Section 10.

C10S04.001: If x = t + 1, then t = x − 1, so that y = 2t − 1 = 2(x − 1) − 1 = 2x − 3. The graph is next.

-1 1 2 3

-2

-4

C10S04.002: If x = t2 + 1 and y = 2t2 − 1, then y = 2(x − 1) − 1 = 2x − 3 with the restriction that x
1.

Thus the graph is a “half-line,” shown next.

15

12.5

10

7.5

2.5

2 4 6 8 10

 3/2
C10S04.003: If x = t2 and y = t3 , then y = t2 = x3/2 ; alternatively, y 2 = x3 . The graph is shown
next.
1

0.75

0.5

0.25

0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

-0.25

-0.5

-0.75

-1

C10S04.004: If x = t1/2 , then t = x2 , so y = 3t − 2 = 3x2 − 2 with the restriction that x
0. The graph

1
is next.

0.25 0.5 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 1.75

-2

C10S04.005: If x = t + 1, then t = x − 1, so that y = 2t2 − t − 1 = 2(x − 1)2 − (x − 1) − 1 = 2x2 − 5x + 2.

The graph is next.

-1 1 2 3

C10S04.006: If x = t2 + 3t and y = t − 2, then t = y + 2 and thus x = (y + 2)2 + 3(y + 2) = y 2 + 7y + 10.

The graph is next.

5 10 15

-2

-4

-6

-8

C10S04.007: If x = et , then y = 4e2t = 4(et )2 = 4x2 with the restriction that x > 0. The graph is next.

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7

2
 4 4
C10S04.008: If x = 2et , then y = 2e−t = = , x > 0. The graph is next.
2et x

1 2 3 4 5

C10S04.009: If x = 5 cos t and y = 3 sin t, then

 x 2  y 2
+ = 1; that is, 9x2 + 25y 2 = 225.
5 3

The graph of this ellipse is next.

3

-4 -2 2 4
-1

-2

-3

√
C10S04.010: Given x = sinh t and y = cosh t, y 2 − x2 = cosh2 t − sinh2 t = 1, and thus y = 1 + x2
(the positive square root because cosh t > 0 for all t). The graph is next.

1.5

1.4

1.3

1.2

1.1

-1 -0.5 0.5 1

C10S04.011: If x = 2 cosh t and y = 3 sinh t, then

 x 2  y 2
− = cosh2 t − sinh2 t = 1; that is, 9x2 − 4y 2 = 16.
2 3

But not all points that satisfy the last equation are on the graph, because x = 2 cosh t
2 for all t. Thus

3
only points on the right half of this hyperbola form the graph of the parametric equations, shown next.

2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8 3

-1

-2

-3

C10S04.012: If x = sec t and y = tan t, then 1 + y 2 = 1 + tan2 t = sec2 t = x2 . The graph is next. Unlike
Problem 10, both branches of the hyperbola are present.
2

1.5

0.5

-2 -1 1 2
-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2

C10S04.013: Given x = sin 2πt and y = cos 2πt, 0  t  1, it follows that x2 + y 2 = 1. Thus the graph is
a circle of radius 1 centered at the origin. As t runs from 0 to 1, the point (x, y) begins at (0, 1) and moves
once clockwise around the circle. The graph is next.
1

0.5

-1 -0.5 0.5 1

-0.5

-1

C10S04.014: Given x = 3 + 2 cos t and y = 5 − 2 sin t, 0  t  2π, we find that

 2  2
x−3 y−5
+ = cos2 t + sin2 t = 1,
2 2

so that (x − 3)2 + (y − 5)2 = 4. The graph is a circle of radius 2 with center at (3, 5). As t varies from 0
to 2π, the point (x, y) begins at the point (5, 5) and moves once clockwise around the circle. The graph is

4
next.
7

1 2 3 4 5

C10S04.015: Given x = sin2 πt and y = cos2 πt, 0  t  2, it’s clear that x + y = 1 and that 0  x  1.
So the graph is the straight line segment joining (0, 1) and (1, 0). As t varies from 0 to 2, the point (x, y)
begins at (0, 1), moves southeast until it reaches (1, 0) when t = 1, then moves northwest until it returns to
(0, 1) when t = 2. We omit the graph to save space.

