Conic Sections

CONIC SECTIONS

Mathematics 73
Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics
 Parabola
Conic Sections
Circles

Introduction

Definition
A conic section or conic is a curve of intersection of a plane and
a double-napped cone.
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Introduction

If the plane passes through the vertex of the double-napped cone,

then the intersection is either a point, a pair of intersecting lines,
or a single line. All of these are called degenerate conic sections.
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Definition
A parabola is the set of all points in a plane equidistant from a
fixed point F (focus) and a fixed line D (directrix).
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Equation of a Parabola

• The line through the focus that is perpendicular to the

directrix is called the principal axis or the line of symmetry.
• The line segment parallel to the directrix that contains the
focus is called the latus rectum.
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Equation of a Parabola
Consider a horizontal parabola opening to the right whose vertex is
at V (0, 0).
Let p be the undirected distance from the vertex to focus F .
Let P(x, y ) be an arbitrary point on the parabola.
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Equation of a Parabola

A point P(x, y ) is on the parabola if and only if

distance of P to F = distance of P to D
 Parabola
Conic Sections
Circles

Equation of a Parabola

Equation of a Horizontal Parabola in Standard Position

y 2 = +4px
• principal axis: y = 0, the parabola either opens to the right
• vertex V (0, 0), focus F (p, 0), and directrix x = −p
• endpoints of latus rectum: (p, 2p) and (p, −2p)

y 2 = −4px
• principal axis: y = 0, the parabola either opens to the left
• vertex V (0, 0), focus F (−p, 0), and directrix x = p
• endpoints of latus rectum: (−p, 2p) and (−p, −2p)
 Parabola
Conic Sections
Circles

Equation of a Parabola

Standard Form of a Horizontal Parabola

(y − k)2 = +4p(x − h)
• principal axis: , the parabola opens
• vertex: , focus: , directrix:
• endpoints of latus rectum: and

(y − k)2 = −4p(x − h)
• principal axis: , the parabola opens
• vertex: , focus: , directrix:
• endpoints of latus rectum: and
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Standard Form of a Horizontal Parabola

(y − k)2 = 4p(x − h)
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Standard Form of a Horizontal Parabola

(y − k)2 = −4p(x − h)
 Parabola
Conic Sections
Circles

Equation of a Parabola

Standard Form of a Vertical Parabola

(x − h)2 = +4p(y − k)
• principal axis: , the parabola opens
• vertex: , focus: , directrix:
• endpoints of latus rectum: and

(x − h)2 = −4p(y − k)
• principal axis: , the parabola opens
• vertex: , focus: , directrix:
• endpoints of latus rectum: and
 Parabola
Conic Sections
Circles

Examples

Sketch the graph of

1 x 2 = −16y
2 x = y 2 + 10y + 21
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Examples

1 Sketch the graph of 4x 2 + 4x − 24y + 37 = 0 and

(y − 3)2 = 20(x − 2).
2 Determine the equation of the parabola whose axis is parallel
to the x-axis, V (−1, 7) and one end of its latus rectum at
− 15 3


,
4 2 .
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Circle

Definition
A circle is a set of points in a plane equidistant from a fixed point
called the center. The fixed distance is called the radius.
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Equation of a Circle

Let C (h, k) be the center of the circle with radius r .

An arbitrary point P(x, y ) is on the circle if and only if

distance of P from C = r

Standard Equation of a Circle (Center-radius Form)

If C (h, k) is the center of the circle with radius r , then an equation
of the circle is
(x − h)2 + (y − k)2 = r 2
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Examples

1 Sketch the graph of 3x 2 + 3y 2 − 12y + 12 = 27.

2 Find the equation of the circle through (−2, 1), (4, −3), and
(4, 7).
3 A circle is tangent to the line 5x − y = 3 at the point (2, 7),
and has its center on the line x + 2y = 19. Determine the
equation of the circle.