‭Algebra II Honors - Conics - 2023-2024 - Page‬‭1‬

‭Conic Sections‬

-‭ ‬ ‭ ircles‬
C
‭-‬ ‭Ellipses‬
‭-‬ ‭Parabolas‬
‭-‬ ‭Hyperbolas‬

‭ his chapter is not found in the textbook. PDFs of a supplemental textbook can be found on‬
T
‭Schoology that will function as our official text for this chapter. Homework will be from the‬
‭supplemental resource (S4.3 and S4.4 represent PDFs from the supplemental resources). See‬
‭Schoology for some additional resources as well.‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭2‬

‭Circles‬
‭-‬ ‭I can identify the conic sections‬
‭-‬ ‭I can write the equation of a circle‬
‭-‬ ‭I can identify characteristics of a circle‬
‭-‬ ‭I can graph a circle‬

‭Bell-ringer:‬

‭Write the following quadratic functions in vertex form by completing the square.‬

‭2‬
‭1.‬ ‭𝑓‬(‭𝑥‬) = ‭𝑥‬ − ‭6‭𝑥
‬ ‬ + ‭10‬

‭2‬
‭2.‬ ‭𝑓‬(‭𝑥‬) = ‭3‭𝑥
‬ ‬ + ‭10‬‭𝑥‬ − ‭7‬

‭ conic section is the name for the intersection of a plane and a double-cone. Conics can be‬
A
‭studied in terms of geometry, algebra, or a combination of both. We will be using a combination‬
‭of both geometric and algebraic properties to define them.‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭3‬

‭The four conic sections that we will study are:‬‭Circles,‬‭Ellipses, Parabolas,‬‭and‬‭Hyperbolas.‬

‭3.‬ ‭Label each intersection:‬

‭Conics can also be defined algebraically as:‬

‭ here different values of the coefficients will give us different conics (for example, when B is‬
W
‭zero and A=C we have a circle).‬

‭ ur approach will be to think of conics as defined by the set of points (called a‬‭locus‬‭) that‬
O
‭satisfies a certain geometric property.‬

‭ herefore, a‬‭circle‬‭is the locus or set of all points‬‭(x, y) equidistant from a fixed point (h, k)‬
T
‭called the center. The standard form of the circle is:‬

‭2‬ ‭2‬ ‭2‬

(‭𝑥‬ − ‭ℎ‬) + (‭𝑦‬ − ‭𝑘‬) = ‭𝑟‬

‭Where (h, k) is the center and r is the radius.‬

 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭4‬

‭2‬ ‭2‬
‭4.‬ I‭dentify the center and radius of the circle‬(‭𝑥‬ − ‭3)‬ + (‭𝑦‬ + ‭2)‬ = ‭16‬‭. Then graph the‬
‭circle and identify the domain and range.‬

‭Center:___________________‬

‭Radius:___________________‬

‭Domain:___________________‬

‭Range:___________________‬

‭5.‬ W
‭ rite the equation of the circle in standard form. Then identify the center and radius,‬
‭graph the function, and identify domain and range. Answers should be exact.‬

‭2‬ ‭2‬
‭𝑥‬ + ‭𝑦‬ + ‭6‭𝑥
‬ ‬ − ‭4‭𝑦
‬ ‬ + ‭1‬ = ‭0‬

‭Center:___________________‬

‭Radius:___________________‬

‭Domain:___________________‬

‭Range:___________________‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭5‬

‭6.‬ U
‭ se the distance formula or a right triangle to derive the standard form of the equation of‬
‭a circle given the following diagram.‬

‭7.‬ I‭n classical antiquity, it was often assumed that the planets orbited the Earth in perfect‬
‭circles. This is incorrect, as they are ellipses, which we will study next, but in some‬
‭cases a circular orbit can approximate the orbit of a planet fairly well. Venus, for‬
‭example, has an orbit that is very close to circular.‬

‭ enus is approximately 1 AU (astronomical unit) away from the Sun. Write the equation of the‬
V
‭circle that describes Venus’ position if the Sun is at the center of the circle.‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭6‬

‭Ellipses‬
‭-‬ ‭I can write the equation of an ellipse‬
‭-‬ ‭I can identify the properties of an ellipse‬
‭-‬ ‭I can graph an ellipse‬

‭Match each word to its correct definition. Look at the diagram below for help.‬

‭ .‬
a ‭ ertices of an Ellipse‬
V
‭b.‬ ‭Co-vertices of an Ellipse‬
‭c.‬ ‭Foci of an Ellipse‬
‭d.‬ ‭Center of an Ellipse‬
‭e.‬ ‭Major Axis‬
‭f.‬ ‭Minor Axis‬
‭g.‬ ‭Definition of an Ellipse‬
‭h.‬ ‭Definition of a Circle‬
‭i.‬ ‭Standard Equation of a Circle‬
‭j.‬ ‭Standard Equation of an‬
‭Ellipse‬

