Question
Let and . Let the distance between the foci of E and the foci of be . If , and the ratio of the eccentricities of and is , then the sum of the lengths of their latus rectums is equal to :
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Solution
Here is a comprehensive and elaborate solution, designed to be educational and clear for JEE aspirants.
This problem requires a deep understanding of the fundamental properties of ellipses and hyperbolas, including their foci, eccentricity, and latus rectum. We will systematically use the given information to determine the parameters of both conic sections and then calculate the required sum.
1. Understanding the Conics and Their Key Formulas
Let's first establish the standard forms and essential properties for an ellipse and a hyperbola centered at the origin, with their major/transverse axis along the x-axis, as implied by the problem notation.
a) Ellipse (E): , where .
- Semi-major axis:
- Semi-minor axis:
- Foci: The foci are located at , where is the eccentricity of the ellipse.
- Distance between foci: .
- Relationship between : The semi-minor axis is related to and by . This is often rearranged as .
- Eccentricity: . For an ellipse, .
- Length of Latus Rectum: .
b) Hyperbola (H): .
- Semi-transverse axis:
- Semi-conjugate axis:
- Foci: The foci are located at , where is the eccentricity of the hyperbola.
- Distance between foci: .
- Relationship between : The semi-conjugate axis is related to and by . This is often rearranged as .
- Eccentricity: . For a hyperbola, .
- Length of Latus Rectum: .
2. Setting Up Equations from the Foci Distances
The problem states that "the distance between the foci of E and the foci of H is ." In standard JEE problems, this phrasing implies that the focal length (distance between foci) for each conic section is . If it meant the distance between a focus of E and a focus of H, it would be specified more clearly (e.g., "distance between nearest foci").
a) For the Ellipse E:
- Concept: The distance between the foci of an ellipse is .
- Action: We equate this to the given value:
- Explanation: This equation directly relates the semi-major axis and eccentricity of the ellipse to the given focal distance.
- Dividing by 2, we get:
- Action: To bring in the semi-minor axis , we use the fundamental relationship .
- Explanation: This relationship is derived from the definition of eccentricity for an ellipse () and is crucial for connecting and .
- Squaring both sides of gives .
- Therefore, for the ellipse, we have our first key equation:
b) For the Hyperbola H:
- Concept: The distance between the foci of a hyperbola is .
- Action: We equate this to the given value:
- Explanation: Similar to the ellipse, this equation relates the semi-transverse axis and eccentricity of the hyperbola to the given focal distance.
- Dividing by 2, we get:
- Action: To bring in the semi-conjugate axis , we use the fundamental relationship .
- Explanation: This relationship is derived from the definition of eccentricity for a hyperbola () and is crucial for connecting and .
- Squaring both sides of gives .
- Therefore, for the hyperbola, we have our second key equation:
Tip for avoiding common mistakes: Notice the crucial difference in the relationships: for an ellipse, (subtraction), while for a hyperbola, (addition). This sign difference is fundamental and arises directly from their geometric definitions and the fact that and .
3. Utilizing the Eccentricity Ratio and Semi-Axis Difference
We are given two more pieces of information that will help us determine the values of and :
- The difference between the semi-major axis of the ellipse and the semi-transverse axis of the hyperbola: .
- The ratio of their eccentricities: .
a) Expressing Eccentricities in terms of and :
- Action: From the results of Step 2, we have and . We can express the eccentricities as:
- Explanation: We isolate and because the next step involves their ratio.
b) Using the Eccentricity Ratio:
- Action: Substitute these expressions for and into the given eccentricity ratio :
- Explanation: This step allows us to relate and using the given ratio.
- Simplifying the complex fraction:
- So, we have:
- This gives us a direct relationship between and :
c) Solving for and :
- Concept: We now have a system of two linear equations involving and :
- (Given)
- (From Equation 3)
- Action: Substitute Equation 3 into the first equation:
- Explanation: This substitution eliminates , allowing us to solve for .
- Solving for :
- Action: Substitute back into Equation 3 to find :
- Explanation: We have now determined the specific values for the semi-major axis of the ellipse () and the semi-transverse axis of the hyperbola (). These values are foundational for calculating the latus rectums.
4. Calculating and
With the values of and now known, we can use Equation 1 and Equation 2 (derived in Step 2) to find and .
a) For the Ellipse E:
- Concept: Use Equation 1: .
- Action: Substitute :
- Explanation: This allows us to find , which is needed for the ellipse's latus rectum formula.
- Solving for :
b) For the Hyperbola H:
- Concept: Use Equation 2: .
- Action: Substitute :
- Explanation: This allows us to find , which is needed for the hyperbola's latus rectum formula.
- Solving for :