C10S04.016: Given x = cos t and y = sin2 t, −π  t  π, it follows that x2 + y = 1; that is, that
y = 1 − x2 , −1  x  1. When t = −π, the point (x, y) is located at the point (−1, 0). As t increases,
(x, y) moves along the parabola from left to right, reaching (1, 0) when t = 0. As t continues to increase,
the point (x, y) retraces its route, finally returning to its starting point when t = π. The graph is next.

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

-1 -0.5 0.5 1

C10S04.017: Given x = 2t2 + 1, y = 3t3 + 2, we first calculate


dy dy/dt 9t2 9 dy  9
= = = t, so that  = .
dx dx/dt 4t 4 dx t=1 4

When t = 1, (x, y) = (3, 5), so the tangent line there has equation

9
y−5= (x − 3); 4y − 20 = 9x − 27; 9x = 4y + 7.
4
Next,
   
d2 y d dy 1 d dy 1 9 9
= = · = · = .
dx2 dx dx dx/dt dt dx 4t 4 16t

The second derivative is positive when t = 1, so the graph is concave upward at and near the point (3, 5).

C10S04.018: Given x = cos3 t and y = sin3 t, we find that

5
 
dy 3 sin2 t cos t dy 
= = − tan t, so that = −1.
dx −3 cos2 t sin t dx t=π/4
1√ 1
√ 
When t = π/4, (x, y) = 4 2, 4 2 , so an equation of the tangent line there is
√ √ √
2 2 2
y− = − x; x+y = .
4 4 2
Next,

d2 y 1 d − sec2 t 1
= · (− tan t) = = ,
dx2 dx/dt dt −3 sin t cos2 t 3 sin t cos4 t

and thus the second derivative is positive when t = π/4. Hence the graph is concave upward at and near the
point of tangency.

C10S04.019: Given x = t sin t and y = t cos t, we first calculate


dy dy/dt cos t − t sin t dy  π
= = ; =− .
dx dx/dt sin t + t cos t dx t=π/2 2

Hence an equation of the line tangent to the graph at (x, y) = (π/2, 0) is

π π
y=− x− ; 4y = −π(2x − π); 2πx + 4y = π 2 .
2 2
Next,
 
d2 y 1 d dy
= ·
dx2 dx/dt dt dx

1 (sin t + t cos t)(−2 sin t − t cos t) − (cos t − t sin t)(2 cos t − t sin t)
= ·
sin t + t cos t (sin t + t cos t)2

(sin t + t cos t)(2 sin t + t cos t) + (cos t − t sin t)(2 cos t − t sin t)
=−
(sin t + t cos t)3

2 sin2 t + 3t sin t cos t + t2 cos2 t + 2 cos2 t − 3t sin t cos t + t2 sin2 t t2 + 2

=− 3
=− .
(sin t + t cos t) (sin t + t cos t)2
Thus
  2 
d2 y  π
=− + 2 < 0,
dx2 t=π/2 4

and therefore the graph is concave downward at and near the point of tangency.

C10S04.020: Given: x = et , y = e−t . First,


dy dy/dt −e−t dy 
= = = −e−2t ; = −1.
dx dx/dt et dx t=0

So an equation of the line tangent to the graph at (x, y) = (1, 1) is y − 1 = −(x − 1); that is, x + y = 2.
Next,

6
 d2 y 1 2e2t
= · = 2e−3t ,
dx2 et e4t
which is always positive, so the graph is concave upward everywhere.

C10S04.021: Equation (10) tells us that

1 dr
cot ψ = ·
r dθ
 √ 
where 0  ψ  π. Thus, given r = exp θ 3 and the angle θ = π/2, we find that

1 √   √  √
cot ψ =  √ · 3 exp θ 3 = 3 .
exp θ 3
π
Therefore ψ = .
6
1
C10S04.022: Given: r = and θ = 1.
θ
 
1 1
cot ψ = θ · − 2 =− .
θ θ

3π
Therefore when θ = 1 we have cot ψ = −1, and thus ψ = .
4

C10S04.023: Given r = sin 3θ and the angle θ = π/6. By Eq. (10) of the text,

1
cot ψ = · 3 cos 3θ = 3 cot 3θ.
sin 3θ
π
Thus when θ = π/6, we have cot ψ = 3 cot(π/2) = 0, and thus ψ = .
2

