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Straight Lines and Pair of Straight Lines question

2020 · 6 Sep · Shift 1 · Q35
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  5. /2020 · 6 Sep · Shift 1 · Q35

Straight Lines and Pair of Straight Lines question

2020 · 6 Sep · Shift 1 · Q35

JEE MainMathematicsStraight Lines and Pair of Straight LinesMCQ+4 / −1
A ray of light coming from the point (2, 232\sqrt 323​) is incident at an angle 30o on the line x = 1 at the point A. The ray gets reflected on the line x = 1 and meets x-axis at the point B. Then, the line AB passes through the point :
  1. A
    (3, -3\sqrt 33​)
  2. B
    (4, -3\sqrt 33​)
  3. C
    (4,−32)\left( {4, - {{\sqrt 3 } \over 2}} \right)(4,−23​​)
  4. D
    (3,−13)\left( {3, - {1 \over {\sqrt 3 }}} \right)(3,−3​1​)
View written solutionFree

Correct answer: NONE OF THE GIVEN OPTIONS

  1. Interpret the geometry

The reflecting line is x=1,x=1,x=1, which is a vertical line.

The ray comes from point P=(2,23)P=(2,2\sqrt{3})P=(2,23​) and is incident on the line at point AAA with angle 30∘30^\circ30∘.

For a vertical mirror, the normal is horizontal. So an angle of incidence 30∘30^\circ30∘ means the incident ray makes angle 30∘30^\circ30∘ with the horizontal.

Hence the slope of the incident ray is m=−tan⁡30∘=−13,m=-\tan 30^\circ=-\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}},m=−tan30∘=−3​1​, since the ray goes downward from (2,23)(2,2\sqrt3)(2,23​) to the mirror.


  1. Find the point of incidence AAA on x=1x=1x=1

Equation of incident ray through (2,23)(2,2\sqrt3)(2,23​): y−23=−13(x−2).y-2\sqrt3=-\frac{1}{\sqrt3}(x-2).y−23​=−3​1​(x−2).

At the mirror, x=1x=1x=1. So y−23=−13(1−2)=13.y-2\sqrt3=-\frac{1}{\sqrt3}(1-2)=\frac{1}{\sqrt3}.y−23​=−3​1​(1−2)=3​1​. Thus y=23+13=6+13=73=733.y=2\sqrt3+\frac{1}{\sqrt3}=\frac{6+1}{\sqrt3}=\frac{7}{\sqrt3}=\frac{7\sqrt3}{3}.y=23​+3​1​=3​6+1​=3​7​=373​​.

So, A=(1,733).A=\left(1,\frac{7\sqrt3}{3}\right).A=(1,373​​).


  1. Find the reflected ray and point BBB on the x-axis

Reflection from a vertical line reverses the sign of slope. So reflected ray has slope m=+13.m=+\frac{1}{\sqrt3}.m=+3​1​.

Equation of reflected ray through AAA: y−733=13(x−1).y-\frac{7\sqrt3}{3}=\frac{1}{\sqrt3}(x-1).y−373​​=3​1​(x−1).

Point BBB lies on the xxx-axis, so y=0y=0y=0: 0−733=13(x−1).0-\frac{7\sqrt3}{3}=\frac{1}{\sqrt3}(x-1).0−373​​=3​1​(x−1). Multiply by 3\sqrt33​: −7=x−1,-7=x-1,−7=x−1, so x=−6.x=-6.x=−6.

Hence B=(−6,0).B=(-6,0).B=(−6,0).


  1. Equation of line ABABAB

Using point A=(1,73/3)A=(1,7\sqrt3/3)A=(1,73​/3) and slope 1/31/\sqrt31/3​: y−733=13(x−1).y-\frac{7\sqrt3}{3}=\frac{1}{\sqrt3}(x-1).y−373​​=3​1​(x−1).

Rewrite: y=x−13+733.y=\frac{x-1}{\sqrt3}+\frac{7\sqrt3}{3}.y=3​x−1​+373​​. Since 733=73,\frac{7\sqrt3}{3}=\frac{7}{\sqrt3},373​​=3​7​, we get y=x−1+73=x+63.y=\frac{x-1+7}{\sqrt3}=\frac{x+6}{\sqrt3}.y=3​x−1+7​=3​x+6​.

