document.write( "Question 128195: Find the tangent and normal lines for \"f%28x%29=4-x%5E2\" \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #93857 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Start with the given function\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " Derive to get \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now to find the slope of the tangent line at (1,3), simply plug in \"x=1\" into \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " Plug in \"x=1\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the slope of the tangent line at (1,3) is -2 (note: this is where you made a mistake)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's use the Point-Slope Formula to find the equation of the tangent line \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "---Point-Slope Formula---
\n" ); document.write( "\"y-y%5B1%5D=m%28x-x%5B1%5D%29\" where \"m\" is the slope, and is the given point\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So lets use the Point-Slope Formula to find the equation of the line\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-3=%28-2%29%28x-1%29\" Plug in \"m=-2\", \"x%5B1%5D=1\", and \"y%5B1%5D=3\" (these values are given)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-3=-2x%2B%28-2%29%28-1%29\" Distribute \"-2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-3=-2x%2B2\" Multiply \"-2\" and \"-1\" to get \"2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=-2x%2B2%2B3\" Add 3 to both sides to isolate y\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=-2x%2B5\" Combine like terms \"2\" and \"3\" to get \"5\" \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the equation of the tangent line is \"y=-2x%2B5\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now simply negate and find the reciprocal of the slope \"m=-2\" to get \"m=1%2F2\" to get the perpendicular slope\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's use the Point-Slope Formula to find the equation of the normal line note: the normal line has a slope of \"m=1%2F2\" and goes through (1,3)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "---Point-Slope Formula---
\n" ); document.write( "\"y-y%5B1%5D=m%28x-x%5B1%5D%29\" where \"m\" is the slope, and is the given point\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So lets use the Point-Slope Formula to find the equation of the line\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-3=%281%2F2%29%28x-1%29\" Plug in \"m=1%2F2\", \"x%5B1%5D=1\", and \"y%5B1%5D=3\" (these values are given)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-3=%281%2F2%29x%2B%281%2F2%29%28-1%29\" Distribute \"1%2F2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-3=%281%2F2%29x-1%2F2\" Multiply \"1%2F2\" and \"-1\" to get \"-1%2F2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=%281%2F2%29x-1%2F2%2B3\" Add 3 to both sides to isolate y\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=%281%2F2%29x%2B5%2F2\" Combine like terms \"-1%2F2\" and \"3\" to get \"5%2F2\" (note: if you need help with combining fractions, check out this solver)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Summary:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the equation of the tangent line is \"y=-2x%2B5\" and the equation of the normal line is \"y=%281%2F2%29x%2B5%2F2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Notice if we graph \"y=4-x%5E2\", the tangent line \"y=-2x%2B5\", and the normal line \"y=%281%2F2%29x%2B5%2F2\", we get\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " Graph of \"y=4-x%5E2\" (red), the tangent line \"y=-2x%2B5\" (green), and the normal line \"y=%281%2F2%29x%2B5%2F2\" (blue)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So we can see that \"y=-2x%2B5\" is tangent to \"y=4-x%5E2\" and that \"y=%281%2F2%29x%2B5%2F2\" is perpendicular to \"y=-2x%2B5\". So this visually verifies our answer.
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