Find Min Segment Length at Point P(1,8)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around finding the minimum length of a line segment that intersects the x-axis and y-axis while passing through the point P(1, 8). Participants explore mathematical approaches to express the segment length in terms of the slope of the line and discuss methods for minimizing this length.

Discussion Character

  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents the problem of determining the minimum segment length that relies on the x-axis and y-axis and passes through point P(1, 8).
  • Another participant suggests using the equation of the line passing through (1, 8) to find the intercepts on the axes.
  • Several participants discuss the need to express the length of the segment as a function of the slope (m) and to find its minimum.
  • There is a proposal to derive the expression for the length of the segment and check the conditions under which the derivative equals zero.
  • Some participants express confusion regarding the derivation process and the interpretation of variables, particularly the distinction between uppercase and lowercase letters in mathematical notation.
  • Participants debate the necessity of minimizing the square of the length rather than the length itself, with references to the Pythagorean theorem.
  • There are multiple expressions for the intercepts based on the slope, leading to different interpretations of how to proceed with finding the minimum segment length.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the best method to derive the minimum segment length, with various approaches and interpretations presented. Some participants agree on the need to express the segment length in terms of the slope, while others express confusion about the derivation process and the mathematical expressions involved.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the complexity of deriving the minimum length due to the involvement of multiple variables and the need to differentiate with respect to the correct variable. There are unresolved questions about the mathematical steps and the implications of using different notations.

leprofece
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determine the minimum segment that relies on the X axis and Y Axis if it passes through the point P (1, 8).

answers
from (5,0) to ( 0,10)

the point is ( x,0) and (0,y)
find the distance
((x-1)2+64)^2 +(1 +(y-8)2)2)

but how must I proceeed?
 
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This is a special case of https://driven2services.com/staging/mh/index.php?threads/10250/ you posted.
 
Evgeny.Makarov said:
This is a special case of https://driven2services.com/staging/mh/index.php?threads/10250/ you posted.

Yeahh the triangle and that is what I don't know to solve
 
You can solve the problem in this specific case. As you said in the other thread, the equation of the line passing through (1, 8) is
\[
y-8 = m(x-1)
\]
for some $m$. Find the intercepts, i.e., $x$ when $y=0$ and $y$ when $x=0$. Express $x^2+y^2$ through $m$ where $x$ and $y$ are obtained in the previous step. Find the minimum of that expression, or rather prove that $m=-2$ turns its derivative to zero.
 
Evgeny.Makarov said:
You can solve the problem in this specific case. As you said in the other thread, the equation of the line passing through (1, 8) is
\[
y-8 = m(x-1)
\]
for some $m$. Find the intercepts, i.e., $x$ when $y=0$ and $y$ when $x=0$. Express $x^2+y^2$ through $m$ where $x$ and $y$ are obtained in the previous step. Find the minimum of that expression, or rather prove that $m=-2$ turns its derivative to zero.

I could not get the answer
when I found the intercepts I got X = m-8/m and Y = 8- m
maybe I must raise to 2 and derivate?'
 
leprofece said:
when I found the intercepts I got X = m-8/m and Y = 8- m
When you substitute $y=0$ into $y-8=m(x-1)$ and solve for $x$, do you really get $x=m-8/m$? Also, uppercase and lowercase letters are usually distinguished in mathematics, so $x$ and $X$ are different variables. Let's use lowercase letters in this problem.

leprofece said:
maybe I must raise to 2 and derivate?
Yes. As I wrote,
Evgeny.Makarov said:
Express $x^2+y^2$ through $m$ where $x$ and $y$ are obtained in the previous step. Find the minimum of that expression, or rather prove that $m=−2$ turns its derivative to zero.
 
leprofece said:
I could not get the answer
when I found the intercepts I got X = m-8/m and Y = 8- m
maybe I must raise to 2 and derivate?'

I got x= (m-8)/(m)
do you understand now?

- - - Updated - - -

Evgeny.Makarov said:
When you substitute $y=0$ into $y-8=m(x-1)$ and solve for $x$, do you really get $x=m-8/m$? Also, uppercase and lowercase letters are usually distinguished in mathematics, so $x$ and $X$ are different variables. Let's use lowercase letters in this problem.

Yes. As I wrote,

And why x2+ y2?
it is not a circle?
 
leprofece said:
I got x= (m-8)/(m)
Yes, this is better. The formula $x=m-8/m$ means $x=m-\frac{8}{m}$ and is quite a different thing.

leprofece said:
And why x2+ y2?
it is not a circle?
The word "circle" was not used up to now in this thread, so no, it is not a circle.

You have a line segment from $(x,0)$ to $(0,y)$. This segment is the hypotenuse in the triangle formed by parts of the axes between $(0,0)$ and $(x,0)$ and between $(0,0)$ and $(0,y)$. The length of the hypotenuse, which you need to minimize (this is why you are interested in it), is found by the Pythagorean theorem. The length of the side between $(0,0)$ and $(x,0)$ is $x$, and the length of the side between $(0,0)$ and $(0,y)$ is $y$. Thus, the length of the hypotenuse is $\sqrt{x^2+y^2}$. It is easier to consider the square of the length because minimizing it also minimizes the length itself.
 
