B.M.S.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Dept. of Math., BMSCE Unit 1: Differential Calculus - 1

Polar Curves:
Angle between radius vector and tangent:
If r  f   , then the angle between radius vector and tangent is given by
d
tan   r .
dr

1. If  be the angle between radius vector and the tangent at any point of the curve r  f  
d
then prove that tan    r .
dr
2. Find the angle between the radius vector and the tangent for the following polar curves.
a) r  a 1  cos   Ans:    .
2 2

b) r 2  a2 sin2  Ans:   

Ans:   tan 1 1  e cos  .

l
c)  1  e cos 
r  e sin  
d) r m cos m  am Ans:   m
2
3. Find the angle between the radius vector and the tangent for the following polar curves. And
also find slope of the tangent at the given point.
Ans:   2 , tan  3 ,.
2a
e)  1  cos at   2 3
r 3

f) r cos 2  2   a 2 at   2 3 Ans:   .
6
 
g) r 2 cos  2   a Ans:    2 ;  = 
2 2

Angle between curves:

Angle of intersection of two polar curves = angle of intersection of their tangents denoted by 
tan 1  tan 2
  2  1 or tan  
1  tan 1 tan 2
4. Find the angle of intersection of the following pair of curves:
a) r  sin  cos  , r  2 sin Ans:  4
b) r 2 sin 2  4 and r 2  16sin 2 Ans:  3 .
c) r  a and r  2a cos  . Ans:  3 .

Calculus and Differential Equations Page 1

 B.M.S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Dept. of Math., BMSCE Unit 1: Differential Calculus - 1

a  2e 
d) r  and r  a log  Ans: tan 1  2 
.
log   1 e 
a a
e) r  and r  Ans: tan 1 3 .
1 1 2
f) r  a and r  2a cos  . Ans:  3 .


g) r  3cos( ) and r  1  cos( ) Ans: .
6
5. Show that the following pair of curves intersect each other orthogonally.
a) r  a 1  cos   and r  b 1  cos   .
b) r  a cos  and r  a sin  .
c) r  4sec2  2  and r  9 cosec 2  2  .
d) r n  a n cos  n  and r n  bn sin  n  .

e) r 2 sin 2  a2 and r 2 cos 2  b2 .

f) r  ae and re  b .
2a 2b
g)  1  cos  and  1  cos  .
r r
h) r  a cos  and r  a sin  .

a
i) r  a and r 


Length of the perpendicular from pole to the tangent for the polar curve:
2
1 1 1  dr 
p  r sin  or  2 4 
p 2
r r  d 

p is the length of perpendicular from pole to the tangent

 is the angle between radius vector and tangent

Calculus and Differential Equations Page 2

 B.M.S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Dept. of Math., BMSCE Unit 1: Differential Calculus - 1

1. If p denotes the length of the perpendicular from pole to the tangent of the curve r  f ( ) ,
2
1 1 1  dr 
then prove that p  r sin  and hence deduce that 2  2  4  
p r r  d 
2. Find the length of the perpendicular from the pole to the tangent for the following curves
a) r  a 1  cos   at    2 Ans: a 2
b) r  a 1  cos   at    2 . Ans: a 2
c) r 2  a2 cos 2 at    . Ans: a
d) r 2  a 2 sec 2 at    6 . Ans: a 2.
2a
e)  1  cos   at    2 Ans: 2 a
r
f) r  a sec2  2  at    3 Ans: 2a 3

Pedal Equation:
2
1 1 1  dr 
Relation between r and p , obtained using p  r sin  or  2 4 
p 2
r r  d 

1. Find the pedal equation of the following curves:

a) r  ae cot  . Ans: p  r sin
r 1  cos    2a Ans: p  ar
2
b)

r m cos  m   a m
m1
Ans: pr  a .
m
c)
l 1 e 2 -1 2
d)  1  e cos  Ans: 2  2  .
r p l lr

Curvature and Radius of Curvature

d
Curvature =   .
ds
1
Radius of curvature =   ;   0.

Cartesian Form:

Calculus and Differential Equations Page 3

 B.M.S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Dept. of Math., BMSCE Unit 1: Differential Calculus - 1

 
3
1  y12 2
dy d2y
Radius of curvature (Cartesian form),   , where y1  and y2  2
y2 dx dx
3
 dx 2  2
   1
 dy  
If y1   then 
d 2x
dy 2
Find the radius of curvature for the following curves:
a. The Folium x3  y3  3axy at the point 3a 2 , 3a 2  
 
b. Catenary y  c cosh x c at  0, c  .
a2  a  x 
c. y 2
at  a, 0  . Ans: a
x 2

a a a
d. x  y  a at  ,  . Ans:
4 4 2

 5 5
e. y  4sin x  sin  2 x  at x  . Ans:
2 4

 2r 
32

f. r 1  cos    a Ans: .
a
an
g. r  a cos n
n n
Ans: .
 n  1 r n1
2
h. r  a 1  cos   Ans: 2ar .
3
x2 y 2
2. Find the radius of curvature for   1 at  a,0  and  0, b  . Ans:
a 2 b2
3. Find the radius of curvature for y 2  4ax at  x, y  . Ans:
2 2
 x   y   2  3
2
ax
4. If  is the radius of curvature for y  then prove that         .
ax  y  x  a 

