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| Math Central | Quandaries & Queries |
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Question from sonit, a student: the slope of tangent to the curve y=(4-x^2)^1/2 at the point, where the ordinate and abscissa are equal, is |
Hi Sonit,
I expect you difficulty with this problem is the requirement that "the ordinate and abscissa are equal". The ordinate is the x-value and the abscissa is the y-value so yo fond the point or points where they are equal set $y = x$ in the equation to get $x=(4-x^2)^{1/2},$ square both sides and solve for $x.$ Check to see that for any value of $x$ you found that $x=(4-x^2)^{1/2}.$
Now find the slope of the tangent to the curve at these point(s).
Penny
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