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Question

Define coaxial circles and deduce their equation in simplest form.

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Solution

A system of circles is said to be co-axial if every pair of the system has the same radical axis.
Circles passing through two fixed points form a coaxial system. The equation S+λP=0,S1+λS2=0 represent a family of coaxial circles.
Equation of coaxial circles in simplest form:
Let the common radical axis be chosen along y-axis and the line of centres which will be perpendicular to radical axis be along x-axis.
Hence the equation of any circle will be
x2+y2+2gx+c=0.....(1)
as y-co-ordinate of centre is zero.
Let any other circle of the system be
x2+y2+2g1x+2f1y+c1=0....(2)
The radical axis of (1) and (2) is
2x(gg1)2f1y+(cc1)=0....(3)
But we are given that radical axis is y-axis
i.e. x=0....(4).
Comparing (3) and (4), we get
f1=0 and cc1=0c1=c.
Hence any other circle of the system will have its equation of the form
x2+y2+2g1x+c=0.
Thus the system of circles
x2+y2+2grx+c=0.
where c is constant and gr a parameter represents a family of coaxial circles whose common radical axis is y-axis, i.e. x=0.

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