Tangents and Normals

Equation of Tangent:
If ψ is the angle which the tangent at any point (x,y) on
the curve y = f(x) makes with the x-axis, then
tan ψ = dy/dx = f’(x)
Thus, the equation of the tangent at the point (x,y) on the
curve y = f(x) is
Y- y = f’(x)(X – x)
where (x,y) is an arbitrary point on the tangent
 Tangent to the curve x = f(t), y = g(t) at
the Point ‘t’
The slope of the tangent of the curve x = f(t), y = g(t), at
which f’(t) ≠ 0, at any point ‘t’ is
dy/dx = dy/dt ×dt/dx = g’(t) /f’(t)

Thus, the equation of the tangent to the curve x = f(t), y =

g(t) at the point ‘t’ is
[Y – g(t)]f’(t) = [X – f(t)]g’(t)
 Tangent to the Curve f(x,y)=0 at any point (x,y)

If the equation of the curve is given in the implicit form

f(x,y)=0, then at any point (x,y), where df / dy ≠0, we
have
f f
f '( x)  
x y
Thus, the equation of the tangent at any point (x,y) on
the curve f(x,y)=0, where df / dy ≠ 0, will be given by

 f f 
Y  y    ( X  x)
 x y 
f f
or, ( X  x)  (Y  y )  0
x y
 Equation of the Normal at a point
The normal to a curve at a point is the straight line which
passes through the point and is perpendicular to the tangent to
the curve at the point.
Let m be the slope of the normal since the normal and the
tangent are perpendicular to each other, then at any point (x,y)
dy dy
m.  1  m  1
dx dx
Hence, the equation of the normal at any point (x,y) is
 1 
Y  y  X  x
 dy dx 
dy
or,  Y  y   ( X  x)  0
dx
Example1:- Find the equation of the tangent and normal to the
curve at any point (x,y) if
xm ym
m
 m 1
a b
Solution:- The given equation is
xm ym
m
 m  1............(i )
a b
Differentiating w. r. t. ‘x’, we get
x m 1 y m 1 dy
m m m m . 0
a b dx
m 1 m 1
dy 1b b
    b 
dx a y  y
Equation of the tangent is
dy
Yy ( X  x)
dx
 m 1 m 1
1 x b
 Yy   .b   ( X  x)
aa  y
m 1 m m 1 m
X  x  x Y  y  y
          
a a a bb b
m 1 m 1 m m
X x Y  y x  y
         
a a bb a b
m 1 m 1
X  x Y  y
      1 [From (i)]
a a bb
Example 2:- Find the equation of the tangent and normal to the
curve at any point (x,y), if x = a sin3θ, y = a cos3 θ
Solution:- We have,
x = a sin3θ, y= a cos3 θ
Thus, dx /dθ = 3a sin2θ cosθ
dy / dθ = - 3a cos2θ sinθ
dy dy dx cos 
   
d d d sin 
Thus, the equation of the tangent is
cos 
y  a cos   
3
( x  a sin 3  )
sin 
 x cos   y sin   a sin  .cos  (cos 2   sin 2  )
 x cos   y sin   a 2  sin 2 .
Slope of the tangent is –cotθ and hence slope of the normal
will be
tanθ = sinθ / cosθ
Therefore, the equation of the normal will be
sin 
y  a cos   
3
( x  a sin 3  )
cos 
 y cos   x sin   a(cos 4   sin 4  )
 y cos   x sin   a cos 2
 Example 3:- Find the equation of the normal to the curve
1
y  (1  x )  sin (sin x) at x  0
y 2

Solution :- We have,
y  (1  x) y  sin 1 (sin 2 x) at x  0
Let u  (1  x) y and v  sin 1 (sin 2 x)
When x  0, y  1
 Po int p is (0,1)
Also, y  u  v
dy du dv
  
dx dx dx
dv
Clearly ,  0 at P
dx
u  (1  x) y
 log u  y log(1  x)
1 du dy y
  log(1  x) 
u dx dx 1 x
du dy y
  u[ log(1  x)  ]
dx dx 1 x
Alsou  1 at P (0,1)
log(1  x)  log1  0
y du
and 1  1
1 x dx
du du dv du
Hence,     1 0  1
dx dx dx dx
 slope of tan gent
Hence, the equation of the normal at P (0,1) is
y  1  1( x  0)  x  y 1
Example 4:- Show that the line x/a + y/b = 1 touches the curve,
y = be-x/a at the point where the curve crosses y-axis.
Solution:- We have x

y  be a
It cuts y  axis at (0, b)
dy b xa
  e
dx a
 dy  b b
     .1  
 dx  0,b  a a
The equation of the tan gent at (0, b) is
y b   b  a  . x  0
 bx  ay  ab
x y
  1
a b
Example 5:- Find the equation(s) of tangent(s) to the curve y=x3+2x+6
which is perpendicular to the line x+14y+4=0
Solution:- Let the co-ordinates of the point of contact be (x1,y1).
Then y1  x13  2 x1  6 ................(i )
 x1 , y1  lies on y1  x13  2 x1  6 
The equation of the curve is
y1  x 3  2 x  6 ..............(ii )
Differentiating both sides w.r .t .x, we get
dy
 3x 2  2
dx
 dy 
   3 x1 2
2

 dx  x1 , y1 
Since the tangent at (x1,y1) is perpendicular to the line x+14y+4=0,
Therefore,
Slope of the tangent at (x1,y1) × Slope of the line = -1
 dy 1  1 
   1 
dx 14
 3x  2   14   1
2
1

  1  2   14 
3 x 2
x1  2
When x1  2, y1  23  2  2  6 [Using (i)]
When x2  2, y1  ( 2)3  2  ( 2)  6 [Using (ii)]
So, the co-ordinates of the points of contact are (2, 18) and (-2, -6).
The equation of the tangent at (2, 18) is
y  18  14( x  2)
 14 x  y  10  0
The equation of the tan gent at ( 2, 6) is
y  (6)  14( x  (2))
 14 x  y  22  0
Example 6:- For the curve y = 4x3-2x5 find all points at which the tangent passes
through the orgin.
Solution:- Let (x1, y1) be the required point on y = 4x3-2x5
Then y1  4 x13  2 x15
The equation of the givencurve is
y  4 x3  2 x5
Differentiating w.r.t.x, we get
dy
 12 x 2  10 x 4
dx
 dy 
    (12 x1
2
 10 x1
4

dx
  x1 , y1 
So, the equation of the tangent at (x1 , y1 ) is
 dy 
y  y1   
 dx  x1 , y1 
 12 x1
2
 10 x1   x  x1 
4

y  y1   12 x12  10 x14   x  x1 
This passes through the origin, therefore
 0  y1    12 x12  10 x14   0  x1 
 y1  12 x13  10 x15
Subtracting (ii) from (i), we get
0  8 x13  8 x15
 8 x13  x12  1  0
 x1  0 or x1  1
When x1  0, y1  0
When x1  1, y1  12  10  2
When x1  1, y1  12  10  2
Hence, the required points are (0,0), (1,2) and (-1,-2).