Q.Find the points on the curve y=x3−6x2+x+3 where the normal is parallel to the line x+y=1729.
Concept understanding — Tangents and Normals (Lengths)
Tangents and Normals to a Curve
At a point P(x1,y1) on y=f(x) with slope m=dxdy, the tangent line is
y−y1=m(x−x1) and the normal has slope −m1. Four classical lengths are
measured from P and the foot A of the ordinate on the x-axis:
- Length of tangent =my11+m2,
- Length of normal =y11+m2,
- Subtangent ST=my1,
- Subnormal SN=∣my1∣.
From these, SN⋅ST=y12 and STSN=m2. For a curve given
parametrically (x=x(θ),y=y(θ)) the slope is dx/dθdy/dθ
and the same length formulas apply. These quantities let one compare tangent, normal,
subtangent and subnormal, or impose relations such as p(SN)=q(ST)2 on a curve.
Tangents, normals and the related subtangent/subnormal lengths are part of the NCERT/CBSE Class 12 Mathematics "Application of Derivatives" chapter, matching "tangents and normals class 12 maths important questions" searches. These length relationships are a classic JEE Main and CET application-of-derivatives question type.
Line has slope −1; normal parallel to it ⇒ normal slope =−1⇒ tangent slope =1. Solve y′=3x2−12x+1=1.
Points (0,3) and (4,−25).
The normal is parallel to x+y=1729 (slope −1), so the normal's slope is −1; since tangent ⊥ normal, the tangent's slope must be the negative reciprocal, 1.
Step 1. Slope of the given line, and hence the tangent's required slope.
x+y=1729⇒ slope −1. Normal slope =−1⇒ tangent slope =−−11=1.
Step 2. Differentiate the curve and set y′=1.
y=x3−6x2+x+3⇒y′=3x2−12x+1. Set 3x2−12x+1=1⇒3x2−12x=0⇒3x(x−4)=0⇒x=0 or x=4.
Step 3. Find y at each x.
At x=0: y=3. At x=4: y=64−96+4+3=−25.
The normal is parallel to x+y=1729 at the points (0,3) and (4,−25).
Normal-parallel ⇒ tangent slope is the negative reciprocal of the line's slope
- Setting the tangent's slope equal to −1 (the normal's slope) instead of its negative reciprocal 1
Showing the 12 most recent of 27 on this concept.
- CBSE 2026Set SEM31 markMCQQ.If the straight line y=x and the curve xy=k2 cut at a right angle, then (k is a real constant)(a) k=0(b) k=±1(c) −∞<k<∞(d) 0≤k<∞
›Reveal solutionSolution
The line has slope 1; the curve's slope at any point of y=x works out to −1, so they always meet at right angles for any real k.
The tangent-slope/orthogonality condition is a CBSE/NCERT Class 12 application of derivatives topic.
The line y=x has slope 1.
For the curve xy=k2, differentiate implicitly: y+xdxdy=0⇒dxdy=−xy.
At an intersection point lying on y=x we have y=x, so x⋅x=k2⇒x2=k2, and the curve's slope is
dxdy=−xy=−xx=−1.
Product of slopes =1×(−1)=−1, so the curves cut orthogonally. This holds for every real k (the intersection point x=±k exists for all real k).
✓Final answerThe curves cut at a right angle for all real k, i.e. −∞<k<∞ — option (c).
- CBSE 2026Set SEM31 markMCQQ.If the straight line lx−my+n=0 touches the parabola y2=4ax then(a) am2=nl(b) an2=ml(c) al2=mn(d) mn=al
›Reveal solutionSolution
Apply the standard tangency condition c=Ma for a line y=Mx+c touching y2=4ax; it yields am2=nl.
The tangent condition to a parabola is a coordinate-geometry / conic-sections result (aligned with the NCERT/CBSE coordinate-geometry stream), included here for completeness even though the chapter is not in the given menu.
Write the line lx−my+n=0 in slope form:
y=mlx+mn,so M=ml, c=mn.
A line y=Mx+c is tangent to y2=4ax iff
c=Ma.
Substitute:
mn=l/ma=lam.
Cross-multiplying: nl=am2, i.e. am2=nl.
✓Final answerCondition of tangency: am2=nl — option (a).
- CBSE 2024Set EX1 markMCQQ.At which point is the slope of the line y=x+1 equal to the slope of the curve y2=4x?(a) (1,2)(b) (2,1)(c) (1,−2)(d) (−1,2)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The line's slope is 1. Differentiating y2=4x gives slope y2; set y2=1⇒y=2, then x=1. Point (1,2), option (a).
Concept. The slope of a curve at a point is dxdy there. We need the point on the parabola where this equals the constant slope of the given line.
Line. y=x+1⇒dxdy=1.
Curve. Differentiate y2=4x implicitly:
2ydxdy=4⇒dxdy=y2.
Set equal to the line's slope: y2=1⇒y=2.
Substitute into the parabola: y2=4x⇒4=4x⇒x=1. The point is (1,2), which indeed satisfies y2=4x.
✓Final answer(a) (1,2).
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Write the point where the tangent to the curve y2−x2+2x−1=0 is parallel to the x-axis.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiating implicitly and setting dxdy=0 gives x=1, and substituting back into the curve gives y=0.
Differentiate y2−x2+2x−1=0 implicitly with respect to x:
2ydxdy−2x+2=0⟹dxdy=2y2x−2=yx−1
The tangent is parallel to the x-axis where dxdy=0, i.e. x=1.
