Edexcel FP1 2013 June — Question 7

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleFP1 (Further Pure Mathematics 1)
Year2013
SessionJune
TopicConic sections

7. The parabola \(C\) has equation \(y ^ { 2 } = 4 a x\), where \(a\) is a positive constant. The point \(P \left( a t ^ { 2 } , 2 a t \right)\) is a general point on \(C\).
  1. Show that the equation of the tangent to \(C\) at \(P \left( a t ^ { 2 } , 2 a t \right)\) is $$t y = x + a t ^ { 2 }$$ The tangent to \(C\) at \(P\) meets the \(y\)-axis at a point \(Q\).
  2. Find the coordinates of \(Q\). Given that the point \(S\) is the focus of \(C\),
  3. show that \(P Q\) is perpendicular to \(S Q\).