Note on Folium of Descartes

August 6, 2017

Definition 1.1. The folium of Descartes is an algebraic curve defined by the equation x3 +y 3 3axy = 0.
Here we only focus on a > 0. The case a < 0 is similar.

2 2
2 2
3 3 3
3 3

5 2 5
6 6 6 6

0 0
3 2 1 1 2 3 1 2 3
< 0
4
a = 1.0 1 0
a = 1.4 2
7 a = 1.8 11 3 11
6 6
< 6
2 2 4

4 5 4 5
3
3 3 3 3
3 3
2 2

N Definition 1.1 N Property 1.2

Property 1.1.
(1) The folium of Descartes forms a loop in the first quadrant with a double point at the origin.
(2) The folium of Descartes is symmetric about the line y = x.
3a sin cos
Property 1.2. The folium of Descartes in polar coordinates is r = .
sin3 + cos3
3at 3at2
Property 1.3. The folium of Descartes has a parametric equations x(t) = , y(t) = .
1 + t3 a + t3
t < 1 corresponds to x > 0 and y < 0, the right, lower, wing;
1 < t < 0 corresponds to x < 0 and y > 0, the left, upper wing;
t > 0 corresponds to x > 0 and y > 0, the loop of the curve.

Property 1.4. The folium of Descartes forms an asymptote x + y + a = 0. s

Proof. Note that x approaches infinity or negative infinity if and only if t approaches 1. Then the slope
of the asymptote is given by
y
m = lim = lim t = 1.
x x t1

The y-intercept is given by

3at 3at2 3at

k = lim y mx = lim 3
+ 3
= lim 2 = a
x t1 1 + t 1+t t1 t t + 1

Then we have the asymptote y = mx + k = x a.

1

2 2
2 2
1.5a 3 1.5a 3
3 3

5 1a 5 1a
6 6 6 6

0.5a 0.5a

0 0
1.5a 1a 0.5a 0.5a 1a 1.5a 1.5a 1a 0.5a 0.5a 1a 1.5a

asymptote 0.5a 0.5a

7 11 7 11
6 1a 6 6 1a A4 6

4 5 4 5
1.5a 1.5a
3 3 3 3
3 3
2 2

N Property 1.4 N Property 1.5, Property 1.6

Property 1.5. The area of the interior of the loop is 3a2 /2.

Proof. Consider the loop is given form t = 0 to infinity, by Greens theorem,


1 3at 2 3a2 2
Z Z Z
1 1 y 1  = 3a .
x2 d =

A= xdy ydx = ( 3
) dt = ( 3
)
2 C 2 C x 2 0 1+t 2 1+t 0  2

Property 1.6. The area between the asymptote and the curve is the same as the interior of the loop.
a
Proof. Write the asymptote as r1 = . The part of the desired area located in the fourth
cos + sin
quadrant is given by
Z Z 3
4
Z Z
1 4 1 1 4 1 4 a 3a sin cos 2
A4 = 1 r12 d r2 d = 2 r12 r2 d = ( )2 ( 3 ) d.
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
cos + sin sin + cos3

We simplify it at first, since

Z Z
1 3 sin cos 2 1 6 sin cos 2
( )2 ( 3 ) d = ( )2 (1 ( ) )d
sin + cos sin + cos3 sin + cos 2 sin 2
(1 2 sin 2)(1 + sin 2)
Z
1
= 4 ( )( )d
Z 1 + sin 2 (2 sin 2)2
1 2 sin 2
= 2 d2
(2 sin 2)2

and it has a closed-form expression

1 2 sin u 1 2 sin u
Z Z
1
2
du = d( )
(2 sin u) cos u 2 sin u Z
1 2 sin u 1 1 1 2 sin u
= ( )( ) d( )
cos u 2 sin u 2 sin u cos u
1 2 sin u
Z
1 1
= ( )( ) d(sec u 2 tan u)
cos u 2 sin u 2 sin u
1 2 sin u
Z
1 1
= ( )( ) ( )(sec u tan u sec2 u)du
cos u 2 sin u 2 sin u
1
Z
2
+ 1
Z +
2
1 formally lim ( r12 d r2 d)
/4 2 2
2 2
2 r( ) = r()

2
 1 2 sin u sin u 2
Z
1 1
= ( )( ) ( )( )du
cos u 2 sin u Z 2 sin u cos2 u
1 2 sin u 1
= ( )( ) + sec2 udu
cos u 2 sin u
1 2 sin u 1
= ( )( ) + tan u + C
cos u 2 sin u
1 cos u
= + C,
2 2 sin u
the area A4 is

1 2 sin 2 a2 cos 2  4 a2
Z
1 4
A4 = 2a2 d2 = = .
2 =
2
(2 sin 2)2 2 2 sin 2 = 2
2

The area of the triangle in the third quadrant is a /2. Then the whole area is 2A4 + a2 /2 = 3a2 /2.
2