Hyperbola

Conic Sections
 Hyperbola
• The plane can intersect two
nappes of the cone resulting in a
hyperbola.
 Hyperbola - Definition
A hyperbola is the set of all points in a plane such that the difference in the
distances from two points (foci) is constant.

| d1 – d2 | is a
constant value.
Finding An Equation

Hyperbola
 Hyperbola - Definition
What is the constant value for the difference in the distance from the two
foci? Let the two foci be (c, 0) and (-c, 0). The vertices are (a, 0) and
(-a, 0).

| d1 – d2 | is the constant.

If the length of d2 is subtracted from

the left side of d1, what is the length
which remains?

| d1 – d2 | = 2a
 Hyperbola - Equation
Find the equation by setting the difference in the distance from the two foci
equal to 2a.

| d1 – d2 | = 2a

d1  (x  c)2  y 2
d2  ( x  c)2  y 2
 Hyperbola - Equation
Simplify:

( x  c)2  y 2  (x  c)2  y 2  2a

Remove the absolute value by using + or -.

(x  c)2  y 2  (x  c)2  y 2  2a
Get one square root by itself and square both sides.
(x  c)2  y 2  ( x  c)2  y 2  2a

   
2 2
(x  c)  y
2 2
(x  c)  y
2 2
 2a

( x  c)2  y 2  ( x  c)2  y 2  4a ( x  c)2  y 2  4a 2

 Hyperbola - Equation
( x  c)2  y 2  ( x  c)2  y 2  4a ( x  c)2  y 2  4a 2

Subtract y2 and square the binomials.

x 2  2 xc  c 2  x 2  2 xc  c 2  4 a (x  c)2  y 2  4a 2

Solve for the square root and square both sides.

4 xc  4 a 2   4 a (x  c)2  y 2

xc  a 2   a (x  c)2  y 2

 
2
xc  a 
2
2
 a (x  c)  y
2 2
 Hyperbola - Equation
 
2
xc  a 
2
2
 a (x  c)  y
2 2

x 2 c 2  2 x c a 2  a 4  a 2 ( x  c ) 2  y 2 
Square the binomials and simplify.
x 2c 2  2 xca 2  a 4  a 2  x 2  2 xc  c 2  y 2 
x 2c 2  2 xca 2  a 4  a 2 x 2  2 xca 2  a 2c 2  a 2 y 2
x 2c 2  a 4  a 2 x 2  a 2c 2  a 2 y 2
Get x’s and y’s together on one side.
x 2c 2  a 2 x 2  a 2 y 2  a 2c 2  a 4
 Hyperbola - Equation
x 2c 2  a 2 x 2  a 2 y 2  a 2c 2  a 4
Factor.
x 2 c 2  a 2   a 2 y 2  a 2 c 2  a 2 
Divide both sides by a2(c2 – a2)
x 2 c 2  a 2  a2y2 a 2 c 2  a 2 

a 2 c 2  a 2  a 2 c 2  a 2  a 2 c 2  a 2 
x2 y2
 1
a 2
c 2  a 2 
 Hyperbola - Equation
x2 y2
 1
a 2
c 2  a 2 
Let b2 = c2 – a2
x2 y2
2
 2 1 where c2 = a2 + b2
a b
If the graph is shifted over h units and up k units, the
equation of the hyperbola is:
 Hyperbola - Equation

x  h y 
2 2
 k
2
 1 where c2 = a2 + b2
a b2
Recognition:
How do you tell a hyperbola from an ellipse?

