← 2020 Paper 1

UPSC 2020 Maths Optional Paper 1 Q5b — Step-by-Step Solution

10 marks · Section B

Orthogonal trajectories (cartesian and polar) · ODEs · asked 7× in 13 yrs · Read the full method →

Question

Find the orthogonal trajectories of the family of circles passing through the points (0,2)(0,2) and (0,2)(0,-2).

Technique

Form DE of family by eliminating parameter; replace y1/yy'\to-1/y'; solve resulting Bernoulli/linear-in-x2x^2 equation via u=x2u=x^2.

Solution

Step 1 — Equation of the family

A circle through (0,2)(0,2) and (0,2)(0,-2) has its centre on the perpendicular bisector of that chord, i.e. on the xx-axis. Write the general circle as

x2+y2+2gx+2fy+c=0.x^2+y^2+2gx+2fy+c=0 .

Passing through (0,2)(0,2): 4+4f+c=04+4f+c=0. Through (0,2)(0,-2): 44f+c=04-4f+c=0. Subtracting gives f=0f=0; adding gives c=4c=-4. So the family is

x2+y2+2λx4=0,λ=g arbitrary.x^2+y^2+2\lambda x-4=0,\qquad \lambda=g \text{ arbitrary}.

Step 2 — Differential equation of the family (eliminate λ\lambda)

Differentiate w.r.t. xx:

2x+2yy+2λ=0λ=(x+yy).2x+2y y' + 2\lambda = 0 \quad\Rightarrow\quad \lambda = -(x+y y').

Substitute into the family equation:

x2+y2+2x[(x+yy)]4=0x^2+y^2+2x\big[-(x+yy')\big]-4=0   x2+y22x22xyy4=0\Rightarrow\; x^2+y^2-2x^2-2xy y'-4=0   y2x22xyy4=0.\Rightarrow\; y^2-x^2-2xy\,y'-4=0 .

So the DE of the given family is

2xyy=y2x24,y=y2x242xy.2xy\,y' = y^2-x^2-4,\qquad y'=\frac{y^2-x^2-4}{2xy}.

Step 3 — Orthogonal trajectories: replace y1/yy'\to -1/y'

1y=y2x242xyy=dydx=2xyy2x24=2xyx2y2+4.-\frac{1}{y'}=\frac{y^2-x^2-4}{2xy} \quad\Rightarrow\quad y'=\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{-2xy}{\,y^2-x^2-4\,}=\frac{2xy}{x^2-y^2+4}.

Step 4 — Solve the orthogonal DE

Rewrite:

(x2y2+4)dy=2xydx    2xydx(x2y2+4)dy=0.(x^2-y^2+4)\,dy = 2xy\,dx \;\Rightarrow\; 2xy\,dx-(x^2-y^2+4)\,dy=0 .

Treat yy as independent variable; this is linear in x2x^2. Let u=x2u=x^2, dudy=2xdxdy\dfrac{du}{dy}=2x\dfrac{dx}{dy}. From dxdy=x2y2+42xy\dfrac{dx}{dy}=\dfrac{x^2-y^2+4}{2xy},

dudy=2xx2y2+42xy=uy2+4y=uyy+4y.\frac{du}{dy}=2x\cdot\frac{x^2-y^2+4}{2xy}=\frac{u-y^2+4}{y} =\frac{u}{y}-y+\frac{4}{y}.

So

dudy1yu=y+4y.\frac{du}{dy}-\frac{1}{y}u = -y+\frac{4}{y}.

Integrating factor: edy/y=1/ye^{-\int dy/y}=1/y. Then

ddy ⁣(uy)=1y ⁣(y+4y)=1+4y2.\frac{d}{dy}\!\left(\frac{u}{y}\right)= \frac{1}{y}\!\left(-y+\frac{4}{y}\right)=-1+\frac{4}{y^2}.

Integrate:

uy=y4y+2k(2k=const),\frac{u}{y}=-y-\frac{4}{y}+2k \quad(2k=\text{const}), u=x2=y24+2ky.u=x^2=-y^2-4+2ky .

Hence

x2+y22ky+4=0.x^2+y^2-2ky+4=0 .

Step 5 — State the orthogonal family

x2+y22ky+4=0(k arbitrary),\boxed{\,x^2+y^2-2ky+4=0\,}\qquad(k\text{ arbitrary}),

a family of coaxial circles with centres on the yy-axis at (0,k)(0,k) and radius k24\sqrt{k^2-4} (real for k>2|k|>2). These all pass through the limiting/common points implied by the conjugate coaxial system; geometrically the given family (centres on xx-axis, through (0,±2)(0,\pm2)) and the orthogonal family (centres on yy-axis) form orthogonal coaxial systems.

Verification

Given family: x2+y2+2λx4=0x^2+y^2+2\lambda x-4=0\Rightarrow slope m1=y2x242xym_1=\dfrac{y^2-x^2-4}{2xy} (Step 2). Orthogonal family: x2+y22ky+4=0x^2+y^2-2ky+4=0. Differentiate: 2x+2yy2ky=0y=xky2x+2yy'-2ky'=0\Rightarrow y'=\dfrac{x}{k-y}. From the family, 2ky=x2+y2+4k=x2+y2+42y2ky=x^2+y^2+4\Rightarrow k=\dfrac{x^2+y^2+4}{2y}, so

ky=x2+y2+42y22y=x2y2+42y,m2=y=x(x2y2+4)/(2y)=2xyx2y2+4.k-y=\frac{x^2+y^2+4-2y^2}{2y}=\frac{x^2-y^2+4}{2y}, \quad m_2=y'=\frac{x}{(x^2-y^2+4)/(2y)}=\frac{2xy}{x^2-y^2+4}.

Product m1m2=y2x242xy2xyx2y2+4=(x2y2+4)x2y2+4=1.m_1 m_2=\dfrac{y^2-x^2-4}{2xy}\cdot\dfrac{2xy}{x^2-y^2+4}=\dfrac{-(x^2-y^2+4)}{x^2-y^2+4}=-1. ✓ Orthogonal everywhere.

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