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Introduction To Conic Sections A
Introduction To Conic Sections A
Standard Equation: ( x h) ( y k ) r
2 2 2
-h
-k r²
Center: (h , k ) ( 2, 8)
Radius: r 9
Example 2
x ( y 1) 1
2 2
Center ?
Radius ?
The Ellipse
• Tilt a glass of water
and the surface of
the liquid acquires
an elliptical outline.
• Salami is often cut
obliquely to obtain
elliptical slices
which are larger.
• The early Greek astronomers thought that the
planets moved in circular orbits about an
unmoving earth, since the circle is the simplest
mathematical curve.
• In the 17th century, Johannes Kepler eventually
discovered that each planet travels around the
sun in an elliptical orbit with the sun at one of its
foci.
• On a far smaller
scale, the electrons of
an atom move in an
approximately
elliptical orbit with the
nucleus at one focus.
• Any cylinder sliced
on an angle will
reveal an ellipse in
cross-section
• (as seen in the
Tycho Brahe
Planetarium in
Copenhagen).
• The ellipse has an important property that
is used in the reflection of light and sound
waves.
• Any light or signal that starts at one focus
will be reflected to the other focus.
• The principle is also
used in the
construction of
"whispering galleries"
such as in St. Paul's
Cathedral in London.
• If a person whispers
near one focus, he can
be heard at the other
focus, although he
cannot be heard at
many places in
between.
• Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capital
building is elliptic.
• It was in this room that John
Quincy Adams, while a member
of the House of
Representatives, discovered this
acoustical phenomenon.
• He situated his desk at a focal
point of the elliptical ceiling,
easily eavesdropping on the
private conversations of other
House members located near
the other focal point.
• The ability of the ellipse to
rebound an object starting from
one focus to the other focus
can be demonstrated with an
elliptical pool table.
• When a ball is placed at one
focus and is thrust with a cue
stick, it will rebound to the other
focus.
• If the pool table is live enough,
the ball will continue passing
through each focus and
rebound to the other.
Ellipse
Basically an ellipse is a squished circle
( x h) ( y k)
2 2
1
Standard Equation:
2 2
a b
(h , k)
a
b
Center: (h , k)
a: major radius (horizontal), length from center to edge of circle
b: minor radius (vertical), length from center to top/bottom of circle
* You must square root the denominator
Example 3
This must
equal 1
( x 4) ( y 5)
2 2
1
25 4
a² 2
b
Center: (-4 , 5)
a: 5
b: 2
Parabola
vertex
vertex
We’ve talked about this before…
a U-shaped graph
Standard Equations:
( x h) 2 4 p( y k ) OR ( y k ) 2 4 p( x h)
12
What is the vertex? (-2 , 5) How does it open? opens
down
Example 5
5 x 125( y 2) 2
( x h) ( y k) ( y k) ( x h)
2 2 2 2
OR
2
2
1 2
2
1
a b a b
This equation opens left and right This equation opens up and down
Have I seen this before? Sort of…only now we have a minus sign in the middle
(h , k)
Center: (h , k)
Example 6
( x 4) ( y 5)
2 2
1
25 4
Center: (-4 , 5)
12
1
y 3 ( x 2) 2
8
( x 2) y 4
2 2
2 2
x y
1
25 9
( x 1) ( y 2)
2 2
1
4 16
( x 2) ( y 1) 49
2 2
( x 5) ( y 7) 1
2 2
y 6x
2
( y 1)
2
x 1
2
4
( y 4) ( x 5)
2 2
1
17 5