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Help with calculus

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Blake.P
Posts: 9894 - Karma: 3,585
so i really dont understand how do do these problems. can somebody just tell me how to do this one so i have a basis to work off of for the next problems? it is:

find the equation of the line tangent to the curve at the given point: x^2 + y^2 = 169 at (5,-12)
Sep 15 2011 7:57PM
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PeteySkeety
Posts: 996 - Karma: 209
This should be right

dy/dx(x^2 + y^2 = 169)

2x + 2y(dy/dx) = 0

2y(dy/dx) = -2x

(dy/dx) = -2x/2y

(-2(5)) / (2(-12))

-10/24

5/12

y+12=(5/12)(x-5)
Sep 15 2011 8:11PM
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Blake.P
Posts: 9894 - Karma: 3,585
yes that is right thanks a lot and +k
Sep 15 2011 8:16PM
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Utard
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 305
Yeah Peter got it right you just gotta derive, plug the numbers in, and then set up a point-slope equation. If you ever need help with math homework again check out www.wolframalpha.com it's fucking amazing definitely helped me a lot in calculus last year.
Sep 15 2011 8:21PM
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