1

Problem
Given

x3 + y 3 = 1 3xy

then draw the graph of the curve.

Solution

Method I
x3 + y 3 + (1)3 = 3xy(1)
3
3
3
So this implies x + y 1 = 0 or x = y = 1 using x + y + z 3xyz =
(x + y + z)(x2 + y 2 + z 2 xy yz zx)
The given expression can be written as

Method II
Other method a student tried to work out.

x3 + y 3 + 3xy(x + y) = 1 3xy + 3xy(x + y)

(x + y)3 = 1 3xy(1 (x + y))
1 (x + y)3 = 3xy{1 (x + y)}
{1 (x + y)}{1 + x + y + (x + y)2 } = 3xy{1 (x + y)}
{1 (x + y)}{1 + x + y + x2 + y 2 xy} = 0

Comparing this with conic equation

21
1

1
2
1
2




 = 1 1 1 1 1 1 = 0The equation is a equation
8 8 4 4 4

1
1 
2
2
2
But also we must see what is h ab
1
2
Here h ab =
4 1 < 0 Though the equation represents a pair of
2
lines the pair of lines are imaginary as h ab < 0.

 1

=  21
 1

And further we can see that the equation of the pair of lines can be
written as

1 + x + y + x2 + y 2 xy =

{(x+1)2 +(y+1)2 +(xy)2 }

2

x = y = 1

the above method. Or rather both methods are one and the same.
So the imaginary pair of lines is a point

(1, 1)

as in

representing pair of lines