Conics Instructional Unit

 

Day 10  - Summary

 

by

 

Mandy Stein

 


 

Standard Equation of a Parabola

Standard equation of a parabola with its vertex at (h , k)

Horizontal Directrix

y = ( x – h)2

 

p > 0 opens up

p < 0 opens down

Focus: (h, k + p)

Directrix: y = kp

Axis of symmetry: x = h

 

Vertical Directrix

x - h = (y – k)2

 

p > 0 opens right

p < 0 opens left

Focus: (h + p, k)

Directrix: x = h - p

Axis of symmetry: y = k

 

 

 

 

 

Standard Equation of an Ellipse

Standard equation of an ellipse centered at (h , k)

 

Horizontal Major Axis

 +  = 1

 

Vertices: (ha, k) & (h + a, k)

Co-Vertices: (h, k + b) & (h, kb)

Foci: (hc, k) & (h + c, k)

Major axis = 2a

Minor axis = 2b

a2 > b2

a2 - b2 = c2

Vertical Major Axis

 +  = 1

 

Vertices: (h, ka) & (h, k + a)

Co-Vertices: (h b, k) & (h + b, k)

Foci: (h, k c) & (h, k + c)

Major axis = 2a

Minor axis = 2b

a2 > b2

a2 - b2 = c2

 

                                                          

 

 

 

Standard Equation of a Circle

With center (h , k)

(x – h) 2 + (y - k) 2 = r2

 

 

 

 

Standard Equation of a Hyperbola

Standard equation of an hyperbola centered at (h , k)

 

Horizontal Transverse Axis

 -  = 1

 

Vertices: (ha, k) & (h + a, k)

Co-Vertices: (h, k + b) & (h, kb)

Foci: (hc, k) & (h + c, k)

Slope of asymptote = + and -

Transverse axis = 2a

Conjugate axis = 2b

a2 + b2 = c2

Vertical Transverse Axis

 -  = 1

 

Vertices: (h, ka) & (h, k + a)

Co-Vertices: (h b, k) & (h + b, k)

Foci: (h, k c) & (h, k + c)

Slope of asymptote = + and -

Transverse axis = 2a

Conjugate axis = 2b

a2 + b2 = c2

 

 

 

Determining the different shapes by the equation:

Parabola: only the x or the y is squared, not both

Circle: x2 and y2 have the same coefficient with the same sign

Ellipse: x2 and y2 have difference coefficients with the same sign

Hyperbola: x2 and y2 have difference coefficients and different signs

 

Examples:

x2 + 2x + y2 + 6y = 15 would be a circle

4y2 – 8y – x2 – 4x – 4 = 0 would be a hyperbola

4x2 + 9y2 - 8x – 18y – 23 = 0 would be an ellipse

x2 – 8x + y = -2 would be a parabola

 


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