What is the equation of the normal line of #f(x)=sqrt(x^2-x)# at #x=2#?

1 Answer
Dec 11, 2015

#y=-(2sqrt2)/3x+(7sqrt2)/3#

Explanation:

The normal line will be perpendicular to the tangent line when #x=2#.

We can determine what point on #f(x)# the normal line will intersect by finding that #f(2)=sqrt2#, so the point is #(2,sqrt2)#.

If we already have a point on the normal line, all we need to know is its slope. We can find of the tangent line when #x=2# by finding #f'(2)#. Since the normal line is perpendicular to the tangent line, its slope will be the opposite reciprocal of the tangent line's.

#f(x)=(x^2-x)^(1/2)#

Finding #f'(x)# will require use of the chain rule.

#f'(x)=1/2(x^2-x)^(-1/2)d/dx[x^2-x]#

#f'(x)=1/2(x^2-x)^(-1/2)(2x-1)#

#f'(x)=(2x-1)/(2sqrt(x^2-x))#

Find the slope of the tangent line.

#f'(2)=(2(2)-1)/(2sqrt(2^2-2))=3/(2sqrt2)#

Take the opposite reciprocal to find that the slope of the normal line is #-(2sqrt2)/3#. Remember that it passes through the point #(2,sqrt2)#.

Write the equation in point-slope form:

#y-sqrt2=-(2sqrt2)/3(x-2)#

In slope-intercept form:

#y=-(2sqrt2)/3x+(7sqrt2)/3#