<p>This is a problem from a summer packet for AP calc. It's the only problem I have left. Here it is..</p>
<p>A curve is traced by a point P(x,y) which moves such that its distance from the point A(-1,1) is three times its distance from the point B(2,-1). Determine the equation of the curve.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure I got one point on the curve as (1.25,-0.5).</p>
<p>Maybe the distance formula......</p>
<p>Hint: looks like a conics problem</p>
<p>I used the distance formula and came out with</p>
<p>8y² + 20y = -8x² + 38x - 43</p>
<p>I don't see a way to simplify it more..</p>
<p>I got the same answer RC, but I "simplified" it a little bit more. It just depends on how your teacher wants the finished product.</p>
<p>The same thing in a different form would be:</p>
<p>(y+1.25)^2=-x^2+4.75x-5.375</p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>
<p>Summer assignments are BS. All the teachers should get a summer assignment; they will cry about it because they don't get paid in the summer.</p>
<p>
<p>The same thing in a different form would be:</p>
<p>(y+1.25)^2=-x^2+4.75x-5.375</p>
<p>Hope that helps.
</p>
<p>The right side is right, but I think the left side is a little off. It would work if there were an extra 25/16s.. Thanks for trying though</p>
<p>eh.. sorry--- it's been umm... let's see now... two months since I graduated and at least three since I've done any math</p>
<p>It would figure that I'd forget about adding the same thing to both sides.</p>
<p>Sorry! :-|)</p>
<p>It's fine, I think I finally got it into circle form..</p>
<p>(x - 2)² + (y + 1)² = 13/16</p>