A line passing through the point P(5,5)P(\sqrt{5},\sqrt{5}) intersects the ellipse x236+y225=1\dfrac{x^2}{36}+\dfrac{y^2}{25}=1 at points AA and BB such that (PA)⋅(PB)(PA)\cdot(PB) is maximum. Then 5(PA2+PB2)5\bigl(PA^2+PB^2\bigr) is equal to:

Answer: 11918\frac{119}{18}

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Understand the problem and the power of a point theorem

The problem asks us to find 5(PA2+PB2)5(PA^2 + PB^2) for a line passing through point P(5,5)P(\sqrt{5}, \sqrt{5}) and intersecting the ellipse x236+y225=1\frac{x^2}{36} + \frac{y^2}{25} = 1 at points AA and BB. The condition is that the product PA⋅PBPA \cdot PB is maximum. For a point PP outside an ellipse, the product PA⋅PBPA \cdot PB is constant for any line passing through PP and intersecting the ellipse. This constant value is equal to the square of the length of the tangent from PP to the ellipse, if a tangent exists. However, P(5,5)P(\sqrt{5}, \sqrt{5}) is inside the ellipse, as shown by substituting its coordinates into the ellipse equation: (5)236+(5)225=536+525=136/5+15=17.2+15=0.138+0.2=0.338<1\frac{(\sqrt{5})^2}{36} + \frac{(\sqrt{5})^2}{25} = \frac{5}{36} + \frac{5}{25} = \frac{1}{36/5} + \frac{1}{5} = \frac{1}{7.2} + \frac{1}{5} = 0.138 + 0.2 = 0.338 < 1. Therefore, the line segment ABAB is a chord passing through PP. The product PA⋅PBPA \cdot PB is maximized when PP is the midpoint of the chord ABAB. This occurs when the chord is perpendicular to the line connecting the center of the ellipse to PP.

Step 2: Find the equation of the chord AB

The center of the ellipse is (0,0)(0{,}0). The point PP is (5,5)(\sqrt{5}, \sqrt{5}). The chord ABAB for which PP is the midpoint is given by the equation T=S1T=S_1, where TT is the tangent equation and S1S_1 is the value of the ellipse equation at point PP. The equation of the ellipse is x236+y225−1=0\frac{x^2}{36} + \frac{y^2}{25} - 1 = 0.

Step 3: Calculate T and S1

Let's calculate TT and S1S_1. The general form for TT for an ellipse x2a2+y2b2=1\frac{x^2}{a^2} + \frac{y^2}{b^2} = 1 at a point (x1,y1)(x_1, y_1) is xx1a2+yy1b2=1\frac{xx_1}{a^2} + \frac{yy_1}{b^2} = 1. So, for P(5,5)P(\sqrt{5}, \sqrt{5}), TT is x536+y525−1\frac{x\sqrt{5}}{36} + \frac{y\sqrt{5}}{25} - 1. The value S1S_1 is (5)236+(5)225−1=536+525−1=536+15−1=25+36−180180=61−180180=−119180\frac{(\sqrt{5})^2}{36} + \frac{(\sqrt{5})^2}{25} - 1 = \frac{5}{36} + \frac{5}{25} - 1 = \frac{5}{36} + \frac{1}{5} - 1 = \frac{25+36-180}{180} = \frac{61-180}{180} = -\frac{119}{180}.

Step 4: Simplify the chord equation

Setting T=S1T=S_1, we get x536+y525−1=−119180\frac{x\sqrt{5}}{36} + \frac{y\sqrt{5}}{25} - 1 = -\frac{119}{180}. This simplifies to x536+y525=1−119180=180−119180=61180\frac{x\sqrt{5}}{36} + \frac{y\sqrt{5}}{25} = 1 - \frac{119}{180} = \frac{180-119}{180} = \frac{61}{180}. Dividing by 5\sqrt{5}, we get x36+y25=611805\frac{x}{36} + \frac{y}{25} = \frac{61}{180\sqrt{5}}. This is the equation of the chord ABAB.

Step 5: Find the length of PA and PB

Since PP is the midpoint of ABAB, PA=PBPA = PB. Let P=(x1,y1)P=(x_1, y_1). The length of the semi-chord PAPA (or PBPB) can be found using the distance formula from PP to the intersection points AA and BB. However, a more direct approach is to use the property that for a chord passing through P(x1,y1)P(x_1, y_1), the product PA⋅PB=−S1PA \cdot PB = -S_1, where S1=x12a2+y12b2−1S_1 = \frac{x_1^2}{a^2} + \frac{y_1^2}{b^2} - 1. Since PP is the midpoint, PA=PB=−S1PA = PB = \sqrt{-S_1}. We calculated S1=−119180S_1 = -\frac{119}{180}. Therefore, PA=PB=−(−119180)=119180PA = PB = \sqrt{-\left(-\frac{119}{180}\right)} = \sqrt{\frac{119}{180}}.

Step 6: Calculate the final expression

We need to find 5(PA2+PB2)5(PA^2 + PB^2). Since PA=PB=119180PA = PB = \sqrt{\frac{119}{180}}, we have PA2=PB2=119180PA^2 = PB^2 = \frac{119}{180}. Substituting these values: 5(119180+119180)=5(2⋅119180)=5(11990)=59590=119185\left(\frac{119}{180} + \frac{119}{180}\right) = 5\left(2 \cdot \frac{119}{180}\right) = 5\left(\frac{119}{90}\right) = \frac{595}{90} = \frac{119}{18}.

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