MA 154 Lesson 29 Delworth

Section 11.3 Hyperbolas

A hyperbola is the set of all points in a plane, the difference of whose istances fro!
two fi"e points #the foci$ in the plane is a positi%e constant.
&he !ipoint of the two foci is the center of the hyperbola. &he foci are c 'nits fro! the
center.
&he points where the hyperbola intersects the line (oinin) the foci are the vertices. &he
%ertices are a 'nits fro! the center.
There are two axes:
1$ &he line se)!ent *+* is the transverse axis. &he foci lie beyon the enpoints
of the trans%erse a"is.
2$ &he )raph oes not cross the other a"is, the conjugate axis. ,ts enpoints, -
an -+, are not points on the hyperbola, howe%er, are %ery i!portant in creatin)
an a'"iliary rectan)le that assists in s.etchin) the )raph.
Stanar /0'ation of an Hyperbola with 1enter at the 2ri)in3

x
2
a
2

y
2
b
2
=1 or
y
2
a
2

x
2
b
2
=1
Where a > b or b > a or a = b
The length of the transverse axis is 2a
The length of the conjugate axis is 2b
The foci are a distance c from the origin, where c
2
= a
2
+ b
2
&he lines

y =
b
a
x or

y =
a
b
x are the asymptotes for the hyperbola. &hese
asy!ptotes ser%e as e"cellent )'ies for s.etchin) the )raph.
For a hyperbola with a horizontal transverse axis:

x
2
a
2

y
2
b
2
=1

y =
b
a
x is the asy!ptotes for the hyperbola.
For a hyperbola with a vertical transverse axis:

y
2
a
2

x
2
b
2
=1

y =
a
b
x is the asy!ptotes for the hyperbola.
4e!e!ber slope 5

y
x
A con%enient way to s.etch the asy!ptotes is to raw an a'"iliary rectan)le 'sin) *+*
an -+- as the corners of the rectan)le. /"ten the two ia)onals of the rectan)le to the
e)es of the )raph. &he hyperbola is then s.etche, thro')h the %ertices, 'sin) the
asy!ptotes as )'ies. &he two parts that !a.e 'p the hyperbola are calle the ri)ht
branch an the left branch of the hyperbola or the 'pper branch an lower branch.
1
MA 154 Lesson 29 Delworth
Section 11.3 Hyperbolas
6in the %ertices, the foci, the enpoints of the con(')ate a"is, an the e0'ations of the
asy!ptotes of the hyperbola. S.etch its )raph, showin) the asy!ptotes an the foci.

y
2
49

x
2
16
=1

x
2
4

y
2
25
=1

4y
2
x
2
= 4

(x 2)
2
16

(y + 3)
2
25
=1
2
MA 154 Lesson 29 Delworth
Section 11.3 Hyperbolas

4y
2
x
2
+ 40y 4x + 60 = 0
6in an e0'ation for the hyperbola.
*#7, 84$, 6#7, 89$ *#:2, :2$ *+#:2, 4$
6#:2, ;$ 6+#:2, :5$
3
MA 154 Lesson 29 Delworth
Section 11.3 Hyperbolas
6in an e0'ation for the hyperbola that has its center at the origin an satisfies the )i%en
conitions.
6oc's 6#85, 7$ 6oc's 6#7, 84$
*erte" *#82, 7$ *erte" *#7, 83$
*erte" *#7, 89$ *erte" *#84, 7$
<assin) thro')h <#3, 9$ Asy!ptotes

y =
3
2
x
4
MA 154 Lesson 29 Delworth
Section 11.3 Hyperbolas
y:intercepts 8; Hori=ontal trans%erse a"is of len)th
1>
Asy!ptotes

y = 4 x
1on(')ate a"is of len)th 27
5