The area (in sq units) of the equilateral triangle formed by the tangent at $(\sqrt{3}, 0)$ to the hyperbola…

The area (in sq units) of the equilateral triangle formed by the tangent at $(\sqrt{3}, 0)$ to the hyperbola $x^2-3 y^2=3$ with the pair of asymptotes of the hyperbola is
  1. $\sqrt{2}$
  2. $\sqrt{3}$
  3. $\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}$
  4. $2 \sqrt{3}$

Solution

Given equation of hyperbola is $x^2-3 y^2=3$ $\therefore$ Equation of tangent at point $(\sqrt{3}, 0)$ is $\begin{aligned} & S_1=0 \\ \Rightarrow \quad & x \sqrt{3}-3 y \times 0=3\end{aligned}$ $\begin{aligned} \Rightarrow & & x \sqrt{3} & =3 \\ \Rightarrow & & x & =\sqrt{3}\end{aligned}$ The asympotes of given hyperbolas are $x+\sqrt{3} y=0$ and $x-\sqrt{3} y=0$ On solving Eqs. (i), (ii) and (iii), we get $(0,0),(\sqrt{3},-1)$ and $(\sqrt{3}, 1)$ $\therefore$ Area of triangle formed by joining the above points $\begin{aligned} & =\frac{1}{2}\left|\begin{array}{rrr}0 & 0 & 1 \\ \sqrt{3} & -1 & 0 \\ \sqrt{3} & 1 & 0\end{array}\right| \\ & =\frac{1}{2}[1(\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{3})]=\frac{1}{2} \times 2 \sqrt{3}=\sqrt{3}\end{aligned}$

Asked in: AP EAMCET 2012

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