A ray of light travelling with a speed c leaves point 1 shown in figure and is reflected to point 2. The ray strikes the reflecting surface at a distance x from point 1. According to Fermat's principle of least time, among all possible paths between two points , the one actually taken by a ray of light is that for which the time taken is the least (In fact there are some cases in which the time taken by a ray is maximum rather than a minimum).

Which of the following statement is in accordance with Fermat's principle

Options

A. A ray as it moves from one point to another after reflection takes shortest possible path
B. A ray as it moves from one point to another after reflection takes longest possible path
C. A ray as it moves from one point to another takes shortest possible time
D. A ray as it moves from one point to another takes longest possible time

Answer

A