C10S04.024: Given: r = 1 − cos θ and the angle θ = π/3. Then

√
 3
sin θ  √
cot ψ = ; (cot ψ)  = 2 = 3.
1 − cos θ 1
θ=π/3 1−
2
π
Therefore ψ = .
6

C10S04.025: Given x = t2 and y = t3 − 3t,

dy 3t2 − 3 dy
= ; =0 when t = ±1.
dx 2t dx

√ tangents at the point (1, −2) and (1, 2). The graph crosses the x-axis
So the graph has horizontal √ when
t − 3t = 0: t = 0, t = ± 3 . When t = 0 we get√a vertical tangent
3
√ line at (0, 0). When t = − 3 the
graph passes through the
√ point (3, 0) with slope − 3 ; when t = 3 , the graph passes through the same
point (3, 0) with slope 3 . Therefore there is no line tangent to the graph of the parametric equations at
the point (3, 0).

C10S04.026: Given x = sin t and y = sin 2t,

7
 dy 2 cos 2t dy π 3π 5π 7π
= ; =0 when t =, , , .
dx cos t dx 4 4 4 4
 √ 
Therefore the graph has a horizontal tangent line at all four of the points ± 12 2 , ±1 . The graph crosses
the x-axis when sin 2t = 0, thus when t = 0, π/2, π, 3π/2. When t = 0, the curve passes through the origin
with slope 2; when t = π, it passes through the origin with slope −2. So there is no tangent line at (0, 0).
At the other two x-intercepts, (1, 0) and (−1, 0), the tangent line is vertical.

C10S04.027: Given the polar equation r = 1 + cos θ, we can use θ itself as parameter to obtain

x = r cos θ = cos θ + cos2 θ and y = r sin θ = sin θ + sin θ cos θ.

Thus

dy dy/dθ cos θ + cos2 θ − sin2 θ

= = .
dx dx/dθ − sin θ − 2 sin θ cos θ

Next we solve dy/dx = 0:

cos θ + cos2 θ + cos2 θ − 1 = 0;

2 cos2 θ + cos θ − 1 = 0;

(2 cos θ − 1)(cos θ + 1) = 0;

1
cos θ = or cos θ = −1.
2
Thus θ = π/3, π, 5π/3. But we must rule out θ = π because the denominator in dy/dx is zero for that
value of θ.
√ √ √
π 1 1 3 3 3 3 3
When θ = , x = + = and y = + = . There is a horizontal tangent.
3 2 4 4 2 4 4
√ √ √
5π 1 1 3 3 3 3 3
When θ = , x= + = and y = − − =− . There is a horizontal tangent.
3 2 4 4 2 4 4
The graph crosses the x-axis when cos θ = −1 and when sin θ = 0, so that θ = 0 and θ = π. When θ = 0
the tangent line is vertical at the point with Cartesian coordinates (2, 0). What happens if θ = π? The
derivative is undefined. Nevertheless, something can be done. We use l’Hôpital’s rule:

dy sin2 θ − cos2 θ − cos θ 4 sin θ cos θ + sin θ 0+0

lim = lim = lim = = 0.
θ→π dx θ→π 2 sin θ cos θ + sin θ θ→π 2 cos2 θ − 2 sin2 θ + cos θ 2−0−1

Thus we are justified in stating that the x-axis is tangent to the graph of this cardioid at the point (0, 0).

C10S04.028: Given r2 = 4 cos 2θ, we will take advantage of the many symmetries of the graph (around
both coordinate axes) and work only in the first quadrant, where

x = 2(cos 2θ)1/2 cos θ and y = 2(cos 2θ)1/2 sin θ.

