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1.

3 Conic Sections
1.3 Conic Sections
Def. A line lying
entirely on the
cone is called a
generator of the
cone, and all
generators of a
cone pass
through its
vertex .
1.3 Conic Sections

Def. A conic section is the intersection of a


plane and a right circular cone with two
nappes.
Types of Conic Sections
 A degenerate conic is either a point, a line
or two intersecting lines.

Degenerate Conic Sections


Plane figures that can be obtained by the intersection of a
double cone with a plane passing through the apex. These include
a point, a line, and intersecting lines.
 A conic section is a curve obtained by
intersecting a double-cone (two cones with the
same axis and sharing a vertex) with a plane.
There are four types of non-degenerate conic
sections: circles, ellipses, parabolas and
hyperbolas.

 A non-degenerate conic is either a


parabola, an ellipse or a hyperbola
Non-degenerate Conics
 If the cutting plane is parallel to one and
only one generator, the curve of
intersection is called a parabola.
Non-degenerate Conics
If the cutting plane is not parallel to any
generator; that is, it cuts all generators, the
curve of intersection is called an ellipse
Non-degenerate Conics
If the cutting plane is parallel to two
generators, the curve of intersection is a
hyperbola.
This is a screenshot from the movie Sex, Lies and Videotape
(1989). The image shows a projection of two circles onto a
plane. The projection of any circle onto a plane forms a conic
section. In this case, it is a hyperbola.
Flashlight Conic Sections
The light emitted from a flashlight with a
circular lens is projected as a cone from
the light bulb.  You can create Flashlight
Conic Sections by projecting the light at
the wall, allowing the wall to be the plane
and the light from the flashlight being the
cone.  Try the following shapes:
Thm 1.3.1(Non-degenerate conic)
A non-degenerate conic is a set of points
on the plane such that the ratio of the
undirected distance of P from a fixed point
(called focus) to the undirected distance
of P from a fixed line not through the fixed
point (called the directrix) is a constant.
Non-degenerate Conics
 The constant ratio mentioned in Theorem
1.3.1 is called the eccentricity of the
conic, which we will denote by e.

 Let P be a point on a conic with focus at F


and let Q be the projection of P on the
directrix. Then from Theorem 1.3.1, FP = e QP
Non-degenerate Conics
Def. The line through a focus and
perpendicular to a directrix of a conic is
called the principal axis of the conic. A
point of intersection of the conic and its
principal axis is called a vertex of the
conic.
Thm 1.3.2 (Non-degenerate Conics)

Given the eccentricity e of a conic, the conic is


 a parabola if e = 1 ;
 an ellipse if 0 < e < 1 ;
 a hyperbola if e > 1 .
1.4 The Parabola

Def. A parabola is the set of all points on


the plane which are equidistant from a
fixed point and a fixed line.
The Parabola

FP = QP ⇒ ( x − p) + y = x + p
2 2

Squaring both sides of the last equation, we get


( x − p) + y = ( x + p)
2 2 2

⇒ y = ( x + p) − ( x − p)
2 2 2

⇒ y = [ ( x + p ) − ( x − p ) ][ ( x + p ) + ( x − p ) ]
2

⇒ y = ( 2 p )( 2 x ) = 4 px
2

⇒ y = 4 px
2
Standard Equation of a Parabola

The equation y = 4 px is called the standard


2

equation of a parabola with vertex at the


origin, focus at ( p ,0 ) , the line given by
x = − p as directrix, and the x-axis as its
principal axis.
Parabola
If y = 4 px is the equation of a parabola, then
2

a. the parabola opens to right if p > 0 ;


b. the parabola opens to the left if p < 0 .
Standard Equation of a Parabola

The equation is x = 4 py called the standard


2

equation of a parabola with vertex at the


origin, focus at ( 0 , p ) , the line given by
y = − p as directrix and the y-axis as its
principal axis.
Parabola
If x = 4 py is the equation of a parabola, then
2

a. the parabola opens upward if p > 0 ;


b. the parabola opens downward if p < 0 .
Latus Rectum of the Parabola

Def. The line segment joining two (2) points


on a parabola which passes through the
focus of the parabola and perpendicular to
its principal axis is called the latus rectum
of the parabola.
Remark

