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[parent] asymptote of Lamé's cubic (Example)

We will show that the Lamé's cubic

$\displaystyle x^3+y^3 = a^3,$ (1)

where $a$ is a positive constant, has the line $$y = \underbrace{-x}_{g(x)}$$ as its asymptote.

Because the equation (1) of the curve is symmetric with respect to $x$ and $y$ , the curve is symmetric about the line $y = x$ . From the solved form

$\displaystyle y = \underbrace{\sqrt[3]{a^3-x^3}}_{f(x)}$ (2)

of (1) we see that every real value of $x$ gives one point of the curve.

\begin{pspicture}(-4,-4)(4,4) \psaxes[Dx=9,Dy=9]{->}(0,0)(-3.5,-3.5)(3.5,3.5) \r... ...\rput(0.5,-4){Lam\'e's cubic\, $y = \sqrt[3]{a^3-x^3}$\, (blue)} \end{pspicture}

The difference $\Delta = f(x)\!-\!g(x)$ represents the distance of a point $(x,\,y)$ of the curve and the point of the asserted asymptote $y = -x$ with the same abscissa $x$ . We multiply the numerator and denominator with the expression $(\sqrt[3]{a^3-x^3})^2-x\sqrt[3]{a^3-x^3}+x^2$ for being able to utilise the polynomial formula $$(u+v)(u^2-uv+v^2) = u^3+v^3,$$ getting

$\displaystyle \Delta$ $\displaystyle = f(x)\!-\!g(x)$    
  $\displaystyle = \frac{\sqrt[3]{a^3-x^3}+x}{1}$    
  $\displaystyle = \frac{(\sqrt[3]{a^3-x^3})^3+x^3}{(\sqrt[3]{a^3-x^3})^2-x\sqrt[3]{a^3-x^3}+x^2}$    
  $\displaystyle = \frac{a^3}{(\sqrt[3]{a^3-x^3})^2-x\sqrt[3]{a^3-x^3}+x^2}.$    

Thus, $\displaystyle \Delta \to \frac{a^3}{\infty+\infty+\infty} = 0$ when $ |x| \to \infty$ (see the improper limits). According to the definition of asymptote, the line $y = -x$ is asymptote of Lamé's cubic.




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See Also: hyperbola, witch of Agnesi, conic section

Also defines:  Lamé's cubic

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Cross-references: improper limits, formula, polynomial, expression, denominator, numerator, abscissa, distance, difference, point, real, symmetric about, symmetric, curve, equation, asymptote, line, positive
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This is version 4 of asymptote of Lamé's cubic, born on 2008-03-14, modified 2008-03-16.
Object id is 10403, canonical name is AsymptoteOfLamesCubic.
Accessed 1169 times total.

Classification:
AMS MSC26C05 (Real functions :: Polynomials, rational functions :: Polynomials: analytic properties, etc.)
 53A04 (Differential geometry :: Classical differential geometry :: Curves in Euclidean space)

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