Parts of a Double-Right Circular Cone

1. Circular Base - base of the cone

2. Axis - line that remains fixed, perpendicular from the center of the base to the
vertex
3. Generator - line that intersects the axis to form two cones
4. Vertex - point at which the axis and generator intersects; connects the two right
circular cones
5. Upper & Lower Nappe - lateral surface of the cones
6. Directrix - perimeter of the base of the cone
7. Vertex Angle (a) - angle formed by the vertical axis and generator

Conic Sections
- Formed when a plane cuts through a double-right circular cone

1. Ellipse - formed when the angle formed by the cutting plane and the vertical
axis is greater than the vertex angle
b (plane & axis) > a (vertex angle)
Circle - special type of ellipse which is formed when the plane cuts through
one of the cones at an angle perpendicular to the vertical axis
2. Parabola - formed when the angle formed by the cutting plane and the
vertical axis is equal to the vertex angle
b (plane & axis) = a (vertex angle)
3. Hyperbola - formed when the angle formed by the cutting plane and the
vertical axis is less than the vertex angle; cuts through both cones
b (plane & axis) < a (vertex angle)

Degenerate Conic Sections

- Formed when the plane passes through the vertex
1. Ellipse becomes a point
2. Parabola becomes a line
3. Hyperbola becomes two intersecting lines

Standard Form of an Equation of a Circle

Circle - formed by all points equidistant to a center
Standard form: (x-h)2 + (y-k)2 = r2
Center (h, k)

General Form of an Equation of a Circle

General form: Ax2 + By2 + Dx + Ey + F = 0
Center (-D/2, -E/2)

Converting General to Standard

Example:

x2 + y2 + 2x - 6y - 15 = 0
x2 + 2x + y2 - 6y = 15
(x2 + 2x + 1) + (y2 - 6y + 9 ) = 15 + 1 + 9
(x + 1)2 + (y - 3)2 = 25
Center (-1,3)
r=5

Converting Standard to General

Example:

a. (x + 5)2 + (y - 3)2 = 49
(x2 + 10x + 25) + (y2 - 6y + 9) = 49
x2 + 10x + y2 - 6y = 49 - (25 + 9)
x2 + 10x + y2 - 6y = 49 - 34
x2 + 10x + y2 - 6y = 15
x2 + 10x + y2 - 6y - 15 = 0

Solving for standard form given center, radius and/or point of tangency
Example:

C: (-4,3) r=√5
(x-h)2 + (y-k)2 = r2
(x+4)2 + (y-3)2 = (√5)2
(x+4)2 + (y-3)2 = 5

Standard Form of an Equation of a Parabola

Parabola - unbounded curve; set of all points in the plane equidistant from a fixed line
(directrix) and a fixed point (focus)

Vertex - lowest or highest value in a parabola

Focus - fixed point
Directrix - fixed line
Latus rectum - chord in a parabola passing through the focus
Axis of symmetry - line which cuts through the middle of the parabola to create a
mirror image of one another; passes through vertex and focus
a - distance of vertex to focus or vertex to directrix
4a - length of LR

Opening Vertex @ (0, 0) Vertex @ (h, k)

Upwards x2 = 4ay (x - h)2 = 4a(y - k)

Downwards x2 = -4ay (x - h)2 = -4a(y - k)

To the right y2 = 4ax (y - k)2 = 4a(x - h)

To the left y2 = -4ax (y - k)2 = -4a(x - h)

Parabola with Vertex @ (0, 0)

Opening: Upwards
V (0, 0)
F (0, a)
Eqn of directrix: y = -a
Ends of LR: (±2a, a)
Axis of symmetry: x = 0 or y-axis

Opening: Downwards
V (0, 0)
F (0, -a)
Eqn of directrix: y = a
Ends of LR: (±2a, -a)
Axis of symmetry: x = 0 or y-axis

Opening: To the right

V (0, 0)
F (a, 0)
Eqn of directrix: x = -a
Ends of LR: (a, ±2a)
Axis of symmetry: y = 0 or x-axis

Opening: To the left

V (0, 0)
F (-a, 0)
Eqn of directrix: x = a
Ends of LR: (-a, ±2a)
Axis of symmetry: y = 0 or x-axis

Parabola with Vertex @ (h, k)

Opening: Upwards
V (h, k)
F (h, k+a)
Eqn of directrix: y = k-a
Ends of LR: (h+2a, k+a), (h-2a, k+a)
Axis of symmetry: x = h

Opening: Downwards
V (h, k)
F (h, k-a)
Eqn of directrix: y = k+a
Ends of LR: (h+2a, k-a), (h-2a, k-a)
Axis of symmetry: x = h

Opening: To the right

V (h, k)
F (h+a, k)
Eqn of directrix: x = h-a
Ends of LR: (h+a, k+2a), (h+a, k-2a)
Axis of symmetry: y = k

Opening: To the left

V (h, k)
F (h-a, k)
Eqn of directrix: x = h+a
Ends of LR: (h-a, k+2a), (h-a, k-2a)
Axis of symmetry: y = k

Standard Form of an Equation of an Ellipse

Ellipse - set of points in a plane whose sum of the distances from the two fixed points
is a constant.