 The length of the latus rectum of a


parabola given by y = 4 px or x = 4 py is
2 2

4p .
Example
For each of the given equation of a parabola,
find the
vertex
focus
principal axis
directrix
endpoints of the latus rectum
Draw a sketch of the parabola.
2
a. x = − 8y b. y 2 = 16 x
Solution for (b) x2 = − 8 y p= −2
vertex ( 0,0)
principal axis y − axis
parabola opens downward
focus ( 0, p ) = ( 0,− 2)
directrix y= − p⇒ y= 2
endpoints of the latus rectum are
(± 4,− 2 ) = ( − 4,− 2 ) and ( 4,− 2 )
2p units to the left and right of the focus,
Sketch of the graph of x2 = − 8 y

y= 2

( − 4,− 2) ( 4,− 2)
F ( 0,− 2)
Solution for (a) y 2 = 16 x p= 4
vertex ( 0,0)
principal axis x − axis
parabola opens to the right
focus ( p,0) = ( 4,0)
directrix x= − p⇒ x= −4
endpoints of the latus rectum are
( 4,± 2 p ) = ( 4,± 8) = ( 4,8) and ( 4,− 8)
Sketch of the graph of y 2 = 16 x

( 4,8)

V F ( 4,0 )

( 4,− 8)

x= −4
General Equation of the Parabola

If the vertex of a parabola is at the point ( h ,k )


and the principal axis of the parabola is
the line y = k , the standard equation of the
parabola is
( y − k ) = 4 p( x − h )
2

(As before, the parabola opens to the right or to


the left depending on the sign of p.)
General Equation of the Parabola

If the vertex of a parabola is at the point ( h ,k )


and the principal axis of the parabola is
the line x = h , the standard equation of the
parabola is
( x − h) = 4p( y − k)
2

(As before, the parabola opens upward or


downward depending on the sign of p.)
Example
For each of the given equation of a
parabola, find the following: the
coordinates of the vertex and the focus,
the principal axis, an equation of the
directrix, and the coordinates of the
endpoints of the latus rectum. Draw a
sketch of the parabola:

a. ( x + 1) 2
= 3( y − 1) b. ( y + 4 ) 2
= − 4( x − 2)
Solution for (a) ( x + 1) 2 = 3( y − 3) = 4 34  ( y − 3) 3
p=
vertex ( − 1,3) 4

parabola opens upward


principal axis x= −1
 15 
focus
( − 1,3 + p ) =  − 1, 
 4
9
directrix y = k − p = 3− p ⇒ y =
4
endpoints of the latus rectum are
 15   1 15   − 5 15 
 − 1 ± 2 p,  =  ,  and  , 
 4 2 4  2 4
2p units to the left and right of the focus,
Sketch of the graph of ( x + 1) 2 = 3( y − 3)

( − 1,3)

x= −1
Solution for (a) ( y + 4) 2 = − 4( x − 2) p= −1
vertex ( 2,− 4)
parabola opens to the left
principal axis y= −4

focus (2+ p,− 4 ) = (1,− 4 )

directrix x = h− p = 2− p ⇒ x = 3

endpoints of the latus rectum are


(1,− 4 ± 2 p ) = (1,− 2 ) and (1,− 6 )

2p units upward and downward


Sketch of the graph of ( y + 4) 2 = − 4( x − 2)

y= −4
( − 1,3)
Sources of Figures/Pictures
http://math2.org/math/algebra/conics.htm
http://www.mathacademy.com/pr/prime/articles/conics/index.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conic_section
http://xahlee.org/SpecialPlaneCurves_dir/ConicSections_dir/conicSe

http://www.clausentech.com/lchs/dclausen/algebra2/conic_se
ctions.htm
End of 1.4
1.5 The Ellipse
An ellipse is the set
of all points on the
plane, the sum of
whose distances from
two fixed points is a
constant.

The fixed points referred to are called the foci of


the ellipse.
Suppose the foci have coordinates
(c,0) and (-c,0), 2a is the constant sum
and if P(x,y) is any
P(x,y)
point in the ellipse then
___ ___
PF1 + PF2 = 2a F2(-c,0) F1 (c,0)

→ ( x − c) 2
+ y +2
( x + c) 2 2
+ y = 2a

→ ( x − c) 2 2
+ y = 2 a− ( x + c) 2
+ y2

→ ( x − c) 2
+ y = 4 a − 4 a ( x + c) + y + ( x + c) + y
2 2 2 2 2 2
→ x − 2cx + c = 4a − 4a ( x + c ) + y 2 + x 2 + 2cx + c 2
2 2 2 2

→ 4a ( x + c ) + y 2 = 4a 2 + 4cx
2

a ( x + c ) + y 2 = a2 + cx
2

→ ( )
a 2 x 2 + 2cx + c 2 + y 2 = a 4 + 2a2cx + c 2 x 2

→ (a 2
) (
− c2 x2 + a2 y2 = a2 a2 − c2 ) (1)
In the triangle ∆ PF1F2 ,
___ ___ _____
PF1 + PF2 > F1F2
P(x,y)

→ 2a > 2c F2(-c,0) F1 (c,0)

→ a> c
2 2
→ a −c > 0
→ (a 2
) (
− c2 x2 + a2 y2 = a2 a2 − c2 )
Leta
2 2 2
−c = b . Then b 2 x 2 2 2
+ a y = ab . 2 2

2 2
x y
Dividing (1) by a 2b 2 becomes + = 1 .
a2 b2
x2 y2
Consider 2 + 2 = 1.
a b

(0,b)
The x-intercepts of the
graph are a and –a.
(-a,0 (a,0)
)
(0,-
The y-intercepts of the b)
graph are b and –b.

