NUMERICAL PROBLEMS

12.1. An object 10.0 cm in front of a convex mirror forms an image 5.0 cm behind the mirror. What is the focal
length of the mirror?

DATA: Object Distance = p = 10 cm

Image Distance = q = - 5 cm
Focal Length = f = ?
1 1 1
FORMULA: By spherical mirror formula, = +
f p q
1 p+q
f
= pq
pq
f=
p +q
pq
SOLUTION: As f = p +q
(10)(−5) −50
f= =
10 −5 5
f = - 10 cm.
RESULT: The focal length of the mirror is – 10 cm.
12.2. An object 30 cm tall is located 10.5 cm from a concave mirror with focal length 16 cm. (a) Where is the
image located? (b) How high is it?

DATA: Object Height = ho = 30 cm.

Object Distance = p = 10.5 cm.
Focal Length = f = 16 cm.
(a) Image Location, q = ?
(b) Image Height, hi = ?
1 1 1 ℎ𝑖 𝑞
FORMULA: (a). = + (b). =
𝑓 𝑝 𝑞 ℎ𝑜 𝑝
1 1 1 𝑞
= − ℎ𝑖 = × ℎ𝑜
𝑞 𝑓 𝑝 𝑝
1 𝑝 −𝑓
=
𝑞 𝑝𝑓
𝑝𝑓
𝑞= 𝑝 −𝑓
𝑝𝑓 𝑞
SOLUTION: (a). As 𝑞 = (b). ℎ𝑖 = × ℎ𝑜
𝑝 −𝑓 𝑝
(10.5)(16) 168 30.54
𝑞= = ℎ𝑖 = × 30
10.5 −16 −5.5 10.5
q = - 30.54 cm. ℎ𝑖 = 87.26 𝑐𝑚.
RESULT: The image is located at 30.54 cm behind the mirror having height of 87.26 cm.
 12.3. An object and its image in a concave mirror are of the same height, yet inverted, when the object is 20
cm from the mirror. What is the focal length of the mirror?

DATA: As Image Height = Object Height

i.e, ℎ𝑖 = ℎ𝑜 ⇒ 𝑞 = 𝑝 = 20 𝑐𝑚.
Focal Length, f = ?
1 1 1
FORMULA: By using concave mirror formula, = +
𝑓 𝑝 𝑞
1 1 1
SOLUTION: As, = +
𝑓 𝑝 𝑞
Put 𝑞 = 𝑝 = 20 𝑐𝑚
1 1 1
𝑓
= 20
+ 20
1 2 1
= =
𝑓 20 10
f = 10 cm.
RESULT: The focal length of the mirror is 10 cm.
12.4. Find the focal length of a mirror that forms an image 5.66 cm behind the mirror of an object placed at
34.4 cm in front of the mirror. Is the mirror concave or convex?

DATA: Object Distance = p = 34.4 cm

Image Distance = q = - 5.66 cm
Focal Length = f = ?
1 1 1
FORMULA: By spherical mirror formula, = +
f p q
1 p+q
=
f pq
pq
f=
p +q
pq
SOLUTION: As f = p +q
(34.4)(−566) −194.704
f= =
34.4 −5.66 28.74
f = - 6.77 cm.
RESULT: The focal length of the mirror is – 6.77 cm. As this focal length is negative,
therefore the mirror is convex.
12.5. An image of a statue appears to be 11.5 cm behind a convex mirror with focal length 13.5 cm. Find the
distance from the statue to the mirror.

