Question:hard

The circumcenter of a triangle lies at the origin and its centroid is the midpoint of the line segment joining the points \((a^2+1,a^2+1)\) and \((2a,-2a)\), where \(a\neq0\). Then the equation of the parabola passing through the orthocentre is

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A very important triangle relation is: \[ \vec{OH}=3\vec{OG}. \] Whenever circumcentre is at origin, orthocentre can immediately be obtained by tripling centroid coordinates.
Updated On: Jun 17, 2026
  • \(y-2ax=0\)
  • \(y-(a^2+1)x=0\)
  • \(x+y=0\)
  • \((a-1)^2x-(a+1)^2y=0\)
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Recall how the three centres line up.
For any triangle the orthocentre $H$, centroid $G$ and circumcentre $O$ lie on one line, and $\vec{OH}=3\,\vec{OG}$. Here $O$ is the origin, so simply $H=3G$.
Step 2: Find the centroid $G$.
$G$ is the midpoint of $(a^2+1,a^2+1)$ and $(2a,-2a)$: \[ G\left(\frac{a^2+1+2a}{2},\frac{a^2+1-2a}{2}\right). \]
Step 3: Use perfect squares to tidy $G$.
Since $a^2+2a+1=(a+1)^2$ and $a^2-2a+1=(a-1)^2$, \[ G\left(\frac{(a+1)^2}{2},\frac{(a-1)^2}{2}\right). \]
Step 4: Get the orthocentre.
Multiply $G$ by $3$: \[ H\left(\frac{3(a+1)^2}{2},\frac{3(a-1)^2}{2}\right). \]
Step 5: Find the line from origin through $H$.
A curve through the origin and $H$ has slope \[ m=\frac{3(a-1)^2/2}{3(a+1)^2/2}=\frac{(a-1)^2}{(a+1)^2}. \] So $y=\dfrac{(a-1)^2}{(a+1)^2}x$.
Step 6: Clear the fraction.
Cross multiply: $(a+1)^2y=(a-1)^2x$, which rearranges to the answer. \[ \boxed{(a-1)^2x-(a+1)^2y=0} \]
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