Section 12.

6 Cylinders and Quadric Surfaces

This section covers two types of surfaces: cylinders and quadric surfaces. This is in addition to planes (Section
12.5) and spheres (Section 12.1).
In order to sketch the graph of a surface, it is useful to determine the curves of intersection of the surface with
planes parallel to the coordinate planes. These curves are called traces (or cross-sections) of the curves.

Cylinders
A cylinder is a surface that consists of all lines (called rulings) that are parallel to a given line and pass through
a given plane curve.

Example. Sketch the graph of the surface z = x2 .

Solution. Note that the equation does not involve y variable. So taking y = 0 does not affect the equation, it
remains z = x2 . So when y = 0 (xz-plane), the trace is a parabola. In general, for y = k (constant), the trace is
always a parabola. The surface is called a parabolic cylinder since it is made up of infinitely many shifted copies
of the same parabola. The rulings (parallel lines of the cylinder) are parallel to the y-axis.

Example. Identify and sketch the surfaces.

1. x2 + y 2 = 1.

2. y 2 + z 2 = 1.
Solution.
1. The variable z is missing and the equations x2 + y 2 = 1, z = k represent a circle with radius 1 in the plane
z = 0. In general, for every plane z = k, we obtain the circle x2 + y 2 = 1, hence creating a cylinder. The
rulings are vertical lines.
2. In this case, variable x is missing. So for x = 0 (yz-plane), we obtain a circle y 2 + z 2 = 1. In general, for
every plane x = k, we obtain a circle y 2 + z 2 = 1,

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Remark. When dealing with surfaces, it is important to recognize that an equation like x2 + y 2 = 1 represents
a cylinder and not a circle. The trace of the cylinder x2 + y 2 = 1 in the xy-plane is the circle with equations
x2 + y 2 = 1, z = 0.

Quadric Surfaces
A quadric surface is the graph of a second-degree equation in three variables x, y and z. The most general such
equation is
Ax2 + By 2 + Cz 2 + Dxy + Eyz + F xz + Gx + Hy + Iz + J = 0.

Example. Use traces to sketch the quadric surface with equation

y2 z2
x2 + + = 1.
9 4
Solution. Note that the general form of an equation of an ellipse is

x2 y2
+ = 1.
a2 b2
• Take z = 0. Then we obtain the trace in the xy-plane

y2
x2 + =1
9
which we can easily recognize as an equation of an ellipse. In general, taking z = k (constant), we obtain

y2 k2
x2 + 9 =1− 4 , z=k

which is a family of ellipses, provided that k 2 < 4 or −2 < k < 2.

• Take x = k. Then
y2 z2
9 + 4 = 1 − k2 , x = k, (for − 1 < k < 1)

which is a family of ellipses.

• Take y = k. Then
z2 k2
x2 + 4 =1− 9 , y = k, (for − 3 < k < 3)

which is a family of ellipses.

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The equation is an ellipsoid since all of its traces are ellipses.
Example. Use traces to sketch the surface z = 4x2 + y 2 .
Solution.

• Take x = 0, we obtain z = y 2 , so the trace on yz-plane is a parabola. In general, take x = k (constant), we

obtain z = y 2 + 4k 2 which is a family of parabolas all facing upwards.
• Take y = k, we obtain z = 4x2 + k 2 , which again is a family of parabolas all facing upwards.

• Take z = k, we obtain the horizontal traces 4x2 + y 2 = k, which is a family of ellipses as horizontal contour
lines of the graph.

Because of the elliptical and parabolic traces, the quadric surface is called an elliptical paraboloid .
Example. Sketch the surface z = y 2 − x2 .
Solution.

• The traces in the vertical planes x = k are parabolas z = y 2 − k 2 , which open upward.
• The traces in y = k are parabolas z = −x2 + k 2 , which open downwards.
• The horizontal traces are y 2 − x2 = k , a family of hyperbolas.

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When we fit together the traces, we obtain the surface z = y 2 − x2 which is a hyperbolic paraboloid . Notice that
the shape of the surface near the origin resembles that of a saddle.

x2 k2
Example. Sketch the surface 4 + y2 = 1 + 4 , z = k.
Solution.
• The trace in any horizontal plane z = k is an ellipse
x2 k2
+ y 2 = 1 + , z = k.
4 4

• Take x = 0. Then the trace on the yz-plane is a hyperbola

z2
y2 − = 1, x = 0.
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In general, for x = k, we obtain the family of hyperbolas
z2 k2
y2 − = 1 − , x = k.
4 4

• Take y = k. Then we obtain a family of hyperbolas

x2 z2
− = 1, y = 0.
4 4

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This surface is called a hyperboloid of one sheet.