DATA: Image Distance = q = - 11.5 cm

Focal Length = f = - 13.5 cm
Object Distance, p = ?
1 1 1
FORMULA: By concave mirror formula, = +
𝑓 𝑝 𝑞
1 1 1
= −
𝑝 𝑓 𝑞
1 𝑞 −𝑓
=
𝑝 𝑞𝑓
𝑞𝑓
p=
𝑞 −𝑓
𝑞𝑓
SOLUTION: As p=
𝑞 −𝑓
(−11.5)(−13.5) 155.25
p= =
−11.5+13.5 2
p = 77.62 cm.
RESULT: The distance from the statue to the mirror is 77.62 cm.
12.6. An image is produced by a concave mirror of focal length 8.7 cm. The object is 13.2 cm tall and at a
distance 19.3 cm from the mirror. (a) Find the location and height of the image. (b) Find the height of the
image produced by the mirror if the object is twice as far from the mirror.
DATA: Focal Length = f = 8.7 cm
Object Height = ho = 13.2 cm.
(a). Object Distance, p = 19.3 cm (b). If obj distance, p = 2p
Image Distance, q = ? p = 2(19.3) = 38.6 cm
Image Height, hi = ? Then, Image distance, q = ?
and image height, hi = ?
1 1 1
FORMULA: (a). By concave mirror formula, = +
𝑓 𝑝 𝑞
1 1 1
= −
𝑞 𝑓 𝑝
1 𝑝 −𝑓
𝑞
= 𝑝𝑓
𝑝𝑓
𝑞= 𝑝 −𝑓
------------- (1)
ℎ𝑖 𝑞
Now, =
ℎ𝑜 𝑝
𝑞
ℎ𝑖 = × ℎ𝑜 ----------- (2)
𝑝
𝑝𝑓
(b) Similarly, 𝑞 = 𝑝−𝑓 ---------- (3)
𝑞
and ℎ𝑖  = 𝑝 × ℎ𝑜 --------------------- (4)
SOLUTION: (a). Putting values in eq. (1) (b). Using eq. (3)
𝑝𝑓 𝑝 𝑓
𝑞= 𝑞 =
𝑝 −𝑓 𝑝−𝑓
(19.3)(8.7) 167.91 (38.6)(8.7 335.82
𝑞= = 𝑞 = =
19.3 −8.7 10.6 38.6 −8.7 29.9
q = 15.84 cm. 𝑞 = 11.23 cm.
From eq. (2) Now from eq.(4)
𝑞 𝑞
ℎ𝑖 = × ℎ𝑜 ℎ𝑖  = × ℎ𝑜
𝑝 𝑝
15.84 11.23
ℎ𝑖 = × 13.2 ℎ𝑖  = × 13.2
19.3 38.6
ℎ𝑖 = 10.83 cm. ℎ𝑖  = 3.84 cm.
RESULT: (a). Location and height of image is 15.84 cm and 10.83 cm respectively.
(b). The height of image is 3.84 cm when object twice as far from the mirror.
12.7. Nabeela uses a concave mirror when applying makeup. The mirror has a radius of curvature of 38 cm.
(a) What is the focal length of the mirror? (b) Nabeela is located 50 cm from the mirror. Where will her
image appear? (c) Will the image be upright or inverted?
DATA: (a). Radius of curvature, R = 38 cm. (b). Obj Distance, p = 50 cm.
Focal Length, f = ? Image Distance, q = ?
(c). Nature of Image = ?
R
FORMULA: (a). f= ---------- (i)
2
1 1 1
(b). By concave mirror formula, = +
𝑓 𝑝 𝑞
1 1 1
= −
𝑞 𝑓 𝑝
1 𝑝 −𝑓
=
𝑞 𝑝𝑓
𝑝𝑓
𝑞= 𝑝 −𝑓
----------- (ii)
SOLUTION: (a). Using eq.(i) (b). Using eq.(ii)
𝑅 𝑝𝑓
f= 𝑞=
2 𝑝 −𝑓
38 (50)(19) 950
f= 𝑞= =
2 50 −19 31
f = 19 cm. q = 30.64 cm.
RESULT: (a). The focal length of the mirror is 19 cm.
(b). Her image will appear at a distance of 30.64 cm in front of the mirror.
(c). As image distance (q) is positive, therefore the image will be real and inverted.