Edexcel FP3 2013 June — Question 7

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleFP3 (Further Pure Mathematics 3)
Year2013
SessionJune
TopicConic sections

  1. The ellipse \(E\) has equation
$$\frac { x ^ { 2 } } { a ^ { 2 } } + \frac { y ^ { 2 } } { b ^ { 2 } } = 1 , \quad a > b > 0$$ The line \(l\) is a normal to \(E\) at a point \(P ( a \cos \theta , b \sin \theta ) , \quad 0 < \theta < \frac { \pi } { 2 }\)
  1. Using calculus, show that an equation for \(l\) is $$a x \sin \theta - b y \cos \theta = \left( a ^ { 2 } - b ^ { 2 } \right) \sin \theta \cos \theta$$ The line \(l\) meets the \(x\)-axis at \(A\) and the \(y\)-axis at \(B\).
  2. Show that the area of the triangle \(O A B\), where \(O\) is the origin, may be written as \(k \sin 2 \theta\), giving the value of the constant \(k\) in terms of \(a\) and \(b\).
  3. Find, in terms of \(a\) and \(b\), the exact coordinates of the point \(P\), for which the area of the triangle \(O A B\) is a maximum.