2. This establishes our foundation for the moving point Q on the perimeter.
The Parametric Dance
To track the motion of point Q effectively, we utilize the parametric representation Q(acosθ,bsinθ). Substituting our known values, the coordinates of Q are:
Q(2cosθ,2sinθ)
As the parameter θ varies from 0 to 2π, point Q traces the entire boundary of the ellipse. This parameterization is essential for eliminating the constraint during the derivation of the locus.
The Midpoint Bridge
Let M(h,k) be the midpoint of the segment connecting the fixed point P(4,3) and the moving point Q(2cosθ,2sinθ). Using the midpoint formula, we define the coordinates of M as:
h=24+2cosθ=2+cosθ
k=23+2sinθ
These equations link the locus coordinates (h,k) to the parameter θ. Our goal is to eliminate θ to find the path traced by M.
Algebraic Alchemy
We isolate the trigonometric functions from the midpoint equations:
cosθ=h−2
sinθ=22k−3
Applying the fundamental trigonometric identity cos2θ+sin2θ=1, we substitute our expressions:
(h−2)2+(22k−3)2=1
Expanding the second term, we obtain:
(h−2)2+2(2k−3)2=1
Final Calculation
To express the locus in standard form, we factor out the coefficient of k:
(h−2)2+24(k−3/2)2=1
(h−2)2+2(k−3/2)2=1
Replacing (h,k) with (x,y), the final equation of the locus is:
1(x−2)2+1/2(y−3/2)2=1
This result confirms that the locus is an ellipse centered at (2,3/2). The eccentricity e of this new ellipse is calculated as:
e=1−11/2=21
This demonstrates that the midpoint transformation preserves the eccentricity of the original conic section.