MCQMediumJEE 2025Argand Plane & Geometry

JEE Mathematics 2025 Question with Solution

Let zizi=13,zC\frac{\overline{z} - i}{z - i} = \frac{1}{3}, \, z \in \mathbb{C}, be the equation of a circle with center at CC. If the area of the triangle, whose vertices are at the points (0,0),C(0, 0), C and (α,0)(\alpha, 0), is 1111 square units, then α2\alpha^2 equals:

  • A

    100100

  • B

    5050

  • C

    121121

  • D

    8125\frac{81}{25}

Answer

Correct answer:A

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: zi2z+i=13\left| \frac{z-i}{2z+i} \right| = \frac{1}{3} is used in the extracted working to obtain the circle, and the area of the triangle formed by (0,0)(0,0), the center CC, and (α,0)(\alpha,0) is 1111 square units.

Find: α2\alpha^2.

From the solution working,

ziz+i2=23\left| \frac{z-i}{z+\frac{i}{2}} \right| = \frac{2}{3}

Taking z=x+iyz=x+iy, this gives

3x+i(y1)=2x+i(y+12)3\left|x+i(y-1)\right|=2\left|x+i\left(y+\frac{1}{2}\right)\right|

So,

3x2+(y1)2=2x2+(y+12)23\sqrt{x^2+(y-1)^2}=2\sqrt{x^2+\left(y+\frac{1}{2}\right)^2}

Squaring and simplifying as shown in the extracted solution,

9(x2+(y+1)2)=4(x2+(y12)2)9\left(x^2+(y+1)^2\right)=4\left(x^2+\left(y-\frac{1}{2}\right)^2\right)

which leads to

5x2+5y2+22y+8=05x^2+5y^2+22y+8=0

Dividing by 55,

x2+y2+225y+85=0x^2+y^2+\frac{22}{5}y+\frac{8}{5}=0

Hence the center of the circle is

C=(0,115)C=\left(0,-\frac{11}{5}\right)

The base of the triangle lies on the xx-axis from (0,0)(0,0) to (α,0)(\alpha,0), so its length is α|\alpha|. The perpendicular distance of the center from the xx-axis is

115=115\left| -\frac{11}{5} \right|=\frac{11}{5}

Therefore the area is

12α115=11\frac{1}{2}\cdot |\alpha| \cdot \frac{11}{5}=11

So,

α1110=11|\alpha|\cdot \frac{11}{10}=11 α=10|\alpha|=10

Thus,

α2=100\alpha^2=100

Therefore, the correct option is A.

Note: The first extracted approach contains inconsistent algebra and an intermediate value α2=484\alpha^2=484, but the second approach correctly yields the center and the final answer α2=100\alpha^2=100.

Area Using Center Coordinates

Given: The circle obtained from the provided working has center C=(0,115)C=\left(0,-\frac{11}{5}\right).

Find: The value of α2\alpha^2 using the triangle area.

The three vertices are

  • A=(0,0)A=(0,0)
  • C=(0,115)C=\left(0,-\frac{11}{5}\right)
  • B=(α,0)B=(\alpha,0)

Since AA and BB lie on the xx-axis, the line through them is

y=0y=0

So the height from CC to the base ABAB is

115\frac{11}{5}

The base length is

AB=αAB=|\alpha|

Using the triangle area formula,

Area=12×base×height\text{Area}=\frac{1}{2}\times \text{base} \times \text{height}

Therefore,

11=12×α×11511=\frac{1}{2}\times |\alpha| \times \frac{11}{5}

Multiply both sides by 1011\frac{10}{11}:

α=10|\alpha|=10

Hence,

α2=102=100\alpha^2=10^2=100

Therefore, the required value is 100100.

Common mistakes

  • Using the first extracted approach blindly and accepting the inconsistent intermediate result α=22\alpha=22. That working contradicts its own final answer. The correct step is to use the center obtained from the valid circle equation and then apply the triangle area formula carefully.

  • Taking the ordinate of the center incorrectly. The height of the triangle is the perpendicular distance from CC to the xx-axis, which is yC=115\left|y_C\right|=\frac{11}{5}, not 1111 or 511\frac{5}{11}.

  • Forgetting the factor 12\frac{1}{2} in the area formula 12×base×height\frac{1}{2}\times \text{base} \times \text{height}. Omitting it changes α|\alpha| and leads to a wrong value of α2\alpha^2.

Practice more Argand Plane & Geometry questions

Get unlimited AI-adaptive practice, mastery tracking, and an AI tutor that explains every step — free to start.

Related questions