Thus we find that

8
 dy (cos 2θ)−1/2 (−2 sin 2θ) sin θ + 2(cos 2θ)1/2 cos θ
=
dx (cos 2θ)−1/2 (−2 sin 2θ) cos θ − (2(cos 2θ)1/2 sin θ

2 cos 2θ cos θ − 2 sin 2θ sin θ cos(2θ + θ) cos 3θ

=− =− =− = − cot 3θ.
2 sin 2θ cos θ + 2 cos 2θ sin θ sin(2θ + θ) sin 3θ

Hence dy/dx = 0 when cos 3θ = 0; that is, when θ = π/6 and when θ = π/2 (remember that we are
restricting our calculations to the first quadrant). But there is no graph at the latter point, so we find that
there is only one horizontal tangent in the first quadrant, where
√ √ √
1 3 6 1 1 2
x=2· √ · = and y =2· √ · = .
2 2 2 2 2 2

Thus there are four points

 √ on the graph
√  where the tangent line is horizontal, all four of the points with
Cartesian coordinates ± 12 6 , ± 12 2 . Next, the graph meets the x-axis when cos 2θ = 0 and when
sin θ = 0, thus when θ = 0 and θ = π/4 (still restricting our attention to the first quadrant). Thus we find
a vertical tangent at (2, 0) and, by symmetry, another at (−2, 0). There is no tangent line when θ = π/4
because the graph passes through the origin twice, once with slope 1 and once with slope −1.

C10S04.029: Given x = e−t and y = e2t , we find that

dy dy/dt 2e2t
= = = −2e3t
dx dx/dt −e−t

and
 
d2 y 1 d dy 1  
= · = −t
· −6e3t = 6e4t ,
dx 2 dx/dt dt dx −e

so the second derivative is positive for all t. Thus the graph of C is concave upward for all t. The graph is
shown next; note that there is no graph for x  0 or for y  0.

50

40

30

20

10

0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

C10S04.030: Given x3 + y 3 = 3xy, the straight line through the origin with slope t
0 will meet the
loop of the folium at only one point in the first quadrant. The line has equation y = tx and thus meets the
folium at the point (x, tx). Hence

x3 + (tx)3 = 3x · tx; x3 + t3 x3 = 3tx2 ; (1 + t3 )x = 3t.

Therefore parametric equations of the loop are

3t 3t2
x= , y= , 0  t < +∞.
1 + t3 1 + t3

9
C10S04.031: If the slope of the curve at P (x, y) is m, then implicit differentiation yields

dy dy 2p 2p
2y = 4p; = ; y= ,
dx dx y m

and thus

y2 4p2 p
x= = 2
= 2, −∞ < m < +∞.
4p 4m p m

C10S04.032: Let r = f (θ) and r = f  (θ). Then

dy r sin θ + r cos θ
tan α = =  ;
dx r cos θ − r sin θ
y r sin θ sin θ
tan θ = = = ;
x r cos θ cos θ
r sin θ + r cos θ sin θ
1+ ·
cot ψ =
1 + tan α tan θ
= r cos θ − r sin θ cos θ

tan α − tan θ r sin θ + r cos θ sin θ
−
r cos θ − r sin θ cos θ
r cos2 θ − r sin θ cos θ + r sin2 θ + r sin θ cos θ r 1 dr
= = = · .
r sin θ cos θ + r cos2 θ − r sin θ cos θ + r sin θ
2 r r dθ

C10S04.033: The high point on the circle is P0 (aθ, 2a) and P has Cartesian coordinates x = a(θ − sin θ),
y = a(1 − cos θ). Therefore the slope of the line containing P0 and P is

2a − a(1 − cos θ) 2 − 1 + cos θ 1 + cos θ

= = .
aθ − a(θ − sin θ) θ − θ + sin θ sin θ

But the slope of the cycloid at the point P is

dy a sin θ (sin θ)(1 + cos θ) 1 + cos θ

= = = .
dx a(1 − cos θ) 1 − cos2 θ sin θ

We may conclude that the line containing P0 and P is tangent to the cycloid at the point P .