The principal axis is The points (a,0) and (-a,0)


the x-axis. are the vertices of the
ellipse.
The line segment joining
the vertices is called the (0,b)
major axis of the ellipse.
(-a,0 (a,0)
)
(0,-
The line segment b)
joining the points (0,b)
and (0,-b) is called the
minor axis of the The intersection of the
ellipse. major axis and the minor
axis of the ellipse is called
2 2 2
a −c = b
Since a> b
, then . Hence, the
major axis of the ellipse is always longer than its
minor axis.

c
a > c
Since <1
,athen . This ratio is
the eccentricity of the ellipse while the
directrices of the ellipse are at the
lines
2
a a
x= ± = ± .
e c
2 2
The x y
equation
+ 2 =1 where a> b
2
a b

is the standard equation of the ellipse with


• center at the origin (0,b)
• x-axis is the principal axis (-a, (a,
0) 0)
• vertices at (a,0) and (-a,0) (0,-
b)
• foci at (c,0) and (-c,0) with c2 = a2 - b2
• endpoints of the minor axis at (0,b) and (0,-b)
2
a a
• x= ± = ±
equation of directrices given by
e c
Interchanging the roles of x and y, the
equation will become

2 2
y x
2
+ 2
= 1
a b

How would this affect the properties of the


ellipse?
2 2
y x
The equation where a > b
+ = 1
a2 b2
is the standard equation of the ellipse with

(0,a)
• center at the origin
(-b,0) (b,0)
• y-axis is the principal axis
• vertices at (0,a) and (0,-a)
(0,-a)
• foci at (0,c) and (0,-c) with c = a - b2
2 2

• endpoints of the minor axis at (b,0) and (-b,0)


a a2
• y= ± = ±
equation of directrices given by
e c
Example. Given the ellipse with equation
x2 y2
+ =1
9 4

determine the principal axis,


vertices, endpoints of the minor axis, lengths
of the major and minor axes, foci, eccentricity
and equations of directrices. Draw also a
sketch of the ellipse.
SOLUTION
From the standard equation,

x2 y2 a = 3 and b = 2.
+ =1
9 4
Solving for the value of c,
2 2 2
c = a −b
2
c = 9− 4
c= 5
Therefore, x2 y2
+ =1
• principal axis: x-axis 9 4
• vertices: ( 3,0) and ( − 3,0 )
• endpoints of the minor axis ( 0,2 ) and ( 0,− 2 )
• foci ( )
5,0 and − ( 5 ,0 )
• length of the major axis6
• length of the minor axis4
• c 5
eccentricity =
a 3
• equations of the directrices given by
9 9 5
x= ± = ±
5 5
9 5 9 5
x= − x=
5 5

(0,2)

(-3,0 (− 5,0 ) ( 5,0 ) (3,0)


)
(0,-
2)

x2 y2
+ =1
9 4
Example. Given the ellipse with equation
2 2
x y
+ =1
4 16

determine the principal axis,


vertices, endpoints of the minor axis, lengths
of the major and minor axes, foci, eccentricity
and equations of directrices. Draw also a
sketch of the ellipse.
SOLUTION
From the standard equation,

2
x 2
y
a = 4 and b = 2.
+ =1
4 16 Solving for the value of c,

2 2 2
c = a −b
2
c = 16 − 4
c= 12 = 2 3
Therefore, x2 y2
+ =1
• principal axis: y-axis 4 16
• vertices: ( 0,4) and ( 0,− 4 )
• endpoints of the minor axis( 2,0 ) and ( − 2,0 )
• foci (0,2 3 ) and (0,− 2 3 )
• length of the major axis 8
• length of the minor axis 4

• c 2 3
eccentricity =
a 4
• equations of the directrices given by
a2 16 8 3
y= ± = ± = ±
c 2 3 3
8 3
y=
3
(0,4)

(0,2 3 )

(-2,0 (2,0)
) (0,− 2 3 )

(0,- y= −
8 3
4) 3

2 2
x y
+ =1
4 16

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