David Drew

Homepage for EMAT 6890

An Introduction and Exploration into the Conic Sections

 

          This webpage is a tool for the sole purpose of exploring the nature, ideas, and components of conic sections. After taking an introduction to conic sections taught by Dr. Andrew Iszak I’ve become fascinated with this area of mathematics. And through this exploration I hope to learn much more about conic sections in the actual world that we live in rather than the world on paper and inside equations. As a warning let me say that this is a work in progress and although it has some investigations on the conic sections it has not exhausted my curiosity by any means. I hope to keep adding to this after this semester (Spring 2004) is over. As of right now this webpage is a building block for teaching high school students the nature of conics. The ellipse is discussed and emphasized in great detail since I feel the most comfortable with its properties. There are lesson plans and there will be both assignments designed for the high school block schedule, and homework assignments that are challenging but enjoyable. The age and time frame for this exposition is for high school seniors in their last semester before they leave for college and the duration will be anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks depending on the student’s enthusiasm and time constraints.

 

 

An Introduction to Conic Sections

          I.       Conic Sections

          II.      History and Basic Properties

          III.     Algebra for the Ellipse

          IV.    Drawing the Ellipse

          V.      Elegant Proof of Ellipse

          VI.    The Ellipse in Nature