Question
Let and be non-zero numbers. If the point of intersection of the lines and lies in the fourth quadrant and is equidistant from the two axes then :
Options
Solution
Key Concepts and Formulas
- Point of Intersection: The point lies on a line if and only if substituting and into the line's equation results in a true statement.
- Fourth Quadrant: A point lies in the fourth quadrant if and .
- Equidistant from Axes: A point is equidistant from the x and y axes if . In the fourth quadrant, this implies .
Step-by-Step Solution
Step 1: Define the intersection point based on the given conditions.
The problem states the intersection point lies in the fourth quadrant and is equidistant from both axes. Let this point be . Since it's in the fourth quadrant, and . Because it's equidistant from the axes, . Therefore, . Let , where . Then . Thus, the point of intersection is where .
Step 2: Substitute the intersection point into the first equation.
The first equation is . Substitute and into this equation:
Now, solve for in terms of and : Since , we know that , which implies . This means and have opposite signs.
Step 3: Substitute the intersection point into the second equation.
The second equation is . Substitute and into this equation:
Now, solve for in terms of and : Since , we know that , which implies . This means and have opposite signs.
Step 4: Eliminate to find a relationship between and .
We have two expressions for : Since both expressions are equal to , we can set them equal to each other:
Now, we can cross-multiply to eliminate the fractions:
Finally, rearrange the terms to get the desired relationship:
Common Mistakes & Tips
- Incorrect Quadrant: Confusing the signs in the fourth quadrant. Remember, and .
- Sign Errors: Careless mistakes when substituting negative values. Double-check your work.
- Division by Zero: Always be mindful of the problem statement that and are non-zero.
Summary
We used the given conditions to determine the coordinates of the intersection point as where . We then substituted these coordinates into the equations of both lines, solved for in terms of the coefficients, and equated the two expressions for to derive the relationship .
The final answer is , which corresponds to option (A).