How to find the equations?

enter image source here

1 Answer
Feb 25, 2018

Let the line L passing through the point (1, 7) touches the parabola
y=-3x^2+5x+2 at the point(a, b), line L is tangent to the parabola at (a, b), so we have:
-3a^2+5a+2=b => eq-1

slope=m=(b-7)/(a-1)
the parabola has the same slope at the point(a, b):
y'=-6x+5
y'(a)=-6a+5
(b-7)/(a-1)=-6a+5 => eq-2

solving the eq-1 and eq-2 simultaneously will give us:
a=0,b=2 or a=2, b=0
thus the equation of the line is:
y-7=(2-7)/(0-1)(x - 1)
y-7=5(x-1)
y=5x+2

and for the 2nd point:
y-7=(0-7)/(2-1)(x - 1)
y-7=-7(x-1)
y=-7x+14

https://www.desmos.com/calculator/nng0qnkoxs