Evgeny.Makarov said:
Yes, this is better. The formula $x=m-8/m$ means $x=m-\frac{8}{m}$ and is quite a different thing.

The word "circle" was not used up to now in this thread, so no, it is not a circle.

You have a line segment from $(x,0)$ to $(0,y)$. This segment is the hypotenuse in the triangle formed by parts of the axes between $(0,0)$ and $(x,0)$ and between $(0,0)$ and $(0,y)$. The length of the hypotenuse, which you need to minimize (this is why you are interested in it), is found by the Pythagorean theorem. The length of the side between $(0,0)$ and $(x,0)$ is $x$, and the length of the side between $(0,0)$ and $(0,y)$ is $y$. Thus, the length of the hypotenuse is $\sqrt{x^2+y^2}$. It is easier to consider the square of the length because minimizing it also minimizes the length itself.

then I must derive $\sqrt{x^2+y^2}$
and substitute , then equate to zero to get m
valuie??
or plug the values i mean sqrt (( m-8)/(m))2+ (m+8)2) solving and derive i think it is easier because i have one variable instead
equate to 0 and get m value?
 
  • #10
leprofece said:
or plug the values i mean sqrt (( m-8)/(m))2+ (m+8)2) solving and derive i think it is easier because i have one variable instead
equate to 0 and get m value?
Yes. I said it before, I'll say it again:
Evgeny.Makarov said:
Find the intercepts, i.e., $x$ when $y=0$ and $y$ when $x=0$. Express $x^2+y^2$ through $m$ where $x$ and $y$ are obtained in the previous step. Find the minimum of that expression, or rather prove that $m=-2$ turns its derivative to zero.
Solving
\[
\frac{d}{dm}\Big((x(m))^2+(y(m))^2\Big)=0
\]
may be a little complicated because it's an equation of the 4th degree, but it is easy to check that $m=-2$ is a root.
 
  • #11
Evgeny.Makarov said:
Yes. I said it before, I'll say it again:Solving
\[
\frac{d}{dm}\Big((x(m))^2+(y(m))^2\Big)=0
\]
may be a little complicated because it's an equation of the 4th degree, but it is easy to check that $m=-2$ is a root.

again confused
you mean
it is that I got tl derive that
2x+2y
substitute now)))
2(m-8/m)+2 (m+8) = 0
That is that i understood
is that right?
 
  • #12
Well, since you refuse to follow instructions...

Evgeny.Makarov said:
Find the intercepts, i.e., $x$ when $y=0$ and $y$ when $x=0$.
\[
x=1-8/m,\quad y=8-m\qquad(*)
\]
This part you have done.

Evgeny.Makarov said:
Express $x^2+y^2$ through $m$ where $x$ and $y$ are obtained in the previous step.
\begin{align*}
x^2+y^2&=\left(1-\frac{8}{m}\right)^2+(8-m)^2\\
&=1-\frac{16}{m}+\frac{64}{m^2}+64-16m+m^2\qquad(**)
\end{align*}

Evgeny.Makarov said:
prove that $m=-2$ turns its derivative to zero.
The derivative of (**):
\[
\frac{16}{m^2}-\frac{128}{m^3}-16+2m\qquad(***)
\]
Now substitute $m=-2$ and check if (***) turns into 0.

Speaking about your previous response:
Evgeny.Makarov said:
Solving
\[
\frac{d}{dm}\Big((x(m))^2+(y(m))^2\Big)=0
\]
may be a little complicated because it's an equation of the 4th degree, but it is easy to check that $m=-2$ is a root.
leprofece said:
it is that I got tl derive that
2x+2y
The intercepts $x$ and $y$ that you found are functions of $m$. Each slope $m$ determines a new line through (1, 8) with its own intercepts. That's why I wrote $x(m)$ and $y(m)$. Next, you need to know with respect to which variable you take derivative. It should be the same variable that you vary to find a minimum (or maximum) of something. In this case, you vary the slope $m$ and among all resulting lines you choose the one that cuts the shortest segment against the axes. Therefore, you should take derivative with respect to $m$.

Now, $\frac{d}{dm}(x(m))^2\ne 2x(m)$. This is because you have a composition of $x$ and the square function:
\[
m\mapsto x(m)\mapsto (x(m))^2
\]
According to the chain rule,
\[
\frac{d}{dm}(x(m))^2=2x(m)\frac{d}{dm}x(m)
\]
and similarly for $\frac{d}{dm}(y(m))^2$. So another way to find the derivative (***) is to substitute (*) into
\[
2x(m)x'(m)+2y(m)y'(m)
\]

Again, to find an extremum, you need take derivative with respect to the independent variable. So far I've seen problems you posted with a single independent variable ($m$ in this problem). It is possible to consider situation where you can vary two parameters, say $u$ and $v$, and you need to find the minimum of some $f(u,v)$. Then you need to take partial derivatives of $f$ with respect to $u$ and $v$. My guess is that you have not covered that so far. But in a single-variable case, it makes no no sense to say that $(x^2+y^2)'=2x+2y$. Derivative with respect to what: $x$, $y$ or something else?
 

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