CONIC SECTIONS PART 2

(Ellipses and Hyperbolas)

The Ellipse
Definition (Ellipse)
An ellipse is the set of points in a plane whose distances from two fixed
points in the plane have a constant sum. The two fixed points are called the
foci of the ellipse.

Referring to the above diagram, if 𝑷(𝒙, 𝒚) is a point on the ellipse with

distances 𝒅𝟏 from 𝑭𝟏 and 𝒅𝟐 from 𝑭𝟐 and 𝑷′(𝒙′, 𝒚′) is another point on the
ellipse with distances 𝒅𝟏 ’ from 𝑭𝟏 and 𝒅𝟐 ’ from 𝑭𝟐 then 𝒅𝟏 + 𝒅𝟐 = 𝒅𝟏 ’ + 𝒅𝟐 ’.
The line through the foci of an ellipse is called the focal axis. The centre of the
ellipse is the point on the focal axis midway between the foci. The points
where the ellipse cuts the focal axis are the vertices of the ellipse. The focal
axis is also called the major axis , while the line passing through the centre
and perpendicular to the major axis is called the minor axis.
Examples
 Conic Sections Part 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas) Page 2

Ellipse Terminology
The distance from the centre
of the ellipse to the vertex 𝑎 𝑏
is called the semimajor axis
and is denoted by the
symbol 𝒂. The vertical distance
𝑐
from the centre to the ellipse is
called the semiminor axis and
is denoted by the symbol 𝒃. The distance from the centre to the focus is called the
centre-to-focus distance and is denoted by the symbol 𝒄. The relation between
these three symbols is given by the equation

𝒄= 𝒂𝟐 − 𝒃𝟐

Standard Equation of the Ellipse (major axis parallel to the 𝒙-axis)

The general equation for an ellipse with centre (𝒉, 𝒌) , semimajor axis 𝒂,
semiminor axis 𝒃 and with the major axis being parallel to the 𝒙-axis is given by
𝒙−𝒉 𝟐 𝒚−𝒌 𝟐
+ =𝟏
𝒂𝟐 𝒃𝟐

Note that the coordinates of the vertices are given by (𝒉 ± 𝒂, 𝒌) while the
coordinates of the foci are given by (𝒉 ± 𝒄, 𝒌) with 𝒄 = 𝒂𝟐 − 𝒃𝟐 .
 Conic Sections Part 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas) Page 3

Example 1
Find the coordinates of the centre, vertices and foci of the following ellipse and
then sketch its graph.
𝟒𝒙𝟐 − 𝟏𝟔𝒙 + 𝟗𝒚𝟐 + 𝟓𝟒𝒚 + 𝟔𝟏 = 𝟎
Solution
In order to bring the equation to the standard form of an ellipse, we need to
complete the square as follows:
𝟒(𝒙𝟐 −𝟒𝒙) + 𝟗(𝒚𝟐 +𝟔𝒚) = −𝟔𝟏
𝟒(𝒙𝟐 −𝟒𝒙 + 𝟐 𝟐 ) + 𝟗(𝒚𝟐 +𝟔𝒚 + 𝟑 𝟐 ) = −𝟔𝟏 + 𝟒(𝟒) + 𝟗(𝟗)
𝟒 𝒙 − 𝟐 𝟐 + 𝟗 𝒚 + 𝟑 𝟐 = 𝟑𝟔
𝒙−𝟐 𝟐 𝒚+𝟑 𝟐
+ =𝟏
𝟗 𝟒
𝒂 = 𝟗 = 𝟑, 𝒃 = 𝟒 = 𝟐, 𝒄 = 𝒂𝟐 − 𝒃𝟐 = 𝟗 − 𝟒 = 𝟐. 𝟐𝟑
Centre = 𝒉, 𝒌 = 𝟐, −𝟑
Vertices = 𝒉 ± 𝒂, 𝒌 = 𝟐 ± 𝟑, −𝟑 = 𝟓, −𝟑 𝐚𝐧𝐝 (−𝟏, −𝟑)
Foci = 𝒉 ± 𝒄, 𝒌 = 𝟐 ± 𝟐. 𝟐𝟑, −𝟑 = 𝟒. 𝟐𝟑, −𝟑 𝐚𝐧𝐝 (−𝟎. 𝟐𝟑, −𝟑)
 Conic Sections Part 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas) Page 4

Example 2
Find the equation of the ellipse whose graph is given below.