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 B.M.S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Dept. of Math., BMSCE Unit 1: Differential Calculus - 1

Polar form:
r  r12 
2 32
dr d 2r
Radius of curvature in polar coordinates:   ; where r1  and r2 
r 2  2r12  rr2 d d 2

Alternative:
Radius of curvature in Pedal form:
dr
 r
dp

1. If 1 and  2 are the radii of curvature at the extremities of a chord through the pole for the
16a 2
polar curve r  a 1  cos   , prove that 1  2 
2 2
.
9
2. Show that for the curve r 1  cos    2a ,  2 varies as r 3 .
2
3. For the cardioid r  a 1  cos   , show that is constant.
r
4. Find the radius of curvature at the point  r ,   for the curve r n  a n sin n .
l
5. Find the radius of curvature for the curve  1  e cos  at any point  r ,   .
r
6. Write the p  r equation of the polar curve r n  an sin n and find the radius of curvature
to the curve.
7. Find the pedal equation of the polar curve r  f   and find the radius of curvature at any
point  r ,  
2
(i) r  a 1  cos   Ans: 2ar
3
(ii) r  ae cot  Ans: r cos ec
a2
(iii) r 2  a2 cos 2 Ans:
3r
am
(iv) r  a cos m
m m
Ans:
 m  1 r m1

Calculus and Differential Equations Page 5

 B.M.S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Dept. of Math., BMSCE Unit 1: Differential Calculus - 1

Parametric form:
Radius of curvature in parametric form:

 x12  y12 
3/2
dx dy d 2x d2y
 ; where x1  ; y1  , x2  2 , y2  2
x1 y2  x2 y1 dt dt dt dt
Find the radius of curvature for the following curves:

1. x  6t  3t ; y  8t
2 4 3

1. x  et  et ; y  et  et at t  0
a cos(t ) a sin(t )
2. x  ; y
t t
3. x  a ln  sec t  tan t  ; y  a sec t
4. x  1  t 2 ; y  t  t 3 ; at t  1
5. x  2t 2  t 4 ; y  4t 3 at t  1
 t3 
6. x  a  t   ; y  at 2
 3 

1

7. x  ln(t ); y  t  t 1
2

8. x  a  t  sin t  ; y  a 1  cos t  at t  
9. x  a cos t; y  a sin t
    
10. x  a ln  tan     ; y  a sec( )
  4 2 
11. x  a cos3 t; y  a sin 3 t

Self Study Topics:

Center of Curvature:
A point C on the normal at any point P of a curve distant  from it, is called the center of
curvature at P.

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 B.M.S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Dept. of Math., BMSCE Unit 1: Differential Calculus - 1

x  x
1  y  2
1
and y  y
1  y  2
1

y2 y2

Equation of the circle of curvature:

 x  x   y  y
2 2
 2

1. Find the coordinates of the center of curvature at  at 2 , 2at  on the parabola y 2  4ax .
2. Find the coordinates of the center of curvature at any point of the parabola y 2  4ax .
3. Find the circle of curvature at the point  a / 4, a / 4  of the curve x y  a.
4. Find the circle of curvature at the point  3 / 2,3 / 2  of the curve x  y3  3xy .
3

5. Show that the circle of curvature at the origin for the curve x  y  ax2  by 2  ex3 is
 a  b   x2  y 2   2  x  y  .
Evolute:
The locus of the center of curvature for a curve is called its evolute and the curve is called an
involute.

1. Show that the equation of the evolute of the parabola y 2  4ax is 27ay 2  4  x  2a  .
3

2. Show that the evolute of the cycloid x  a   sin   , y  a 1  cos   is another equal cycloid.
3. Show that the equation of the evolute of the parabola x2  4ay is 4  y  2a   27ax 2 .
3

4. Show that the equation of the evolute of the curve x  a  cos t  log tan(t / 2)  , y  a sin t is
y  a cosh  x / a  .
x2 y 2
5. Show that the equation of the evolute of the ellipse   1 is
a 2 b2
 ax    by    a 2  b2  .
2/3 2/3 2/3

6. Find the evolute of the following:

(i) Ellipse : x  a cos , y  b sin 
(ii) Cycloid: x  a  t  sin t  , y  a 1  cos t 
(iii) x  a cos3 t, y  a sin3 t

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