Chapter 7: Problem 3
For the following exercises, sketch the curves below by eliminating the parameter t. Give the orientation of the curve. $$ x=2 t+4, y=t-1 $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The curve is a line: \( y = \frac{x - 6}{2} \), oriented left to right.
Step by step solution
01
Express t in terms of x
The given parametric equations are \( x = 2t + 4 \) and \( y = t - 1 \). Begin by solving the equation for \( x \) to express \( t \) in terms of \( x \). Rearrange the equation: \[ x - 4 = 2t \]Divide by 2:\[ t = \frac{x - 4}{2} \]
02
Substitute t in the equation for y
Now that we have \( t \) expressed as \( \frac{x - 4}{2} \), substitute this expression into the equation for \( y \):\[ y = t - 1 \]Substitute for \( t \):\[ y = \frac{x - 4}{2} - 1 \]
03
Simplify the equation for y
Now, simplify the equation \( y = \frac{x - 4}{2} - 1 \):First, simplify the expression:\[ y = \frac{x - 4}{2} - \frac{2}{2} \]Combine the fractions:\[ y = \frac{x - 4 - 2}{2} \]Simplify further:\[ y = \frac{x - 6}{2} \]
04
Identify the equation type and curve orientation
The equation \( y = \frac{x - 6}{2} \) represents a linear equation of the form \( y = mx + c \), which describes a straight line.To determine the orientation of the curve, observe how \( x \) and \( y \) change as \( t \) increases:- As \( t \) increases, \( x = 2t + 4 \) increases.- Likewise, \( y = t - 1 \) also increases.Thus, the line is oriented from left to right as \( t \) increases.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Curve Sketching
Curve sketching with parametric equations involves representing a curve on a graph by defining both x and y in terms of a third variable, often denoted as \( t \), called the parameter. This method allows for the depiction of complex curves through simpler equations.
In our given example, \( x = 2t + 4 \) and \( y = t - 1 \) describe a curve parametrically. To sketch this curve:
In our given example, \( x = 2t + 4 \) and \( y = t - 1 \) describe a curve parametrically. To sketch this curve:
- First, eliminate the parameter to obtain a single equation in terms of \( x \) and \( y \).
- Determine the type of curve by simplifying the derived equation.
- Understand the direction and flow of the curve. This is the curve's orientation, often determined by analyzing the change in x and y as t varies.
Linear Equations
Linear equations are algebraic expressions that represent straight lines on a graph. They have the general form \( y = mx + c \), where \( m \) is the slope and \( c \) is the y-intercept.
In parametric terms, by eliminating the parameter \( t \) in \( x = 2t + 4 \) and \( y = t - 1 \), we derive the linear equation \( y = \frac{x-6}{2} \).
This:
In parametric terms, by eliminating the parameter \( t \) in \( x = 2t + 4 \) and \( y = t - 1 \), we derive the linear equation \( y = \frac{x-6}{2} \).
This:
- Reveals the relationship between \( x \) and \( y \) as a straight line.
- Indicates a slope of \( \frac{1}{2} \), which determines the angle of the line's inclination.
- Shows that the line passes through a shifted set of axes, as inferred from the intercept derived during transformation.
Eliminating the Parameter
Eliminating the parameter is a crucial step in translating parametric equations into a single Cartesian equation involving only \( x \) and \( y \). This process simplifies the characterization of curves by removing \( t \).
In our example, we performed the following:
In our example, we performed the following:
- Solve for \( t \) in terms of \( x \) from the first equation: \( t = \frac{x - 4}{2} \).
- Substitute this expression into the second equation to eliminate \( t \): \( y = \frac{x - 4}{2} - 1 \).
- Simplify the resulting equation to \( y = \frac{x - 6}{2} \), yielding a relation solely between \( x \) and \( y \).
Curve Orientation
Curve orientation refers to the direction in which a curve is traced as the parameter \( t \) increases. It's essential for understanding how the point on the curve moves, providing insights into the natural motion or flow of the curve.
For \( x = 2t + 4 \) and \( y = t - 1 \), as \( t \) increases:
For \( x = 2t + 4 \) and \( y = t - 1 \), as \( t \) increases:
- \( x \) increases linearly, since each increment in \( t \) results in a proportional increase in \( x \).
- Similarly, \( y \) also increases linearly because it is directly related to \( t \).
- The consistent increase in both parameters signifies that the curve's orientation is from left to right.