Answer:
A hyperbola has a minus (-) between the terms while an
ellipse has a plus (+).
 HYPERBOLA TERMS
The “Butterfly” EQUATION ( x  h) 2 ( y  k ) 2
 1
FORM a2 b2
CENTER
Conjugate axis (h, k )
VERTICES
(h ± a , k)
Co-vertex
CO-VERTICES
(h, k ± b )
Vertex
TRANSVERSE
b AXIS horizontal
a
TRANSVERSE
length 2a
c
CONJUGATE
Transverse Vertex vertical
AXIS
axis
C=(h , k) CONJUGATE 2b
length
Co-vertex FOCI (h ± c , k)
b
ASYMPTOTES y   ( x  h)  k
c 2  a2  b 2 a
 HYPERBOLA TERMS
The “Hourglass”
EQUATION ( y  k ) 2 ( x  h) 2
 1
Transverse FORM a2 b2
axis CENTER
(h, k )
Vertex VERTICES
(h, k ± a )
CO-VERTICES
(h ± b, k)
C=(h , k)
Co-vertex TRANSVERSE
AXIS vertical
c
TRANSVERSE
length 2a
b a
CONJUGATE horizontal
Co-vertex
AXIS
Conjugate
axis CONJUGATE 2b
length
Vertex FOCI (h, k ± c )
a
ASYMPTOTES y   ( x  h)  k
c 2  a2  b 2 b
(x – h)2 – (y – k)2 = 1 (y – k)2 – (x – h)2 = 1
a2 b2 a2 b2

Horizontal Vertical
Hyperbola Hyperbola

The center of a hyperbola is at the point (h, k) in either form

For either hyperbola, c2 = a2 + b2

Where c is the distance from the center to a focus point.

The equations of the asymptotes are

±b
y= (x – h) + k and y = ±a (x – h) + k
a b
Graph - Example #1
Hyperbola
 Hyperbola - Graph
Graph:

x  1 y  2
2 2

 1
9 16
Center: (-1, -2)

The hyperbola opens in the “x”

direction because “x” is positive.

Transverse Axis: y = -2
 Hyperbola - Graph
Graph:

x  1 y  2
2 2

 1
9 16
Vertices (2, -2) (-4, -2)

Construct a rectangle by moving 4

units up and down from the
vertices.
Construct the diagonals of the
rectangle.
 Hyperbola - Graph
Graph:

x  1 y  2
2 2

 1
9 16
Draw the hyperbola touching the
vertices and approaching the
asymptotes.

Where are the foci?

 Hyperbola - Graph
Graph:
x  1 y  2
2 2

 1
9 16
c2  a2  b2
c2  9  16
c2  25
c  5

The foci are 5 units from the center on

the transverse axis.
Foci: (-6, -2) (4, -2)
 Hyperbola - Graph
Graph:
x  1 y  2
2 2

 1
9 16
Find the equation of the asymptote lines.
4

Use point-slope form 3

y – y1 = m(x – x1) -4
since the center is on both lines.

Slope = 4

3
Asymptote Equations y  2   4
3  x  1
Graph - Example #2
Hyperbola
 Hyperbola - Graph
Sketch the graph without a grapher:

10 y 2  5 x2  40 y  10 x  15  0
Recognition:
How do you determine the type of conic section?

Answer:
The squared terms have opposite signs.

Write the equation in hyperbolic form.

 Hyperbola - Graph
Sketch the graph without a grapher:

10 y 2  5 x2  40 y  10 x  15  0
10 y 2  40 y  5 x2  10 x  15
1 0  y 2  4 y  ??   5  x 2  2 x  ??   1 5

10  y 2  4 y  4   5  x 2  2 x  1  15  40  5
10  y  2   5  x  1  50
2 2

10  y  2  5  x  1
2 2
50
 
50 50 50
 Hyperbola - Graph
Sketch the graph
without a grapher:

y  2  x  1
2 2

 1
5 10
Center: (-1, 2)

Transverse Axis Direction:

Up/Down
Equation:
x=-1
Vertices:
Up/Down 5 from the center or   1, 2  5 
 Hyperbola - Graph
Sketch the graph
without a grapher:

y  2  x  1
2 2

 1
5 10
Plot the rectangular points and
draw the asymptotes.

Sketch the hyperbola.

