Pre-Calculus

Conic Sections:

Parabola:

Eccentricity =1

Distance from a point to a fixed point/focus is equal to the distance of the same point to a fixed
line/directrix
𝑑1
𝑒=
𝑑2

parabola
directrix

focus

Axis of symmetry
Latus rectum

vertex

𝑆𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦

Left and Right Up and Down

Vertex (h,k) (h,k)
2 2
Equation (𝑦 − 𝑘) = ±4𝑐(𝑥 − ℎ) (𝑥 − ℎ) = ±4𝑐(𝑦 − 𝑘)
Positive 4c is right, -4c is left Positive 4c is up, -4c is down
Focus (h+c,k) (h, k+c)
Principal axis/axis of symmetry y=k x=h
directrix x=h-c y=k-c
Opening C=right C=upward
-c= left -c=downward
Ellipse

-locus of all points in the plane whose distances from the two fixed points/foci is a constant 2a

-vertices “a” is always greater than the minor axes “b”

𝑎2 = 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 2
a= distance from center to vertex

b=distance from center to minor axes

c=distance from center to focus

Minor axes
Vertices/major axes

ellipse
foci center

Horizontal Vertical
Standard form (𝑥 − ℎ)2 (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 (𝑥 − ℎ)2
+ =1 + =1
𝑎2 𝑏2 𝑎2 𝑏2
foci (h+c, k) (h, k+c)
(h-c, k) (h, k-c)
Major axes/vertices (h+a, k) (h, k+a)
(h-a, k) (h, k-a)
Minor axes (h, k+b) (h+b, k)
(h, k-b) (h-b, k)
Hyperbola

-locus of all points in the plane in which the absolute difference of whose distances from two points/foci
is a constant/2a.

-has asymptotes as a guide in the arcs of hyperbola

- “c” is always greater than a

𝑏 2 = 𝑐 2 − 𝑎2

center
Hyperbola
foci

Vertices/major axes Minor axes

asymptote

Horizontal Vertical
Equation (𝑥 − ℎ)2 (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 (𝑥 − ℎ)2
− =1 − =1
𝑎2 𝑏2 𝑎2 𝑏2
Foci (h+c, k) (h, k+c)
(h-c, k) (h, k-c)
Vertex/major axes (h+a, k) (h, k+a)
(h-a, k) (h, k-a)
Endpoints of Conjugate Axes (h, k+b) (h+b, k)
(h, k-b) (h-b, k)
Equation of asymptote 𝑏 𝑎
y=± (𝑥 − ℎ) + 𝑘 𝑦 = ± (𝑥 − ℎ) + 𝑘
𝑎 𝑏
Quadratic and Linear Systems

-Intersection of a Conic Section and a Line

Case I. The system has no solution if they did not intersect

Case II. One solution if they intersect at exactly one point

Case III. Two solutions if they intersect at exactly two points

Quadratic and Quadratic System

-Intersection of two conic sections

Case I- No Solution

Case II- One Solution

Case III- Two Solutions

Case IV- Three Solutions

Case V- Four Solutions

3-methods

1. Graphing
2. Substitution
3. Elimination