Center (0,0)
2 2 2 2
𝑥 𝑦 𝑥 𝑦
Horizontal: 2 + 2 =1 Vertical: 2 + 2 =1
𝑎 𝑏 𝑏 𝑎
 Orientation Equation Center (0,0) Center (h,k)

Horizontal (𝑥−ℎ)
2
(𝑦−𝑘)
2
C (0,0) C (h,k)
2 + 2 = 1 F1F2 (±c,0) F1F2 (h±c,k)
𝑎 𝑏
V1V2 (±a,0) V1V2 (h±a,k)
W1W2 (0,±b) W1W2 (h,k±b)

Vertical (𝑥−ℎ)
2
(𝑦−𝑘)
2
C (0,0) C (h,k)
2 + 2 = 1 F1F2 (0,±c) F1F2 (h,k±c)
𝑏 𝑎
V1V2 (0,±a) V1V2 (h,k±a)
W1W2 (±b,0) W1W2 (h±b,k)

Standard Form of an Equatin of a Hyperbola

Hyperbola - set of points in a plane whose difference of the distances from the two
fixed points is a constant

Center - the midpoint of the line segment between the two foci
Foci - the two fixed points, F1F2 whose differences from a single point on the
hyperbola is a constant (c)
Transverse Axis - 2a; the line that contains the foci and goes through the center of the
hyperbola
Vertices - the two points of intersection of the hyperbola and the transverse axis, 𝑉1
𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑉2
Conjugate Axis - the line that is perpendicular to the transverse axis and goes through
the center of the hyperbola
Ends of Conjugate Axis - W1W2, each endpoint to the focus is b units long
Asymptotes - two lines passing through the center but never touches the hyperbola
Auxilliary Rectangle - has sides 2a & 2b intersecting at the center

Center @ (
Orientation Equation

Horizontal 2
𝑥 𝑦
2

2 − 2 =1
𝑎 𝑏

Vertical 𝑦
2 2
𝑥
2 − 2 =1
𝑎 𝑏
Parabola
Opening Vertex Equation Focus Ends of Equation Axis of
Latus of Symmetry
Rectum Directrix

Right (0, 0) y² = 4ax (a, 0) (a, ±2a) x = -a y=0

(h, k) (y - k)² = 4a(x - h) (h+a, k) (h+a, k±2a) x = h-a y=k

Left (0, 0) y² = -4ax (-a, 0) (-a, ±2a) x=a y=0

(h, k) (y - k)² = -4a(x - h) (h-a, k) (h-a, k±2a) x = h+a y=k

Upward (0, 0) x² = 4ay (0, a) (±2a, a) y = -a x=0

(h, k) (x - h)² = 4a(y - k) (h, k+a) (h±2a, k+a) y = k-a x=h

Downward (0, 0) x² = -4ay (0, -a) (±2a, -a) y=a x = 0.

(h, k) (x - h)² = -4a(y - k) (h, k-a) (h±2a, k-a) y = k+a x=h

Ellipse
Orientation Center Vertices Foci Co-vertices Equation

Horizontal (0,0) (±a,0) (±c,0) (0,±b) 2

𝑥 𝑦
2

2 + 2 =1
𝑎 𝑏

(h,k) (h ± a, k) (h ± c, k) (h ± b, k) (𝑥−ℎ)
2
(𝑦−𝑘)
2

2 + 2 =1
𝑎 𝑏

Vertical (0,0) (0,±a) (0,±c) (±b, 0) 2

𝑥 𝑦
2

2 + 2 =1
𝑏 𝑎

(h,k) (h, k ± a) (h, k ± c) (h ± b, k) (𝑥−ℎ)

2
(𝑦−𝑘)
2

2 + 2 =1
𝑏 𝑎

Hyperbola
Orientation Center Equation Vertices Foci Co-vertices Ends of Asymptotes
Auxiliary
Rectangle

Horizontal (0,0) 𝑥
2
𝑦
2
(±a,0) (±c,0) (0,±b) (a, ±b), 𝑦=±
𝑏
𝑥
2 − 2 =1 𝑎
𝑎 𝑏 (-a, ±b)

(h,k) (𝑥−ℎ)
2
(𝑦−𝑘)
2
(h ± a, k) (h ± c, k) (h ± b, k) (h+a, 𝑦−𝑘=±
𝑏
(𝑥 − ℎ)
2 − 2 =1 𝑎
𝑎 𝑏 k±b), (h-a,
k±b)

Vertical (0,0) 𝑦
2 2
𝑥 (0,±a) (0,±c) (±b, 0) (b, ±a), 𝑦=±
𝑎
𝑥
2 − 2 =1 𝑏
𝑎 𝑏 (-b, ±a)

(h,k) (𝑦−𝑘)
2
(𝑥−ℎ)
2
(h, k ± a) (h, k ± c) (h ± b, k) (h+b, k±a), 𝑦−𝑘=±
𝑎
(𝑥 − ℎ)
2 − 2 =1 𝑏
𝑎 𝑏 (h-b, k±a)