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Conic Section

Unit 1.2

A conic section is an intersection of a plane

Conic Sections and a right circular cone with two nappes.

1 2

Generators
Upper
Nappe

Vertex
Lower
Nappe

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Non-Degenerate Conics

A non-degenerate conic is a set of points on

The fixed point is called the focus.
the plane such that the ratio of the distance
from a fixed point F to the distance from a
While the fixed line is called the directrix.
fixed line d , not passing through the fixed
point is a constant.

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Eccentricity
y
Q2 4
P2
3
Q1 P1
2 The constant ratio is called the eccentricity
1 of the conic, denoted by e.
-2 -1
F
1 2 3 4 5
x
6
-1
0  e 1 ellipse
PF P2 F
e 1
-2 1

-3
 e parabola
PQ
1 1 P2Q2 e 1 hyperbola
-4

-5
d 7 8

Principal Axis Vertex

The line passing through the focus and is

The intersection of the principal axis and the
perpendicular to the directrix is called the
conic is called the vertex.
principal axis.
5 5
y y
4 4

3 3

2 2

1
Vertex 1

-2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
x
Principal Axis -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
x
Principal Axis
-1
F -1
F
-2 -2

-3 -3

-4 -4

d -5
9
d -5
10

A non-degenerate conic is either a parabola,

an ellipse, or a hyperbola. Parabola

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Parabola 5
y
4

Q   p, y  P  x, y 
3

1
A parabola is the set of all points on the plane

F  p,0 
which are equidistant from a fixed point and -2 -1
-1
1 2 3 4 5 6
x
a fixed line. -2

-3
PF  PQ
-4

-5
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P  x, y  Q   p, y  F  p,0  Equation: y 2  4 px
PF  PQ Graph: Parabola
i. focus at  p,0 
 x  p    y  0   x  p    y  y
2 2 2 2

ii. directrix is x   p
 x  p  y2   x  p 
2 2
iii. opens to the right if p  0
x  2 xp  p  y  x  2 xp  p
2 2 2 2 2
opens to the left if p  0
y  4 xp
2 iv. principal axis is y  0
y 2  4 px v. vertex at  0,0 
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Latus Rectum
Equation: x  4 py 2

Graph: Parabola
i. focus at  0, p 
The line segment joining two points on a
ii. directrix is y   p
parabola which passes through the focus of
iii. opens upward if p  0
the parabola and perpendicular to its
opens downward if p  0
principal axis is called the latus rectum.
iv. principal axis is x  0
v. vertex at  0,0 
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Length of the Latus Rectum
y
4

3
The length of the latus rectum of a parabola
2 given by y 2  4 px or x 2  4 py is 4 p .
1
Latus Rectum
5
y

-2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
Principal Axis 4

-1
F x 3

1
-2
-2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
-3 -1
x

-2
-4
d -5
-3

-4

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-5

Examples
1. x 2  8 y
x 2  4  2  y p  2
For each of the given equation, find the
Graph: parabola opening downward
i. vertex
i. vertex at  0,0 
ii. focus
iii. directrix ii. focus at  0, 2 
iv. principal axis iii. directrix is y  2
v. endpoints of the latus rectum iv. principal axis is x  0
then sketch the graph of the equation. v. endpoints of the latus rectum are

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 4, 2  and  4, 2 . 22

vertex:  0,0  focus:  0, 2  d : y  2 2. y 2  12 x

PA: x  0 EP of LR:  4, 2  ,  4, 2  y 2  4  3 x p3
y
3 Graph: parabola opening to the right
2
y2 i. vertex at  0,0 
ii. focus at  3,0 
1

iii. directrix is x  3
-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
x
-1

 4, 2   4, 2  iv. principal axis is y  0

F  0, 2 
-2

-3
v. endpoints of the latus rectum are
 3,6  and  3, 6 
-4

-5
x0
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y
8 Examples
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vertex:  0,0  Find an equation of a parabola having the given

 3,6 
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5
properties.
focus:  3,0  4

d : x  3 2
1. with focus at  0, 4  and directrix the line given by y  4.
1

PA: y  0
y0 F  3,0 
-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
-1 x
2. with vertex at the origin, the x-axis as its principal axis and
-2
passing through the point  2, 4  .
EP of the LR: -3

-4

 3,6  ,  3, 6  -5

-6
 3, 6 
x  3 -7

-8
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Standard Equation Example

A parabola with vertex at  h, k  has standard equation For each of the given equation, find the
i. vertex
y  k  4 p  x  h  if principal axis is horizontal
2
ii. focus
 opens to the right/left  iii. directrix
iv. principal axis
 x  h  4 p  y  k  if principal axis is vertical v. endpoints of the latus rectum
2

 opens upward/downward  then sketch the graph of the equation.

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 y  3  12  x  1
2
1.
 y  3  4  3  x   1  p3
2

Graph: parabola opening to the right

i. vertex at  1,3
ii. focus at  2,3
iii. directrix is x  4
iv. principal axis is y  3
v. endpoints of latus rectum are
 2,9  and  2, 3 29 30

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 x  4  4  2   y   3  p  2
2

2. x  8 x  8 y  40  0
2

Graph: parabola opening downward

x 2  8 x  8 y  40
i. vertex at  4, 3
x 2  8 x  16  8 y  40  16
ii. focus at  4, 5 
 x  4   8 y  24
2

iii. directrix is y  1
 x  4   8  y  3
2
iv. principal axis is x  4
 x  4   4  2   y   3 
2
v. endpoints of latus rectum are
8, 5 and  0, 5 
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Examples
Find an equation of a parabola having the given
properties.
1. Determine the standard equation of the parabola with
vertex at  2, 1 , the graph passing through the point  4,3 ,
and the principal axis is parallel to the x-axis.

2. with focus at  3,3 and the line given by y  3 as directrix.

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End of Slides

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