So line ABABAB is y=x+63.y=\frac{x+6}{\sqrt3}.y=3​x+6​.


  1. Check which option lies on this line

We test each option in y=x+63.y=\frac{x+6}{\sqrt3}.y=3​x+6​.

  • A: (3,−3)(3,-\sqrt3)(3,−3​) 3+63=93=33≠−3\frac{3+6}{\sqrt3}=\frac{9}{\sqrt3}=3\sqrt3 \ne -\sqrt33​3+6​=3​9​=33​=−3​ Not on the line.

  • B: (4,−3)(4,-\sqrt3)(4,−3​) 4+63=103≠−3\frac{4+6}{\sqrt3}=\frac{10}{\sqrt3} \ne -\sqrt33​4+6​=3​10​=−3​ Not on the line.

  • C: (4,−32)\left(4,-\frac{\sqrt3}{2}\right)(4,−23​​) 103≠−32\frac{10}{\sqrt3} \ne -\frac{\sqrt3}{2}3​10​=−23​​ Not on the line.

  • D: (3,−13)\left(3,-\frac{1}{\sqrt3}\right)(3,−3​1​) 93=33≠−13\frac{9}{\sqrt3}=3\sqrt3 \ne -\frac{1}{\sqrt3}3​9​=33​=−3​1​ Not on the line.

So none of the options matches under this interpretation.


  1. Check the standard exam convention

In many such problems, “incident at angle 30∘30^\circ30∘ on the line” is interpreted as angle with the line itself, not with the normal.

Since the mirror is vertical, the incident ray then makes angle 30∘30^\circ30∘ with the vertical, i.e. angle 60∘60^\circ60∘ with the horizontal. Thus incident slope is m=−tan⁡60∘=−3.m=-\tan 60^\circ=-\sqrt3.m=−tan60∘=−3​.

Incident ray through (2,23)(2,2\sqrt3)(2,23​): y−23=−3(x−2).y-2\sqrt3=-\sqrt3(x-2).y−23​=−3​(x−2). At x=1x=1x=1, y−23=−3(1−2)=3,y-2\sqrt3=-\sqrt3(1-2)=\sqrt3,y−23​=−3​(1−2)=3​, so y=33.y=3\sqrt3.y=33​. Thus A=(1,33).A=(1,3\sqrt3).A=(1,33​).

After reflection from vertical line, slope becomes +3+\sqrt3+3​. Equation of reflected ray: y−33=3(x−1).y-3\sqrt3=\sqrt3(x-1).y−33​=3​(x−1). To meet x-axis, set y=0y=0y=0: −33=3(x−1)  ⟹  x−1=−3  ⟹  x=−2.-3\sqrt3=\sqrt3(x-1) \implies x-1=-3 \implies x=-2.−33​=3​(x−1)⟹x−1=−3⟹x=−2. So B=(−2,0).B=(-2,0).B=(−2,0).

Now line ABABAB has equation y−33=3(x−1),y-3\sqrt3=\sqrt3(x-1),y−33​=3​(x−1), that is y=3x+23.y=\sqrt3 x+2\sqrt3.y=3​x+23​.

Test options:

  • A: (3,−3)(3,-\sqrt3)(3,−3​) 3(3)+23=53≠−3\sqrt3(3)+2\sqrt3=5\sqrt3\ne -\sqrt33​(3)+23​=53​=−3​
  • B: (4,−3)(4,-\sqrt3)(4,−3​) 63≠−36\sqrt3\ne -\sqrt363​=−3​
  • C: (4,−32)\left(4,-\frac{\sqrt3}{2}\right)(4,−23​​) 63≠−326\sqrt3\ne -\frac{\sqrt3}{2}63​=−23​​
  • D: (3,−13)\left(3,-\frac{1}{\sqrt3}\right)(3,−3​1​) 53≠−135\sqrt3\ne -\frac{1}{\sqrt3}53​=−3​1​

Again, none matches.


  1. Conclusion

Using the physically correct reflection interpretation, the line ABABAB is found, but none of the given options lies on it. Therefore the stored answer A does not agree with the derived result.

Most likely, there is an error in the question/options or in the stored key.

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