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LENGTHS OF TANGENT, NORMAL, SUBTANGENT AND SUB NORMAL

Definition :
Let y = f ( x ) be a differentiable curve and P be a point on the curve.
Let the tangent and normal at P to the curve meet the x - axis in T and N respectively.
Let M be the projection of P on the x - axis. Then

(i) PT is called the length of the tangent, (ii) PN is called the length of the normal,
(iii) TM is called the length of the subtangent, (iv) MN is called and length of the
subnormal at the point P.

Let P( x1 , y1 ) be a point on the curve y = f ( x ) . Then

y1
(i) the length of the tangent to the curve at P is 1 + m2 .
m

(ii) the length of the normal to the curve at P is y1 1 + m 2 .

y1
(iii) the length of the subtangent to the curve at P is .
m
 dy 
(iv) the length of the subnormal to the curve at P is y1m where m =   .
 dx  P

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Exercise

1. Find the length of sub-tangent and sub normal at a point of the

x
curve y = b.sin .
a

x dy x 1 b x
Sol: Equation of the curve is y = b.sin ⇒ = b.cos . = .cos =m
a dx a a a a

Let P(x,y) be a point on the curve.

x
y1 b.sin
Length of the sub-tangent = = a = a. tan x
m b x a
.cos
a a

b2
Length of the sub-normal = y1m = b.sin .  cos  =
x b x 2x
.sin .
a a a  2a a

2. Show that the length of sub-normal at any point on the curve xy = a2 varies as
the cube of the ordinate of the point.

Sol: Equation of the curve is xy = a2.

a2 dy −a 2
⇒ y= ⇒ = =m
x dx x 2

Let P(x,y) be a point on the curve.

 ( −a ) 2  y2
Length of the sub-normal = y1m = y1  2  = −a 2 y1 14
 x1  a
 

y13
= 2
∝ y13 = cube of the ordinate.
a

3. Show that at any point (x, y) on the curve y = be x / 3 , the length of the sub-
y2
tangent is constant and the length of the sub-normal is .
a

Sol: Let P(x,y) be a point on the curve.

dy 1 y
Equation of the curve is y = be x / 3 ⇒ = b.e x / 3 . = =m
dx a a

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y1 y
Length of the sub-tangent = = a = constant
m  y
 
a

Length of the sub-normal y1m =y.y/a=y2/a

4. Find the value of k so that the length of the sub-normal at any point on the
curve x.y k = ak +1 is constant. ?

Sol: Let P(x1,y1) be a point on the curve.

Equation of the curve is x.y k = a k +1 .

Differentiating w.r.to x

dy
x.k.y k −1 + y k .1 = 0
dx

dy
⇒ k.xy k −1. = − yk
dx

dy − yk y
⇒ = k −1
=−
dx k.x.y kx

− ( y1 ) y2
Length of the sub-normal = y1m = y1 = 1
kx1 kx1

y12 y1k y1k + 2

= . k +1 =
k a k.a k +1

Length of the sub-normal is constant at any point on the curve is independent of x1

y1k + 2
and is independent of y1 ⇒ k + 2 = 0 ⇒ k = − 2
k .a k +1

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5. At any point t on the curve x = a (t + sin t), y = a(1 – cos t). Find the lengths of
the tangent, normal, sub-tangent and sub-normal.

Sol: Equation of the curve is x = a (t + sin t), y = a(1 – cos t)

 dy  t t t
dy  dt  a sin t 2 sin .cos
2 2=
sin
2 =m
= = =
dx  dx  a (1 + cos t ) 2 cos 2 t
cos
t
 
 dt  2 2

y1 t
Length of the tangent 1 + m2 = a (1 − cos t ) 1 + cot 2
m 2

t t t 1 t
= 2a.sin 2 .cos ec = 2a.sin 2 . = 2a sin
2 2 2 sin t 2
2

t
Length of the normal y1 1 + m 2 = a (1 − cos t ) 1 + tan 2
2

t
sin
= a  a sin 2  .sec 2 = 2a.sin t .tan t
t t t
= 2a.sin .
 2 2 2 cot t 2 2
2

y1 a (1 − cos t ) cos t / 2
Length of the sub-tangent = = a.2sin 2 t / 2.
m sin t / 2 sin t / 2
cos t / 2

= a. ( 2sin t / 2.cos t / 2 ) = a.sin t

sin t / 2
Length of the sub-normal y1m = a (1 − cos t )
cos t / 2

= 2a sin 2 t / 2.tan t / 2 = 2a sin 2 t / 2.tan t / 2

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6. Find the length of normal and sub-normal at a point on the

curve y =
2
(
a x/a
e + e− x / a . )
Sol: Equation of the curve is y =
2
(
a x/a
e + e− x / a ) x
= a.cosh  
a

dy x1 x
⇒ = a.sinh   = sinh =slope of tantent at any point =m
dx a a a

x x
Length of the normal y1 1 + m 2 = a.cosh 1 + sinh 2
a a

x x x
= a.cosh .cosh = a.cosh 2
a a a

x x
Length of the sub-normal y1m = a.cosh   .sinh  
a a
a x x a 2x
=  2 sinh .cosh  = .sinh
2 a a 2 a

7. Find the length of the sub-tangent and sub-normal of a point t o the curve
x = a ( cos t + t sin t ) y = a ( sin t − t cos t ) .

Sol: Equation of the curve are x = a ( cos t + t sin t ) , y = a ( sin t − t cos t )

 dy 
dy  dt  at sin t
= = = tan t
dx  dx  at cos t
 
 dt 

y1 a ( sin t − t cos t )
Length of the sub-tangent = =
f `( x1 ) tan t
= a cot t ( sin t − t cos t )

Length of the sub-normal = y1.f `( x1 )

= a ( sin t − t cos t ) tan t = a tan t ( sin t − t cos t )

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