A straight line at a distance of 4 units from the origin makes positive intercepts on the coordinate axes and the perpendicular from the origin to this line makes an angle of with the line . Then, an equation of the line is
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
Show answer and solution
Correct option: D
Solution
The line x + y = 0 makes an angle of 135° with the positive x-axis. The perpendicular from the origin to line L makes an angle of 60° with this line, so the perpendicular's angle with x-axis is either 135° + 60° = 195° or 135° - 60° = 75°.
Since the line makes positive intercepts on both axes, the perpendicular from the origin must point into the first quadrant, so the angle is 75°.
The perpendicular from origin to L has direction 75°, so line L is perpendicular to this — it makes angle 75° - 90° = -15° (or 165°) with x-axis.
The foot of perpendicular from origin is at distance 4 in direction 75°:
foot = (4cos75°, 4sin75°)
cos75° = cos(45°+30°) = (√6-√2)/4, sin75° = (√6+√2)/4
So foot = (√6-√2, √6+√2).
The equation of line L passing through this foot with normal direction (cos75°, sin75°) is:
x·cos75° + y·sin75° = 4
Multiply through by 4: x(√6-√2) + y(√6+√2) = 16
Factor out √2: √2·x(√3-1) + √2·y(√3+1) = 16
Divide by √2: (√3-1)x + (√3+1)y = 16/√2 = 8√2
This is exactly option 4.
Since the line makes positive intercepts on both axes, the perpendicular from the origin must point into the first quadrant, so the angle is 75°.
The perpendicular from origin to L has direction 75°, so line L is perpendicular to this — it makes angle 75° - 90° = -15° (or 165°) with x-axis.
The foot of perpendicular from origin is at distance 4 in direction 75°:
foot = (4cos75°, 4sin75°)
cos75° = cos(45°+30°) = (√6-√2)/4, sin75° = (√6+√2)/4
So foot = (√6-√2, √6+√2).
The equation of line L passing through this foot with normal direction (cos75°, sin75°) is:
x·cos75° + y·sin75° = 4
Multiply through by 4: x(√6-√2) + y(√6+√2) = 16
Factor out √2: √2·x(√3-1) + √2·y(√3+1) = 16
Divide by √2: (√3-1)x + (√3+1)y = 16/√2 = 8√2
This is exactly option 4.
[JEE Main 2019 · 12 April · Shift II]