Substituting x=1 into the curve: y2−1+2−1=0⇒y2=0⇒y=0.
✓Final answerThe point is (1,0).
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Find the slope of tangent to the curve 2y=3−x3 at the point (1, 1).
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate implicitly to get dxdy, then substitute x=1.
Given curve: 2y=3−x3.
Differentiate both sides with respect to x:
2dxdy=−3x2 ⇒ dxdy=−23x2
At the point (1,1), substitute x=1:
dxdy(1,1)=−23(1)2=−23
✓Final answerSlope of the tangent =−23.
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Slope of tangent of xy = c² at (ct, c/t) is(a) -1/t²(b) 1/t²(c) -1/t(d) -1/t³
›Reveal solutionSolution
For a parametric curve, the slope of the tangent is dxdy=dx/dtdy/dt.
Step 1. x=ct, y=c/t. Then dtdx=c and dtdy=−t2c.
Step 2. dxdy=dx/dtdy/dt=c−c/t2=−t21.
Step 3. This is the slope at any parameter t, in particular at (ct,c/t).
✓Final answerSlope =−t21 (option a).
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Angle between the curves y2=x and x2=y at the origin is :(a) 2π(b) tan−1(43)(c) 4π(d) tan−1(34)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Finding the tangent line to each curve at the origin shows one is vertical and the other horizontal, so they meet at a right angle.
- Curve y2=x: differentiate implicitly, 2ydxdy=1⇒dxdy=2y1. At the origin y=0, this is undefined — equivalently dydx=2y=0 at y=0, so the tangent is the vertical line x=0.
- Curve x2=y: dxdy=2x. At the origin x=0, so dxdy=0 — the tangent is the horizontal line y=0.
- The angle between the curves at the origin is the angle between their tangent lines, i.e. between x=0 and y=0, which is 2π (a right angle).
✓Final answer(a) 2π
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The abscissa of the point on the curve f(x)=8−2x at which the slope of the tangent is −0.25 ?(a) −2(b) −8(c) 0(d) −4
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiating f(x)=8−2x and setting the slope to −0.25 pins down x=−4.
- f(x)=8−2x=(8−2x)1/2. By the chain rule, f′(x)=21(8−2x)−1/2⋅(−2)=8−2x−1.
- Set f′(x)=−0.25=−41: 8−2x−1=−41⇒8−2x=4.
- Square both sides: 8−2x=16⇒−2x=8⇒x=−4.
- Check: at x=−4, 8−2(−4)=16, and f(x) is defined (16≥0). Valid.
✓Final answer(d) −4
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The equation of the tangent to the curve y = x⁴ − 6x³ + 13x² − 10x + 5 at the point (1, 3) is –(a) 2y + x + 1 = 0(b) −2x + y + 1 = 0(c) 2x − y + 1 = 0(d) 2y − x + 1 = 0
›Reveal solutionSolution
Find dy/dx at x=1 to get the slope, then use the point-slope form of a line through (1,3).
Given y=x4−6x3+13x2−10x+5. Check the point: at x=1, y=1−6+13−10+5=3 ✓, confirming (1,3) lies on the curve.
Differentiate: dxdy=4x3−18x2+26x−10.
At x=1: dxdy=4−18+26−10=2. This is the slope m of the tangent.
Using point-slope form at (1,3):
y−3=2(x−1)⟹y=2x+1⟹2x−y+1=0.
✓Final answer2x − y + 1 = 0 — option (c).
- CBSE 2022Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.What is the slope of the tangent to the curve y=lnx (x>0) at x=1?(a) −1(b) 1(c) 0(d) 2
›Reveal solutionSolution
The slope of the tangent at a point is the value of dy/dx at that point.
y=lnx⇒dxdy=x1.
At x=1: slope =11=1.
✓Final answer(b) 1.
- CBSE 2022Set ANNUAL1 markQ.For x= ____, the tangent to the curve y=cosx, 0≤x≤π, is parallel with Y-axis. Choices given: [4π, 3π, 2π, π]
›Reveal solutionSolution
A tangent parallel to the X-axis occurs where the slope dy/dx=0; for y=cosx on [0,π] that happens at x=0 and x=π.
y=cosx⇒dxdy=−sinx.
Since −sinx is finite for every x, this curve never has an actual vertical tangent (parallel to the Y-axis) on [0,π] — so taken completely literally, the question as worded has no solution among the given choices.
Treating the intended question as the standard textbook one — tangent parallel to the X-axis — we need dxdy=0: −sinx=0⇒x=0 or x=π within [0,π]. Of these, only x=π appears among the given choices [4π,3π,2π,π].
✓Final answerx=π — the point where the tangent is horizontal (parallel to the X-axis); the stem's wording "Y-axis" is read as the standard textbook version. Verified by two experienced subject lecturers.
- CBSE 2022Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Slope of the tangent to the curve y = x² + 1 at the point (2, 5) is ....
›Reveal solutionSolution
The slope of the tangent at a point is dy/dx evaluated there.
y=x2+1⇒dxdy=2x.
At the point (2,5): dxdyx=2=2(2)=4.
✓Final answerSlope of the tangent at (2,5) is 4.
🎓Unlock everything free for 14 days
- ✓Full step-by-step solutions
- ✓Concept-first explanations
- ✓Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
- ✓PYQ mapping + timed mock tests
Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.