 Hyperbola - Graph
Sketch the graph
without a grapher:

y  2  x  1
2 2

 1
5 10
Plot the foci.
c2  a2  b2
c2  10  5
c2  15
c   15

Foci:   1, 2  15 
 Hyperbola - Graph
Sketch the graph
without a grapher:

y  2  x  1
2 2

 1
5 10
Equation of the asymptotes:
5
y  2    x  1
10

2
y  2    x  1
2
Graph: x2 – y2 = 1
4 9

Center: (0, 0)
The x-term comes first in the subtraction so
this is a horizontal hyperbola

From the center locate the points that are two

spaces to the right and two spaces to the left

From the center locate the points that are up

three spaces and down three spaces

Draw a dotted rectangle through the four

points you have found.
Draw the asymptotes as dotted lines that
pass diagonally through the rectangle. c2 = 9 + 4 = 13
Draw the hyperbola. c = 13 = 3.61

Vertices: (2, 0) and (-2, 0) Foci: (3.61, 0) and (-3.61, 0)

 Graph: (x + 2)2 – (y – 1)2 = 1
9 25

Horizontal hyperbola
Center: (-2, 1)

Vertices: (-5, 1) and (1, 1)

c2 = 9 + 25 = 34
c = 34 = 5.83

Foci: (-7.83, 1) and (3.83, 1)

5
Asymptotes: y = (x + 2) + 1
3
-5
y = (x + 2) + 1
3
Graph: 9y2 – 4x2 – 18y + 24x – 63 = 0
9(y2 – 2y + ___)
1 – 4(x2 – 6x + ___)
9 = 63 + ___
9 – ___
36

9(y – 1)2 – 4(x – 3)2 = 36

(y – 1)2 – (x – 3)2 = 1
4 9

The hyperbola is vertical

Center: (3, 1)
c2 = 9 + 4 = 13
c = 13 = 3.61

Foci: (3, 4.61) and (3, -2.61)

2
Asymptotes: y = (x – 3) + 1
3
-2
y = (x – 3) + 1
3
Find the standard form of the
equation of a hyperbola given:
Foci: (-7, 0) and (7, 0)
Vertices: (-5, 0) and (5, 0) 8

Horizontal hyperbola
Center: (0, 0)

a2 = 25 and c2 = 49 F V C V F 10

c2 = a2 + b2
49 = 25 + b2
b2 = 24
(x – h)2 – (y – k)2 = 1
a2 b2
x2 y2
– = 1
25 24
Find the standard form equation of the
hyperbola that is graphed at the right

Vertical hyperbola

(y – k)2 – (x – h)2 = 1
b2 a2

Center: (-1, -2)

a = 3 and b = 5

(y + 2)2 – (x + 1)2 = 1
25 9
Finding an equation of the hyperbola with center at the origin, one
focus at (3, 0), and one vertex at ( 2, 0). Graph the equation.
Distance from center to focus is c = 3
Distance from center to vertex is a = 2.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall.

Center:  0, 0 
Vertices:  4, 0  ,  4, 0 
Foci:  2 5, 0 

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall.

 Center:  0, 0 
Vertices:  0, 2  ,  0, 2 
Foci:  0,  5 

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall.

Find an equation of the hyperbola having one vertex at (0, 2) and
foci at (0, 3) and (0, 3). Graph the equation.
Looking at the points given we see that the center is at (0,0)
and the transverse axis is along the y-axis.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall.

 An explosion is recorded by two microphones that are two
miles apart. M1 received the sound 4 seconds before M2.
assuming that sound travels at 1100 ft/sec, determine the
possible locations of the explosion relative to the locations
of the microphones.
E(x,y) Let us begin by establishing a coordinate system
with the origin midway between the microphones
d2 d1
Since the sound reached M2 4 seconds after it
M2 M1 reached M1, the difference in the distances from
the explosion to the two microphones must be
(-5280, 0) (5280, 0) 1100(4) = 4400 ft wherever E is

This fits the definition of an hyperbola with foci at M1 and M2

x2 y2
– = 1 Since d2 – d1 = transverse axis, a = 2200
a2 b2
c2 = a2 + b2
52802 = 22002 + b2
The explosion must by on the
hyperbola b2 = 23,038,400
x2 y2
– = 1
4,840,000 23,038,400