Solution
In order to find the equation, all we need are the coordinates of the centre
and the values of the semimajor and semiminor axes.
The centre of the ellipse is the origin, and hence 𝒉, 𝒌 = 𝟎, 𝟎 .
The semimajor axis is 𝒂 = 𝟒 because the vertices are (𝒉 ± 𝒂, 𝒌) =
𝟎 ± 𝟒, 𝟎 . The semiminor axis is 𝒃 = 𝟑.
The standard form of the ellipse is
𝒙−𝒉 𝟐 𝒚−𝒌 𝟐
+ =𝟏
𝒂𝟐 𝒃𝟐
And substituting the values obtained we have equation of the ellipse is thus
𝒙−𝟎 𝟐 𝒚−𝟎 𝟐
𝟐
+ 𝟐
=𝟏
𝟒 𝟑
𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟐
+ =𝟏
𝟏𝟔 𝟗

The general equation of an ellipse with centre at the origin is given by

𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟐
𝟐
+ 𝟐=𝟏
𝒂 𝒃
 Conic Sections Part 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas) Page 5

General Equation of the Ellipse (major axis parallel to the 𝒚-axis)

The general equation for an ellipse with centre (𝒉, 𝒌) , semimajor axis 𝒂, semiminor axis
𝒃 and with the major axis being parallel to the 𝒚-axis is given by
𝒙−𝒉 𝟐 𝒚−𝒌 𝟐
+ =𝟏
𝒃𝟐 𝒂𝟐

Note the position of the semimajor axis 𝒂 in the equation. The graph is a vertical ellipse
with the major axis parallel to the 𝒚-axis.

The coordinates of the vertices are given by (𝒉, 𝒌 ± 𝒂) while the coordinates of the foci
are given by (𝒉, 𝒌 ± 𝒄) with 𝒄 = 𝒂𝟐 − 𝒃𝟐 .
Example 3
Find the coordinates of the centre, vertices and foci of the following ellipse and then
sketch its graph.
𝟐𝒙𝟐 + 𝟒𝒙 + 𝒚𝟐 − 𝟐𝒚 − 𝟓 = 𝟎
Solution
We complete the square in the equation to bring it to standard form:
𝟐𝒙𝟐 + 𝟒𝒙 + 𝒚𝟐 − 𝟐𝒚 − 𝟏 = 𝟎
𝟐 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟏 𝟐 + (𝒚𝟐 − 𝟐𝒚 + 𝟏 𝟐 = 𝟏 + 𝟐 + 𝟏
𝟐 𝒙+𝟏 𝟐+ 𝒚−𝟏 𝟐 =𝟒
𝒙+𝟏 𝟐 𝒚−𝟏 𝟐
+ =𝟏
𝟐 𝟒
𝒂 = 𝟐, 𝒃 = 𝟐 = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟏, 𝒄 = 𝒂𝟐 − 𝒃𝟐 = 𝟒 − 𝟐 = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟏
Centre −𝟏, 𝟏 , Vertices (−𝟏, 𝟑) and −𝟏, −𝟏 , Foci (−𝟏, 𝟐. 𝟒𝟏) and −𝟏, −𝟎. 𝟒𝟏 .
Drawing of the graph is left as an exercise for you.
Conic Sections Part 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas) Page 6

The Hyperbola
Definition (Hyperbola)
A hyperbola is the set of points in a plane whose distances from two fixed
points in the plane have a constant difference. The two fixed points are called
the foci of the hyperbola.

Referring to the above diagram, if 𝑷(𝒙, 𝒚) is a point on the hyperbola with

distances 𝒅𝟏 from 𝑭𝟏 and 𝒅𝟐 from 𝑭𝟐 and 𝑷′(𝒙′, 𝒚′) is another point on the
hyperbola with distances 𝒅𝟏 ’ from 𝑭𝟏 and 𝒅𝟐 ’ from 𝑭𝟐 then
𝒅𝟏 − 𝒅𝟐 = 𝒅𝟏 ’ - 𝒅𝟐 ’.
The line through the foci of an hyperbola is called the focal axis. The centre of
the hyperbola is the point on the axis midway between the foci. The points
where the hyperbola cuts the focal axis are the vertices of the hyperbola.