C10S04.034: See Fig. 10.4.15. The length of OC is a − b, so C has coordinates x = (a − b) cos t,

y = (a − b) sin t. The arc length from the point of tangency to A(a, 0) is the same as that to P ; denote it
by s. Note that s = ta. Let α be the angle OCP and θ the angle supplementary to α, so that θ = π − α.
Then s = bθ, and therefore ta = bθ. The radius b is at the angle −(θ − t) = t − θ from the horizontal, so P
has coordinates

x = (a − b) cos t + b cos(t − θ), y = (a − b) sin t + b sin(t − θ).

a a b−a
Now θ = t, so t − θ = t − t = t. Therefore
b b b
   
a−b a−b
x = (a − b) cos t + b cos t , y = (a − b) sin t − b sin t .
b b

C10S04.035: We will need two trigonometric identities before we begin. They are

10
 cos 3t = cos 2t cos t − sin 2t sin t = cos3 t − sin2 t cos t − 2 sin2 t cos t = cos3 t − 3 sin2 t cos t (1)

and

sin 3t = sin 2t cos t + cos 2t sin t = 2 sin t cos2 t + cos2 t sin t − sin3 t = 3 sin t cos2 t − sin3 t. (2)

We begin with the parametric equations

 
a−b
x = (a − b) cos t + b cos t (3)
b

and
 
a−b
y = (a − b) sin t − b sin t . (4)
b

a a−b a − 1a 3a
If b = , then = 1 4 = = 3. Thus Eqs. (3)and (4) become
4 b 4 a a
3 a a
x= a cos t + cos 3t = (3 cos t + cos 3t) (5)
4 4 4
and

3 a a
y= a sin t − sin 3t = (3 sin t − sin 3t) . (6)
4 4 4
Then Eqs. (1) and (2) yield
a  a 
x= 3 cos t + cos3 t − 3 sin2 t cos t = 3 cos t + cos3 t − 3 cos t + 3 cos3 t = a cos3 t
4 4
and
a  a 
y= 3 sin t − 3 sin t cos2 t + sin3 t = 3 sin t − 3 sin t + 3 sin3 t + sin3 t = a sin3 t.
4 4

C10S04.036: Part (a): If x = a cos3 t and y = a sin3 t, then

x2/3 + y 2/3 = a2/3 (cos2 t + sin2 t) = a2/3 .

So every point of the hypocycloid lies on the graph x2/3 + y 2/3 = a2/3 . But cos3 t and sin3 t take on all
values from −1 to 1 (and it follows that x and y take on values in all four quadrants), so the hypocycloid
is the entire graph x2/3 + y 2/3 = a2/3 . (This argument can be strengthed by considering a ray from the
origin making the angle t (0  t < 2π) with the nonnegative x-axis and examining its intersection with the
astroid.)
Part (b): Next,

dy 3a sin2 t cos t
= = − tan t
dx −3a cos2 t sin t
and, consequently, dx/dy = − cot t. So dy/dx = 0 at every integral multiple of π and dx/dy = 0 at every
odd integral multiple of π/2. Therefore the hypocycloid has horizontal tangents at (a, 0) (t = 0) and at
(−a, 0) (t = π), vertical tangents at (0, a) (t = π/2) and (0, −a) (t = 3π/2). Next,

11
  
d2 y 1 d dy − sec2 t 1
= · = = .
dx 2 dx/dt dt dx −3a cos t sin t
2 4
3a cos t sin t

Thus d2 y/dx2 has the same sign as a sin t, and therefore the graph of the hypocycloid is concave upward
for 0 < t < π/2 and for π/2 < t < π, concave downward for π < t < 3π/2 and 3π/2 < t < 2π.
Part (c): A Mathematica-generated graph of the hypocycloid (in the case a = 1) is next. The command
used to generate the graph was
ParametricPlot[ { (Cos[t])∧3, (Sin[t])∧3 }, { t, 0, 2∗Pi },
AspectRatio → Automatic, PlotRange → {{ -1.1, 1.1 }, { -1.1, 1.1 }} ];

0.5

-1 -0.5 0.5 1

-0.5

-1

C10S04.037: Extend OP the distance a to the point R at the “northeast” corner of Archimedes’ rectangle.
Because P has Cartesian coordinates

x = aθ cos θ, y = aθ sin θ,

it follows that R has coordinates

x = aθ cos θ + a cos θ, y = aθ sin θ + a sin θ.

Next, Q has coordinates

aθ cos θ + a cos θ − aθ sin θ, y = aθ sin θ + a sin θ + aθ cos θ.

