Conic Sections Notes
Conic Sections Notes
Conic Sections Notes
PARABOLA
A Parabola is the set of all points in a plane that are equidistant from a fixed line and a fixed point (not on the
line) in the plane.
𝑦 2 = 4ax 𝑦 2 = -4ax
𝑥 2 = 4ay 𝑥 2 = -4ay
LATUS RECTUM
Latus Rectum of a parabola is a line segment perpendicular to the axis of the parabola, through the focus
and whose end points lie on the parabola
Length of latus Rectum = 4a
ELLIPSE
An ellipse is the set of all points in a plane, the sum of whose distances from two fixed points in the plane
is a constant.
𝒂𝟐 = 𝒃2 + 𝒄2
SPECIAL CASES OF AN ELLIPSE
1. When c = 0, both foci merge together with the centre of the ellipse and 𝑎2 = 𝑏 2 i.e. a = b, and so the ellipse
becomes circle.
2. When c = a then b = 0.Then ellipse reduces to the line segment 𝐹1 𝐹2 joining the two foci.
ECCENTRICITY
The eccentricity of an ellipse is the ratio of the distances from the centre of the ellipse to one of the foci and to
𝑐
one of the vertices of the ellipse (eccentricity is denoted by e) i.e., e = 𝑎
𝑥2 𝑦2
+ 𝑏2 = 1
𝑎2
𝑥𝟐 𝑦2
+ =1
𝑏𝟐 𝑎2
LATUS RECTUM
Latus Rectum of an ellipse is a line segment perpendicular to the major axis through any of the foci and whose
end points lie on the ellipse.
2𝑏2
Length of the latus Rectum AB is 𝑎
HYPERBOLA
A hyperbola is the set of all points in a plane, the difference of whose distances from two fixed points in the
plane is constant.
• The two fixed points are called the foci of the hyperbola.
• The mid-point of the line segment joining the foci is called the centre of the hyperbola.
• The line through the foci is called the transverse axis and the line through the centre and perpendicular to
the transverse axis is called the conjugate axis.
• The point at which the hyperbola intersects the transverse axis are called the vertices of the hyperbola.
• The distance between two foci is 2c, the distance between two vertices ( the length of the transverse axis)
is 2a and we define the quantity b as
b = √𝑐 2 − 𝑎2
• The length of the conjugate axis is 2b.
ECCENTRICITY
𝑐
Just like an ellipse, the ratio e = 𝑎 is called the eccentricity of the hyperbola. Since c≥a, the eccentricity is
never less than one. In terms of the eccentricity, the foci are at a distance of ae from the centre.
STANDARD EQUATION OF HYPERBOLA
𝑥2 𝑦2
- =1
𝑎2 𝑏2
𝑦2 𝑥2
- 𝑏2 = 1
𝑎2
LATUS RECTUM
Latus Rectum of hyperbola is the line segment perpendicular to transverse axis through any of the foci and
whose end points lie on hyperbola.
2𝑏2
Length of the latus Rectum is 𝑎