The distance from the centre of the hyperbola to a focus point is denoted by
the symbol 𝒄, while the distance from the centre to a vertex is denoted by the
symbol 𝒂. The symbol 𝒃 is given to the distance 𝒄𝟐 − 𝒂𝟐 , from which we
have 𝒄 = 𝒂𝟐 + 𝒃𝟐 , the centre-to-focus distance.
 Conic Sections Part 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas) Page 7

Standard Equation of the Hyperbola (focal axis parallel to the 𝒙-axis)

The standard equation for a hyperbola with centre (𝒉, 𝒌) , centre-to- vertex
distance 𝒂 and centre-to-focus distance 𝒄 with the focal axis being parallel to
the 𝒙-axis is given by
𝒙−𝒉 𝟐 𝒚−𝒌 𝟐
− =𝟏
𝒂𝟐 𝒃𝟐

Note that this equation is almost identical to the equation of the ellipse,
except for the minus sign.
The coordinates of the vertices are given by (𝒉 ± 𝒂, 𝒌) while the coordinates
of the foci are given by (𝒉 ± 𝒄, 𝒌) with 𝒄 = 𝒂𝟐 + 𝒃𝟐 .
The hyperbola has two asymptotes as shown in the diagram below.

asymptotes

The equations for the asymptotes can be obtained by setting the left hand side
of the standard equation to zero.
𝒙−𝒉 𝟐 𝒚−𝒌 𝟐
− =𝟎
𝒂𝟐 𝒃𝟐

𝟐 𝒃𝟐 𝟐
𝒚−𝒌 = 𝒙−𝒉
𝒂𝟐
𝒃
𝒚−𝒌= ± 𝒙 − 𝒉 (Equations of asymptotes)
𝒂

Note that the asymptotes both intersect at the centre of the hyperbola.
 Conic Sections Part 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas) Page 8

Example 4
Determine the coordinates of the centre, vertices, and foci, and the
equations of the asymptotes for the graph given by
𝒙𝟐 − 𝒚𝟐 − 𝟒𝒙 + 𝟖𝒚 − 𝟐𝟏 = 𝟎
Also sketch the graph.
Solution
(𝒙𝟐 −𝟒𝒙 + 𝟐 𝟐 ) − (𝒚𝟐 − 𝟖𝒚 + 𝟒 𝟐 ) = 𝟐𝟏 + 𝟒 − 𝟏𝟔
𝒙−𝟐 𝟐− 𝒚−𝟒 𝟐 =𝟗
𝒙−𝟐 𝟐 𝒚−𝟒 𝟐
− =𝟏
𝟗 𝟗
This is a hyperbola with 𝒉 = 𝟐, 𝒌 = 𝟒, 𝒂 = 𝟑, 𝒃 = 𝟑 and 𝒄 = 𝒂𝟐 + 𝒃𝟐 =
𝟑𝟐 + 𝟑𝟐 = 𝟑 𝟐.
The coordinates are as follows:
Centre 𝟐, 𝟒
Vertices 𝟐 ± 𝟑, 𝟒 = (𝟓, 𝟒) and (−𝟏, 𝟒)
Foci 𝟐 ± 𝟑 𝟐, 𝟒 = (𝟓, 𝟒) and (−𝟏, 𝟒)
The asymptotes are
𝟑
𝒚 − 𝟒 = ± (𝒙 − 𝟐)
𝟑
𝒚 = 𝒙 + 𝟐 and 𝒚 = −𝒙 + 𝟔
 Conic Sections Part 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas) Page 9

Standard Equation of the Hyperbola (focal axis parallel to the 𝒚-axis)

The general equation for a hyperbola with centre (𝒉, 𝒌) , centre-to- vertex
distance a and centre-to-focus distance c with the focal axis being parallel to
the 𝒙-axis is given by
𝒚−𝒌 𝟐 𝒙−𝒉 𝟐
− =𝟏
𝒂𝟐 𝒃𝟐

Note that this equation is almost similar to the equation of the hyperbola with
focal axis parallel to the 𝒙-axis, except that the 𝒙 and 𝒚 variables have been
swopped around.