Therefore the slope of P Q is

sin θ + θ cos θ
.
cos θ − θ sin θ
The spiral has polar equation r = aθ, thus parametric equations

x = aθ cos θ, y = aθ sin θ.

Therefore

dy a sin θ + aθcosθ sin θ + θ cos θ

= = .
dx a cos θ − aθ sin θ cos θ − θ sin θ

12
Hence the line containing P and Q is tangent to the spiral at the point P .

C10S04.038: Part (a): Given: The cycloid with parametric equations x = a(t − sin t), y = a(1 − cos t)
where a > 0. If t is not an integral multiple of 2π, then
   
t t
2 sin cos  
dy a sin t sin t 2 2 t
= = =   = cot .
dx a(1 − cos t) 1 − cos t t 2
2 sin2
2
   
 dy   cos(t/2) 
Part (b): lim   = lim   = +∞. So there is a vertical tangent at each cusp of the cycloid.
t→0 dx t→0 sin(t/2) 

C10S04.039: If ψ is constant, then by Eq. (10) of the text

1 dr
· =k (a constant);
r dθ
1
dr = k dθ;
r
ln r = C + kθ (where C is constant);

r = Aekθ (where A = eC ).

C10S04.040: With x = f (θ) cos θ and y = f (θ) sin θ, we have

dy f  (θ) sin θ + f (θ) cos θ

=  .
dx f (θ) cos θ − f (θ) sin θ

Therefore if f (α) = 0, then


dy  f  (α) sin α
= = tan α,
dx θ=α f  (α) cos α

and therefore the angle of inclination of the tangent line at the pole is indeed α.

C10S04.041: Let y = tx where t
0. Then this line meets the loop at exactly one point in the first
quadrant. For such points on the loop, we then have

5t2 5t3
x5 + t5 x5 = 5t2 x4 ; x= , y= , 0  t < +∞.
1 + t5 1 + t5

C10S04.042: Suppose that the midpoint of the segment lies in the second quadrant (the other three cases
are similar), so that the endpoints of the segment lie on the positive y-axis and the negative x-axis. Drop
perpendiculars from the midpoint to the coordinate axes to see that the coordinates of the midpoint are
x = −a cos θ and y = a sin θ. It follows that x2 + y 2 = a2 (in all four cases), and thus the locus of the
midpoint is the circle of radius a centered at the origin. The problem is more interesting if the point on
the segment is one other than its midpoint, or if two points on the segment are constrained to lie on the
coordinate axes while one endpoint traces out the locus.

C10S04.043: Let f (x) = x3 − 3x2 + 1. Then f  (x) = 0 when x = 0 and when x = 2; f  (x) = 0 when
x = 1. Hence the graph of the parametric equations

13
 x = t3 − 3t2 + 1, y = t (1)

has vertical tangents at (−3, 2) and (1, 0) and an inflection point at (−1, 1). There are no horizontal
tangents and the only critical points occur at the points where the tangent line is vertical. The graph of the
equations in (1) is next.

-4 -2 2

-1

We generated this graph by executing the Mathematica command

ParametricPlot[ { t∧3 − 3∗t∧2 + 1, t }, { t, −1.2, 3.2 },

AspectRatio → Automatic ];

C10S04.044: Let f (x) = x4 − 3x3 + 5x. Then f  (x) = 0 when

√
5± 105
x = 1 and when x = .
8
The corresponding values of f (x) are
√
−75 ± 105 105
y = 3 and y = .
512
Thus the graph of the parametric equations

x = t4 − 3t3 + 5t, y = t (1)

has vertical tangent lines at the point (3, 1) and at the points with approximate coordinates

(−2.2479098251, −0.6558688457) and (1.9549410751, 1.9058688457).

