CONIC SECTION

1. In mathematics, a conic section (or just

conic) is a curve obtained by intersecting a
cone (more precisely, a right circular
conical surface) with a plane.
2. A conic is a set of points whose
distances from a fixed point (F) are in
constant ratio to their distances from a
fixed line (d) that is not passing through
the fixed point.
 3. It can be defined as the locus of
points whose distances are in a fixed
ratio to some point, called a focus, and
some line, called a directrix.

* A locus is a path formed by a

collection of points which satisfy one
or more given conditions.
The three conic sections that are created when
a double cone is intersected with a plane:
1) Parabola
2) Circle and ellipse
3) Hyperbola
 axis

generator generator

Upper
nappe

vertex

Lower
nappe

axis
Definition of terms
Generator of the cone – a line lying entirely on the
cone.
Vertex – the intersection of all generators of the cone.
Focus (F) – fixed point of the conic
Directrix (d) – fixed line corresponding to the focus.
Principal axis – the line that passes through the focus
and perpendicular to the directrix.
Eccentricity (e) – the constant ratio. If point P is one
of the points of the conic with point Q as its projection
on d , then the eccentricity is the ratio of the distance
FP to the distance QP, which is constant.
 d

If e =1, the conic is a

parabola
Q P

A F principal axis
a

If e <1, the conic is an

directrix
ellipse
If e >1, the conic is a
hyperbola
CIRCLES
A simple shape of Euclidean geometry
consisting of the set of points in a plane
equidistant from a given point called
center. The distance between any of the
points and the center is called the radius.
The locus of a point that moves on a plane
in such a way that its distance from a fixed
point is always constant.
y
P(x, y)
i us
d
ra

C(h, k)

x
O
Example
Example Problems: