Simmons 7.10 & 7.11: Find Curves Intersecting at Angle pi/4

In summary, the conversation discusses finding solutions of a differential equation involving two families of curves and an angle between them. The result from problem 10 is used to find the curves that form an angle of ##\pi/4## with all straight lines through the origin and all circles ##x^2+y^2=c^2##. The solutions for these curves are ##r=ce^{\theta}## and ##r=ce^{-\theta}## respectively. In order to continue with finding the curves for part (b), the chain rule is used to express the differential equation in polar form, and the given value of ##f(x,y)## is substituted in.
  • #1
yucheng
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Homework Statement
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Relevant Equations
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>10. Let a family of curves be integral curves of a differential equation ##y^{\prime}=f(x, y) .## Let a second family have the property that at each point ##P=(x, y)## the angle from the curve of the first family through ##P## to the curve of the second family through ##P## is ##\alpha .## Show that the curves of the second family are solutions of the differential equation
$$
y^{\prime}=\frac{f(x, y)+\tan \alpha}{1-f(x, y) \tan \alpha}
$$
>11. Use the result of the preceding problem to find the curves that form the angle ##\pi / 4## with

>(a) all straight lines through the origin;

>(b) all circles ##x^{2}+y^{2}=c^{2}##

>(Simmons, problem 7.10 and 7.11)

I was trying to work out problem 11. The solutions given are
11.(a) ##r=c e^{\theta}##
11.(b) ##r=c e^{-\theta}##

My solution:
11.
##y=mx##, ##f(x,y)=m##, ##\tan \frac{\pi}{4}=1##,thus $$\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{m+1}{1-m}=C_1$$
##y=r \sin\theta##, ##x=r \cos\theta##, ##dy= \sin\theta dr##, ##dx=-r \sin\theta d\theta##, substituting into our differential equation,

\begin{align}
\frac{dy}{dx} &= C_1\\
dy &= C_1 dx\\
\sin\theta dr &= C_1 (-r \sin\theta d\theta)\\
\frac{1}{r} dr &= C_2 d\theta\\
\log r &= C_2 \theta\\
r &= Ce^{\theta} \blacksquare\\
\end{align}

>Edit:
I realized I made an illegal move: it should be ##\log r = C_2 \theta +C_3##, thus ##r=Ce^{C_2\theta}##, which is umm...

12.
##x^2+y^2=c^2##, ##r=c##, ##y=r \sin\theta##, ##x=r \cos\theta##
\begin{align}
\frac{dy}{dx}&=-\frac{x}{\sqrt{c^2-x^2}}\\
&=-\frac{\cos\theta}{\sin\theta}\\
\end{align}

Substituing into the equation from problem 10,

\begin{align}
\frac{dy}{dx}&=\frac{-\frac{\cos\theta}{\sin\theta}+1}{1+\frac{\cos\theta}{\sin\theta}}\\
\frac{dy}{dx}&=\frac{-\frac{\cos\theta}{\sin\theta}+1}{1+\frac{\cos\theta}{\sin\theta}}\\
dy&=\frac{-\frac{\cos\theta}{\sin\theta}+1}{1+\frac{\cos\theta}{\sin\theta}}dx\\
dr&=\frac{-\frac{\cos\theta}{\sin\theta}+1}{1+\frac{\cos\theta}{\sin\theta}}(-r)d\theta\\
\end{align}

How am I supposed to continue? Can I pull off the same trick as before? Thanks in advance.

P.S. I read this post [Express the differential equation that solves the below problem in polar form](https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/909582/express-the-differential-equation-that-solves-the-below-problem-in-polar-form)
 
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  • #2
Your starting point is [tex]
\frac{dy}{d\theta} = \frac{1 + f(x,y)}{1 - f(x,y)} \frac{dx}{d\theta}[/tex] where the chain rule gives [tex]
\begin{align*}
\frac{dx}{d\theta} &= \frac{dr}{d\theta} \cos \theta - r \sin \theta, \\
\frac{dy}{d\theta} &= \frac{dr}{d\theta}\sin \theta + r\cos \theta.
\end{align*}[/tex]

For part (a): The straight line through the origin which passes through [itex](x,y)[/itex] has [itex]f(x,y) = \frac{y}{x}[/itex].

For part (b): You already found [itex]f(x,y) = -\cot \theta[/itex]. Proceed from here with the above expressions.
 
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FAQ: Simmons 7.10 & 7.11: Find Curves Intersecting at Angle pi/4

What is the significance of finding curves intersecting at an angle of pi/4?

Finding curves intersecting at an angle of pi/4 is significant because it allows us to determine the direction of the curves at the point of intersection. This angle, also known as a right angle, is important in various fields of science and mathematics, such as geometry, physics, and engineering.

How do you find the curves intersecting at an angle of pi/4?

To find curves intersecting at an angle of pi/4, we can use the slope-intercept form of a line and set the slopes of the two curves equal to each other. This will give us the x-coordinate of the point of intersection. Then, we can plug this value into one of the equations to find the y-coordinate. The resulting point will be the intersection point of the two curves at an angle of pi/4.

Can there be multiple points of intersection at an angle of pi/4?

Yes, there can be multiple points of intersection at an angle of pi/4 between two curves. This is because the two curves can intersect at different points along their lengths, and each intersection point will have the same angle of pi/4.

What do the curves represent in this scenario?

The curves in this scenario can represent various things depending on the context. In mathematics, they can represent functions or equations. In physics, they can represent the path of an object or a graph of a physical phenomenon. In engineering, they can represent the relationship between different variables in a system.

How can the angle of pi/4 be useful in real-life applications?

The angle of pi/4 has many real-life applications. For example, it can be used in architecture and construction to ensure that walls and structures are built at right angles. In navigation and surveying, it can be used to determine the direction of travel or the orientation of a map. It is also used in computer graphics to create 3D models and animations.

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