What caused the wrong answer for determining the center and radius of Circle 2?

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
4 replies · 2K views
mathdad
Messages
1,280
Reaction score
0
Determine the center and radius of circle.

View attachment 7463
 
Attachments
  • MathMagic171103_2.png
    MathMagic171103_2.png
    8.4 KB · Views: 159
Last edited by a moderator:
Mathematics news on Phys.org
Why not continue and find out?

Doing so will give you experience, and experience will allow you to answer these sorts of question for yourself in future situations.
 

3x^2 + 3y^2 + 5x - 4y = 1

3x^2 + 5x + 3y^2 - 4y = 1

x^2 + (5/3)x + y^2 -(4/3)y = 1/4

Half of (5/3) is (5/6). Then (5/6)^2 = (25/36).

Half of -(4/3) is -(2/3). Then (-2/3)^2 = (4/9).

We add (25/36) and (4/9) on both sides of the equation.

x^2 + (5/3)x + (25/36) + y^2 -(4/3)y + (4/9) = (1/4) + (25/36) + (4/9)

Factor left side and calculate the right side.

(x + 5/6)(x + 5/6) + (y - 2/3)(y - 2/3) = (25/18)

(x + 5/6)^2 + (y - 2/3)^2 = (25/18)

The center is (h, k) = (-5/6, 2/3).

Let r = radius

r^2 = (25/18)

sqrt{r^2} = sqrt{25/18}

r = [5•sqrt{2}]/6

Is this correct?
 
RTCNTC said:
3x^2 + 3y^2 + 5x - 4y = 1

3x^2 + 5x + 3y^2 - 4y = 1

x^2 + (5/3)x + y^2 -(4/3)y = 1/4
= 1/3, not 1/4.

Half of (5/3) is (5/6). Then (5/6)^2 = (25/36).

Half of -(4/3) is -(2/3). Then (-2/3)^2 = (4/9).

We add (25/36) and (4/9) on both sides of the equation.

x^2 + (5/3)x + (25/36) + y^2 -(4/3)y + (4/9) = (1/4) + (25/36) + (4/9)
Again, the right side should be 1/3+ 25/36+ 4/9. 1/3, not 1/4.

Factor left side and calculate the right side.

(x + 5/6)(x + 5/6) + (y - 2/3)(y - 2/3) = (25/18)

(x + 5/6)^2 + (y - 2/3)^2 = (25/18)
1/3+ 25/36+ 4/9= 12/36+ 25/36+ 16/36= 53/36
The center is (h, k) = (-5/6, 2/3).

Let r = radius

r^2 = (25/18)

sqrt{r^2} = sqrt{25/18}

r = [5•sqrt{2}]/6

Is this correct?
Not the radius. The radius is sqrt(53}/6.
 
On the right side, I should have 1/3, as you said, not 1/4. Simple computation error that led to the wrong answer. Overall, I understand the procedure which is more important.