Subject Code: Math 5 Differential Calculus

Module Code: 1.0 Conic Sections

Lesson Code: 1.6.2 Applications (Session 2 of 2)
Time Frame: 30 minutes

Components Tasks TA ATA

(mins) (mins)
Navigate Let us now answer the following exercises 27

EXERCISE

1. Highway engineers design a parabolic curve for an

entrance ramp from a straight street to an interstate
highway (see figure). Find the equation of the parabola.
(Larson & Hostetler, p 742 Problem 64)

2. In Example 2, if the diameter of the dish is halved and the

depth stays the same, how far from the base of the smaller
dish should the receiver be placed?

3. A satellite is in an elliptical orbit around the earth with the

center of the earth at one focus, as shown in the figure at
the top of the right-hand column. The height of the satellite
above the earth varies between 140 mi and 440 mi. Assume
that the earth is a sphere with radius 3960 mi. Find an
equation for the path of the satellite with the origin at the
center of the earth. (Stewart, page 789, Problem 43)

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4. Halley’s comet has an elliptical orbit, with the sun at one
focus. The eccentricity of the orbit is approximately 0.967.
The length of the major axis of the orbit is approximately
35.88 astronomical units. [An astronomical unit is about 93
million miles.] (Larson & Hostetler, page 770, Problem 59
a/c).
a) Find an equation of the orbit. Place the center of the
orbit at the origin, and place the major axis on the -
axis.
b) Find the greatest (aphelion) and smallest (perihelion)
distances from the sun’s center to the comet’s center.

5. Find an equation for the ellipse that shares a vertex and a

focus with the parabola 𝑥 ! + 𝑦 = 100 and has its other
focus at the origin. (Stewart, page 788, Problem 40)

6. In the figure the LORAN (Long RAnge Navigation)

stations at A and B are 500 miles apart, the ship at P
receives station A’s signal 2640 microseconds (𝜇𝑠) before
it receives the signal from station B. (Stewart, p 749,
Problem 48)

a) Assuming that the radio signal travels at 980 ft/𝜇𝑠,

find 𝑑(𝑃, 𝐴) − 𝑑(𝑃, 𝐵).
b) Find an equation for the branch of the hyperbola
indicated in red in the figure (use miles a s the unit of
distance).

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Knot In summary 3

1. Conic sections are among the most important curves

because of their many real-world applications.

2. In solving word problems involving conic sections, it is

easier to work with conics whose center is at (0,0).

3. Try to setup the equation in standard form of the conic

then substitute values, if there are any, that may help
simplify the problem.

HOMEWORK/ADDITIONAL EXERCISE:
Write your answers on a sheet of paper and scan/take a picture of it
and send it to your teacher’s email address ________________.

1. A parabolic arch has a height of 16m and a width of 28m at

the base, If the vertex of the parabola is at the top of the
arch, at which height above the base is it 14m wide?

2. The arch of a bridge is in the shape of a semi ellipse

having a horizontal span of 40 meters and a height of 16
meters at its center. How high is the arch 9 meters to the
right or left of the center? (Leithold L. page A-37,
Problem 32)

3. A hyperbolic mirror (used in some telescopes) has the

property that a light ray directed at a focus will be reflected
to the other focus. The focus of a hyperbolic mirror (see
figure) has coordinates (24,0). Find the vertex of the mirror
if the mount at the top edge of the mirror has coordinates
(24,24). (Larson & Hostetler, page 762, Problem 43)

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References:
1. Abarico, J.M. (2013) THINK Framework. (Based on Ramos, E. G. and N. Apolinario. (n.d.)
Science LINKS Rex Bookstore, Inc.)
2. Larson, R. & Hostetler, R. (2007) Precalculus (7th ed.) Houghton Mifflin Company
3. Leithold, L. (1996) The calculus 7, (7th ed.) HarperCollins College Publishing

Prepared by: Orcene D. Cancino Reviewed by: Maricel D. Bata

Position: SST – V Position: SST – V
Campus: PSHS-CVC Campus: PSHS-CVC

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 ANSWER KEY
EXERCISE
1. 𝑦 ! = 640 𝑥
2. 𝑥 = 1.5, 𝑦 = 1 place the light source 0.5625 meters from the vertex
"! %!
3. !!" + %& =1
# $ #$
#$
"! %!
4. A) &!'.)* + !+.), = 1
B) Aphelion: 35.29 astronomical units; Perihelion 0.59 astronomical units
"! (%/*,.)0-)!
5. + =1
!- !-'!.-'-2&

"!
6. 𝑦 = 245 7!*0- + 1

Since the two Stations are 500 miles apart, then 2𝑐 = 500 and 𝑐 = 250
Note that 1 mile = 5280 ft.
Since the ship at P receives station A’s signal 2640 microseconds (𝜇𝑠) before it receives the signal
from station B and radio travels at 980 ft/𝜇𝑠, then 2𝑎 = 𝑑(𝑃, 𝐴) − 𝑑(𝑃, 𝐵) = 980 × 2640 =
2,587,200 𝑓𝑡.

!,-)0,!++
Note that 1 mile = 5280 ft. So 2𝑎 = -,!)+
= 490 → 𝑎 = 245

𝑏! = 250! − 245! = 2475

So the equation of the hyperbola is
𝑦! 𝑥!
− =1
60,025 2475
Since we want the red branch, we solve for 𝑦

𝑦 𝑥! 𝑥!
=C + 1 → 𝑦 = 245 C +1
245 2475 2475

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