Rectangular or Equilateral Hyperbola.

(1) Definition:A hyperbola whose asymptotes are at right angles to each other is called a
rectangular hyperbola. The eccentricity of rectangular hyperbola is always 2 .
The general equation of second degree represents a rectangular hyperbola if  0, h 2  ab
and coefficient of x 2 + coefficient of y 2 = 0

x 2 y2 b
The equation of the asymptotes of the hyperbola 2
 2  1 are given by y   x .
a b a
b  b
  
a  a 2b / a 2 ab
The angle between these two asymptotes is given by tan     2 .
b   b  1  b /a
2 2
a  b2
1  
a a 
 2 ab 
If the asymptotes are at right angles, then    / 2  tan   tan  2 2
 tan
2 a b 2
 a  b  0  a  b  2 a  2b . Thus the transverse and conjugate axis of a rectangular
2 2

hyperbola are equal and the equation is x 2  y 2  a 2 . The equations of the asymptotes of the
rectangular hyperbola are y   x i.e., y  x and y   x . Clearly, each of these two asymptotes is
inclined at 45  to the transverse axis.

(2) Equation of the rectangular hyperbola referred to its asymptotes as the axes of
coordinates:Referred to the transverse and conjugate axis as the axes of coordinates, the
equation of the rectangular hyperbola is
x 2  y 2  a2 …..(i)
The asymptotes of (i) are y = x and y = – x. Each of these two asymptotes is inclined at an angle
of 45  with the transverse axis, So, if we rotate the coordinate axes through an angle of   / 4
keeping the origin fixed, then the axes coincide with the asymptotes of the hyperbola and
X Y Y X
x  X cos( / 4 )  Y sin( / 4 )  and y  X sin  / 4   Y cos( / 4 )  .
2 2 Y
Substituting the values of x and y in (i),
XY=c2
2 2 2
X Y  Y  X  a
We obtain the       a 2  XY   XY  c 2 X X
 2   2  2 O

a2
Where c 2  . Y
2

This is transformed equation of the rectangular hyperbola (i).

(3) Parametric co-ordinates of a point on the hyperbola XY = c2 :If t is non–zero variable, the
coordinates of any point on the rectangular hyperbola xy  c 2 can be written as (ct, c / t) . The
point (ct, c / t) on the hyperbola xy  c 2 is generally referred as the point ‘t’.
For rectangular hyperbola the coordinates of foci are ( a 2 , 0 ) and directricesare x   a 2 .
For rectangular hyperbola xy  c 2 , the coordinates of foci are (c 2 ,  c 2 ) and directrices are
x  y  c 2 .

(4) Equation of the chord joining points t1 andt2 : The equation of the chord joining two
 c  c
points  ct1 ,  and  ct2 ,  on the hyperbola xy  c 2 is
 t1   t2 
c c

c t 2 t1
y  (x  ct1 )  x  y t1 t2  c (t1  t 2 ) .
t1 ct2  ct1

(5) Equation of tangent in different forms

(i) Point form:The equation of tangent at (x 1 , y1 ) to the hyperbola xy  c 2 is xy 1  yx 1  2c 2 or
x y
 2
x1 y 1
 c
(ii) Parametric form : The equation of the tangent at  ct,  to the hyperbola xy  c 2 is
 t
x c
 yt  2 c .On replacing x 1 by ct and y1 by on the equation of the tangent at (x 1 , y1 ) i.e.
t t
x
xy 1  yx 1  2c 2 we get  yt  2 c .
t

 2 ct t 2c 
Note: Point of intersection of tangents at ' t1 ' and ' t 2 ' is  1 2
, 
 1 t 2 t1  t 2 
t 

(6) Equation of the normal in different forms:

(i) Point form : The equation of the normal at (x 1 , y1 ) to the hyperbola xy  c 2 is

 dy  y
xx 1  yy 1  x 12  y12 . As discussed in the equation of the tangent, we have    1
 dx ( x 1 , y 1) x1
1 x
So, the equation of the normal at (x 1 , y1 ) is y  y1  ( x  x 1 )  y  y1  1 ( x  x 1 )
 dy  y1
 
 dx ( x 1 , y 1 )
 yy 1  y12  xx 1  x 12  xx 1  yy 1  x 12  y12
This is the required equation of the normal at (x 1 , y1 ) .
  c
(ii) Parametric form: The equation of the normal at  ct,  to the hyperbola xy  c 2 is
 t
xt  yt  ct  c  0 . On replacing x 1 by ct and y1 by c / t in the equation.
3 4

yc c2
We obtain xx 1  yy 1  x 12  y12 , xct   c 2 t 2  2  xt 3  yt  ct 4  c  0
t t

 c
Note: The equation of the normal at  ct,  is a fourth degree in t. So, in general, four normals can be
 t
drawn from a point to the hyperbola xy  c 2
 c 1
 on the curve xy  c meets the curve again in ' t  ' then; t  3 .
2
If the normal at  ct,
 t t
 c {t1 t 2 (t12  t1 t 2  t 22 )  1} c {t13 t 23  (t12  t1 t 2  t 22 )} 
Point of intersection of normals at ' t1 ' and ' t 2 ' is  , 
 t1 t 2 (t1  t 2 ) t1 t 2 (t1  t 2 ) 
 

Important Tips

 A triangle has its vertices on a rectangular hyperbola; then the orthocentre of the triangle
also lies on the same hyperbola.
 All conics passing through the intersection of two rectangular hyperbolas are themselves
rectangular hyperbolas.
 An infinite number of triangles can be inscribed in the rectangular hyperbola xy  c 2 whose
all sides touch the parabola y 2  4 ax .