Let for two distinct values of pp the lines y=x+py = x + p touch the ellipse E:  x24+y23=1E:\;\frac{x^2}{4}+\frac{y^2}{3}=1 at the points AA and BB. Let the line y=xy = x intersect EE at the points CC and DD. Then the area of the quadrilateral ABCDABCD is equal to:

Answer: 2067\frac{20\sqrt{6}}{7}

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Find the tangent condition for the ellipse

The general condition for a line y=mx+cy = mx + c to be tangent to the ellipse x2a2+y2b2=1\frac{x^2}{a^2} + \frac{y^2}{b^2} = 1 is given by c2=a2m2+b2c^2 = a^2m^2 + b^2. For the given ellipse x24+y23=1\frac{x^2}{4} + \frac{y^2}{3} = 1, we have a2=4a^2 = 4 and b2=3b^2 = 3. The tangent lines are y=x+py = x + p, so m=1m = 1 and c=pc = p.

Step 2: Determine the values of p and tangent points A and B

Substituting the values into the tangent condition, we get p2=4(1)2+3p^2 = 4(1)^2 + 3, which simplifies to p2=7p^2 = 7. Thus, the two distinct values for pp are 7\sqrt{7} and −7-\sqrt{7}. The points of tangency (x0,y0)(x_0, y_0) for the line y=mx+cy = mx + c are given by x0=−a2mcx_0 = -\frac{a^2m}{c} and y0=b2cy_0 = \frac{b^2}{c}.

Step 3: Calculate coordinates of A and B

For p=7p = \sqrt{7}, the point of tangency AA is (−4(1)7,37)=(−47,37)\left(-\frac{4(1)}{\sqrt{7}}, \frac{3}{\sqrt{7}}\right) = \left(-\frac{4}{\sqrt{7}}, \frac{3}{\sqrt{7}}\right). For p=−7p = -\sqrt{7}, the point of tangency BB is (−4(1)−7,3−7)=(47,−37)\left(-\frac{4(1)}{-\sqrt{7}}, \frac{3}{-\sqrt{7}}\right) = \left(\frac{4}{\sqrt{7}}, -\frac{3}{\sqrt{7}}\right).

Step 4: Find the intersection points C and D with line y=xy = x

To find the intersection points CC and DD of the line y=xy = x with the ellipse, substitute y=xy = x into the ellipse equation: x24+x23=1\frac{x^2}{4} + \frac{x^2}{3} = 1. This simplifies to 3x2+4x2=123x^2 + 4x^2 = 12, so 7x2=127x^2 = 12. Solving for xx, we get x=±127=±237x = \pm\frac{\sqrt{12}}{\sqrt{7}} = \pm\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{7}}. Since y=xy = x, the coordinates are C=(237,237)C = \left(\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{7}}, \frac{2\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{7}}\right) and D=(−237,−237)D = \left(-\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{7}}, -\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{7}}\right).

Step 5: Calculate the area of quadrilateral ABCD

The quadrilateral ABCDABCD is symmetric with respect to the origin. The area of a quadrilateral with vertices (x1,y1),(x2,y2),(x3,y3),(x4,y4)(x_1, y_1), (x_2, y_2), (x_3, y_3), (x_4, y_4) can be calculated using the formula: 12∣(x1y2−y1x2)+(x2y3−y2x3)+(x3y4−y3x4)+(x4y1−y4x1)∣\frac{1}{2} |(x_1y_2 - y_1x_2) + (x_2y_3 - y_2x_3) + (x_3y_4 - y_3x_4) + (x_4y_1 - y_4x_1)|. Alternatively, we can use the fact that the quadrilateral is symmetric and its diagonals intersect at the origin. The area of a quadrilateral whose diagonals are perpendicular and bisect each other is 12d1d2\frac{1}{2}d_1d_2. Here, the diagonals are ABAB and CDCD. The line y=xy=x and y=−xy=-x are perpendicular. The line ABAB has slope −1/1=−1-1/1 = -1 (from y=x+py=x+p and y=−x+py=-x+p). The line CDCD has slope 11. So the diagonals are perpendicular. The origin is the midpoint of both ABAB and CDCD. Thus, the area is 12×length(AB)×length(CD)\frac{1}{2} \times \text{length}(AB) \times \text{length}(CD).

Step 6: Calculate lengths of diagonals and final area

The length of diagonal ABAB is (87)2+(−67)2=647+367=1007=107\sqrt{\left(\frac{8}{\sqrt{7}}\right)^2 + \left(-\frac{6}{\sqrt{7}}\right)^2} = \sqrt{\frac{64}{7} + \frac{36}{7}} = \sqrt{\frac{100}{7}} = \frac{10}{\sqrt{7}}. The length of diagonal CDCD is (−437)2+(−437)2=487+487=967=467\sqrt{\left(-\frac{4\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{7}}\right)^2 + \left(-\frac{4\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{7}}\right)^2} = \sqrt{\frac{48}{7} + \frac{48}{7}} = \sqrt{\frac{96}{7}} = \frac{4\sqrt{6}}{\sqrt{7}}. The area of the quadrilateral ABCDABCD is 12×length(AB)×length(CD)=12×107×467=2067\frac{1}{2} \times \text{length}(AB) \times \text{length}(CD) = \frac{1}{2} \times \frac{10}{\sqrt{7}} \times \frac{4\sqrt{6}}{\sqrt{7}} = \frac{20\sqrt{6}}{7}.

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