Next, f  (x) = 0 when x = 0 and when x = 1.5, so the graph of the equations in (1) has inflection points
at
 
39 3
(0, 0) and , = (2.4375, 1.5) .
16 2

There are no horizontal tangents and the only critical points are the three where the tangent line is vertical.
The graph of the parametric equations in (1) is next; we generated it with the Mathematica command

ParametricPlot[ { t∧5 − 3∗t∧3 + 5∗t, t }, { t, −1.41, 2.55 },

14
 AspectRatio → Automatic ];

-2 -1 1 2 3 4 5

-1

C10S04.045: To use Mathematica 3.0 to help solve this problem, we let

g[t ] := t∧5 − 5∗t∧3 + 4

h[t ] := (Sign[g[t]])∗(Abs[g[t]])∧(1/3)
and
f[t ] := (g[t])∧(1/3)

(note that h(t) = f (t); we define h to avoid certain problems with cube roots of negative numbers). To see
the graph of the parametric equations

x = (t5 − 5t3 + 4)1/3 , y = t,

we executed the Mathematica command

ParametricPlot[ { h[t], t }, { t, −2.7, 2.7 } ];

with the result shown next.

-3 -2 -1 1 2 3

-1

-2

Next we found that

5t2 (t2 − 3) 10(t8 − 9t6 + 24t3 − 36t)

f  (t) = and that f  (t) = .
3(t5 − 5t3 + 4)2/3 9(t5 − 5t3 + 4)5/3
√
If follows that f  (t) = 0 when t = 0 and when t = ± 3 . Hence the graph of the equation x3 = y 5 −5y 3 +4
has vertical tangents at the three points

15
  
√
1/3 √
4−6 3 , 3 ≈ (−1.855891115, 1.732050808),

 
√
1/3 √
4+6 3 ,− 3 ≈ (2.432447355, 1.732050808), and

 
41/3 , 0 ≈ (1.587401052, 0).

The horizontal tangents will occur when the denominator in f  (t) = 0; that is, at

(0, −2.307699789), (0, 1), and (0, 2.143299604)

(numbers with decimal points are approximations). Finally, Newton’s method yields the zeros of the numer-
ator of f  (t), and—also checking the zeros of its denominator—we find that the graph has inflection points
at

(−5.150545372, −3.110298772), (0, −2.307699789),

(2.037032912, −1.044330352), (1.587401052, 0),

(0, 1), (0, 2.143299604), and

(4.266140637, 2.856500901).

The first and last of these aren’t shown on the preceding graph, but the graph appears to be a straight line
in their vicinity, so showing more of the graph is not useful.

C10S04.046: To use Mathematica 3.0 to help solve this problem, we let

g[t ] := 5∗t∧6 - 17∗t∧3 + 13∗t

h[t ] := (Sign[g[t])∗(Abs[g[t]])∧(1/5)

and

f[t ] := (g[t])∧(1/5)

(note that h(t) = f (t); we define h to avoid certain problems with odd integral roots of negative numbers).
To see the graph of the parametric equations

x = (5t6 − 17t3 + 13y)1/5 , y = t,

we executed the Mathematica command

ParametricPlot[ { h[t], t }, { t, −1.3, 1.6 } ];

16
with the result shown next.

1.5

0.5

-1 -0.5 0.5 1 1.5 2

-0.5

-1

Next we found that

30t5 − 51t2 + 13 2(75t10 − 1530t7 + 3315t5 − 867t4 − 663t2 − 338)

f  (t) = and f  (t) = .
5(5t6 − 17t3 + 13t)4/5 25(5t6 − 17t3 + 13t)9/5
It follows with the aid of Newton’s method that f  (t) = 0 when t ≈ −0.488, when t ≈ 0.528, and when
t ≈ 1.104. Hence the graph of the equation x5 = 5y 6 − 17y 3 + 13y has vertical tangents at the three points

(−1.338784051, −0.488418117), (0.80783532, 1.103631606), and (1.349152308, 0.528310640).

The horizontal tangents will occur when the denominator in f  (t) = 0; that is, at

(0, −0.812678591) and at (0, 0)

(numbers with decimal points are approximations). Finally, Newton’s method yields the zeros of the numer-
ator of f  (t) and—also checking the zeros of its denominator—we find that the graph has inflection points
at

(0, −0.813073457), (2.513563956, −1.516333702),

(0, 0), (0.992940442, 1.004409592),

(1.185188240, 1.258427457), (3.735641965, 2.388360391).

The second and last of these don’t appear on the preceding graph, but the graph appears to be a straight
line in their vicinity, so showing more of the graph isn’t much use.

17