Reflecting Surface Assume that when the plane curve C shown in Figure 1.3.21 is revo...

Reflecting Surface Assume that when the plane curve C shown in Figure 1.3.21 is revolved about the x-axis, it generates a surface of revolution with the property that all light rays L parallel to the x-axis striking the surface are reflected to a single point O (the origin). Use the fact that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection to determine a differential equation that

describes the shape of the curve C. Such a curve C is important in applications ranging from construction of telescopes to satellite antennas, automobile headlights, and solar collectors. [Hint: Inspection of the figure shows that we can write Why? Now use an appropriate trigonometric identity.]