Conic Sections

Parabola
y

d1 = d2 (x,y)

Parabola: The set of all points in a plane equidistant from a fixed point (focus) and a line (directrix)
You can identify a parabola from the general form of a conic section because only one variable will be squared and the other variable will be linear.

focus
p

d1 d2
x

vertex y=-p

directrix

x 2 4 py

Ellipse
y

d1 + d2 = 2a b

Ellipse: The set of all points in a plane such that the sum of the distances from two fixed points (foci) is constant.
That constant is the length of the major axis. In the general form of a conic section, the squared terms will be the same sign. A circle is a special case of the ellipse that occurs when the coefficients on the squared terms are the same.

-a

-c d1 (x,y) -b d2

vertex

focus

a x

Hyperbola
y

x2 y2 1 x 2 y 2
Hyperbola: The set of all points in a plane such that the difference of the distances from two fixed points (foci) is constant.
That constant is the length of the transverse axis. In the general form of a conic section, the squared terms will have different signs.

|d1 - d2| = 2a

-c

b vertex c focus -a a d x 2 d1 (x,y) -b

x2 y2 2 1 2 x y

Conic Sections
Parabola
axis of symmetry

y
vertex focus

(h,k) p x -p
directrix

axis of symmetry

focus

vertex

(h,k)

-p directrix

( x h)2 4 p( y k )
Ellipse
y

( y k )2 4 p( x h)

The starting point is the vertex. There is an axis (of symmetry) which contain the focus and the vertex and is perpendicular to the directrix. Move p units along the axis of symmetry from the vertex to the focus. Move -p units along the axis of symmetry from the vertex to the directrix (which is a line). The focus is within the curve.

endpoint of minor axis a vertex

focus c (h,k)

focus c endpoint of (h,k) minor axis b a vertex

x

The center is the starting point. The major axis contains the foci and vertices. Major axis length = 2a Minor axis length = 2b Distance between foci = 2c The foci are within the curve. Since the vertices are the furthest away from the center, the pythagorean relationship is ...

( x h )2 ( y k )2 1 2 2 a b
Hyperbola
y

( y k )2 ( x h )2 1 2 2 a b
y

a2 b2 c2

(h,k) a vertex

endpoint of conjugate axis

endpoint of conjugate axis b focus vertex c (h,k) a

focus c

The center is the starting point. The transverse axis contains the foci and vertices. Transverse axis length = 2a Conjugate axis length = 2b Distance between foci = 2c The foci are within the curve. Since the foci are the furthest away from the center, the pythagorean relationship is ...

( x h )2 ( y k )2 1 2 2 a b

( y k )2 ( x h )2 1 2 2 a b

c2 a2 b2

The equations of the asymptotes are

y k y x h
x