How do you rotate the axes to transform the equation x^2+xy=3 into a new equation with no xy term and then find the angle of rotation?

1 Answer
Feb 1, 2017

(x'^2)/4(2+2sqrt2)+(y'^2)/4(2-2sqrt2)-3=0

Explanation:

A conic equation of the type of Ax^2+Bxy+Cy^2+Dx+Ey+F=0 is rotated by an angle theta, to form a new Cartesian plane with coordinates (x',y'), if theta is appropriately chosen, we can have a new equation without term xy i.e. of standard form.
![http://philschatz.com/precalculus-book/contents/m49441.html](useruploads.socratic.org)
The relation between coordinates (x,y) and (x'.y') can be expressed as
x=x'costheta-y'sintheta and y=x'sintheta+y'costheta

or x'=xcostheta+ysintheta and y=-xsintheta+ycostheta

for this we need to have theta given by cot2theta=(A-C)/B

In the given case as equation is x^2+xy-3=0, we have A=1 and B=1 and C=0, hence cot2theta=1 i.e. theta=pi/8

Hence relation is give by x=x'cos(pi/8)-y'sin(pi/8) and y=x'sin(pi/8)+y'cos(pi/8) i.e.

x=(x'sqrt(2+sqrt2))/2-(y'sqrt(2-sqrt2))/2 and y=(x'sqrt(2-sqrt2))/2+(y'sqrt(2+sqrt2))/2

Hence, we get ((x'sqrt(2+sqrt2))/2-(y'sqrt(2-sqrt2))/2)^2+((x'sqrt(2+sqrt2))/2-(y'sqrt(2-sqrt2))/2)((x'sqrt(2-sqrt2))/2+(y'sqrt(2+sqrt2))/2)-3=0

or ((x'^2(2+sqrt2))/4+(y'^2(2-sqrt2))/4-(2x'y'sqrt2)/4)+((x'^2sqrt2)/4-(y'^2sqrt2)/4+(x'y'(2+sqrt2))/4-(x'y'(2-sqrt2))/4)-3=0

or (x'^2)/4(2+2sqrt2)+(y'^2)/4(2-2sqrt2)-3=0

The two graphs are as follows:
graph{x^2+xy-3=0 [-10, 10, -5, 5]}
and
graph{(x^2)/4(2+2sqrt2)+(y^2)/4(2-2sqrt2)-3=0 [-10, 10, -5, 5]}