The coordinates of the vertices are given by (𝒉, 𝒌 ± 𝒂) while the coordinates
of the foci are given by (𝒉, 𝒌 ± 𝒄) with 𝒄 = 𝒂𝟐 + 𝒃𝟐 .
The hyperbola has two asymptotes as shown in the diagram above, both
intersecting at the centre. Their equations are found as follows:
𝒚−𝒌 𝟐 𝒙−𝒉 𝟐
− =𝟎
𝒂𝟐 𝒃𝟐
𝒂 𝟐
𝒚−𝒌 𝟐 = 𝟐 𝒙−𝒉 𝟐
𝒃
𝒂
𝒚−𝒌=± 𝒙 − 𝒉 (Equations of asymptotes)
𝒃
 Conic Sections Part 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas) Page 10

Example 5
A hyperbola has vertices (𝟎, ±𝟑) and passes through the point 𝟐, 𝟓 .
Determine the equation of the hyperbola. Also determine the foci and
asymptotes and then sketch the graph of the hyperbola.
Solution
Since the vertices lie on the focal axis, and its 𝒙-coordinate is 𝟎, the focal axis is
on the 𝒚-axis. Since the vertices are given by 𝒉, 𝒌 ± 𝒂 = (𝟎, ±𝟑), we can
conclude that 𝒉, 𝒌 = 𝟎, 𝟎 and that 𝒂 = 𝟑. The equation of the hyperbola
can thus be written as
𝒚−𝟎 𝟐 𝒙−𝟎 𝟐
𝟐
− 𝟐
=𝟏
𝟑 𝒃
𝟐
𝟗 𝟐
𝒚 − 𝟐𝒙 = 𝟗
𝒃
We can substitute the value 𝟐, 𝟓 to determine the value of 𝒃.
𝟗
𝟐𝟓 − 𝟐 𝟒 = 𝟗
𝒃
𝟐
𝟗
𝒃 =
𝟒
𝟑
𝒃 = = 𝟏. 𝟓 (note that 𝒃 is positive, since it is a distance).
𝟐

The equation of the hyperbola is then

𝒚𝟐 𝒙𝟐
− =𝟏
𝟗 𝟐. 𝟐𝟓
To determine the foci, we need to calculate 𝒄.
𝒄 = 𝟗 + 𝟐. 𝟐𝟓 = 𝟑. 𝟑𝟓
The coordinates of the foci are (𝟎, ±𝟑. 𝟑𝟓).
The asymptotes are given by
𝒂
𝒚 − 𝒌 = ± (𝒙 − 𝒉)
𝒃
𝟑
𝒚=± 𝒙
𝟏. 𝟓
𝒚 = 𝟐𝒙 and 𝒚 = −𝟐𝒙.
 Conic Sections Part 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas) Page 11

Summary

Self-Assessment Exercises
1. Determine the centre, vertices, foci and asymptotes (if any) of the
following conic sections:
(a) 𝟓𝒙𝟐 + 𝟗𝒚𝟐 − 𝟑𝟔𝒚 − 𝟑𝟎𝒙 + 𝟑𝟔 = 𝟎
(b) 𝟑𝒙𝟐 − 𝟒𝒚𝟐 + 𝟔𝒙 + 𝟏𝟔𝒚 − 𝟐𝟓 = 𝟎
(c) 𝟏𝟔𝒙𝟐 + 𝟗𝒚𝟐 − 𝟔𝟒𝒙 − 𝟓𝟒𝒚 + 𝟏 = 𝟎
(d) 𝟏𝟔𝒙𝟐 − 𝒚𝟐 − 𝟑𝟐𝒙 − 𝟔𝒚 − 𝟓𝟕 = 𝟎
2. Find the equation of the conic section, in standard form, whose major axis is
of length 𝟔 and whose foci have coordinates (𝟏, 𝟐) and 𝟓, 𝟐 . Sketch the
curve.
3. Find the equation of the conic section,
in standard form, whose graph is given
alongside. Write down the equations of
the asymptotes.