‭_____ 1. The chord joining the vertices of an ellipse‬

‭_____ 2. The midpoint of the major axis of an ellipse‬

‭_____ 3. The chord perpendicular to the major axis at the center of an ellipse‬

‭ ____ 4. The set of all fixed points (x, y) in a plane, the sum of whose distances from two‬
_
‭distinct fixed points (foci) is constant‬
‭2‬ ‭2‬ ‭2‬
‭_____ 5.‬ (‭𝑥‬ − ‭ℎ‬) + (‭𝑦‬ − ‭𝑘‬) = ‭𝑟‬

‭_____ 6. The set of all points (x, y) equidistant from a fixed point (h, k)‬

‭ ____ 7. Two fixed points such that the sum of the distances to those points from any point on‬
_
‭the ellipse is constant‬

‭_____ 8. The endpoints of the major axis‬

 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭7‬

‭ n‬‭ellipse‬‭is the set of all fixed points (x, y) in‬‭a plane, the sum of whose distances from two‬
A
‭distinct fixed points (foci) is constant. This sum is equal to double the length of the major axis.‬

‭1.‬ ‭Derive the standard form of a horizontal ellipse centered at (0, 0).‬

‭Standard Form of a Horizontal Ellipse:‬

‭2.‬ G
‭ iven the following equation, determine the center, vertices, co-vertices, and foci of the‬
‭ellipse. Then determine the lengths of the major and minor axes.‬

‭2‬ ‭2‬
‭‬
𝑥 ‭‬
𝑦
‭16‬
+ ‭9‬
= ‭1‬

‭Center:___________‬

‭Vertices:___________‬

‭Co-vertices:___________‬

‭Foci:___________‬

‭Length of major axis:___________‬

‭Length of minor axis:___________‬

 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭8‬

‭3.‬ A
‭ n ellipse has foci at‬(± ‭2,‬ ‭0)‬ ‭and co-vertices‬‭at‬(‭0‬, ± ‭3)‬ ‭. Write the standard form of the‬
‭ellipse and graph the ellipse.‬

‭Standard form of a vertical ellipse:‬

‭4.‬ G
‭ iven the following equation, determine the center, vertices, co-vertices, and foci of the‬
‭ellipse. Then graph the ellipse.‬
‭2‬ ‭2‬
‭5‬‭𝑥‬ + ‭2‭𝑦
‬ ‬ = ‭20‬
‭Center:___________‬

‭Vertices:___________‬

‭Co-vertices:___________‬

‭Foci:___________‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭9‬

‭5.‬ G
‭ iven the following equation, determine the center, vertices, co-vertices, and foci of the‬
‭ellipse. Then graph the ellipse.‬

‭2‬ ‭2‬
‭4‬‭𝑥‬ + ‭9‭𝑦
‬ ‬ − ‭8‭𝑥
‬ ‬ − ‭36‬‭𝑦‬ + ‭4‬ = ‭0‬
‭Center:___________‬

‭Vertices:___________‬

‭Co-vertices:___________‬

‭Foci:___________‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭10‬

‭6.‬ G
‭ iven the following equation, determine the center, vertices, co-vertices, and foci of the‬
‭ellipse. Then graph the ellipse.‬

‭2‬ ‭2‬‭‬
‭4‬‭𝑥‬ + ‭8‭𝑥
‬ ‬ + ‭2‭𝑦
‬ ‬ − ‭12‬‭𝑦‬ − ‭7‬ = ‭0‬
‭Center:___________‬

‭Vertices:___________‬

‭Co-vertices:___________‬

‭Foci:___________‬

‭7.‬ F
‭ ind the equation of the graphed ellipse. Assume the vertices and co-vertices are‬
‭integers.‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭11‬

‭2‬ ‭2‬
‭𝑥‬ ‭𝑦‬
‭8.‬ ‭Graph‬ ‭2‬ + ‭2‬ = ‭1‬ ‭on Desmos and‬‭use the slider to answer the questions.‬
‭𝑎‬ ‭𝑏‬
‭a.‬ ‭Describe what happens when a = b.‬

‭b.‬ D
‭ escribe what happens when a or b become negative. Will changing the center‬
‭change what happens?‬

‭2‬ ‭2‬ ‭2‬

‭c.‬ ‭Change‬‭𝑏‬ ‭into‬‭𝑎‬ − ‭𝑐‬ ‭. What happens when‬‭c = 0?‬

‭d.‬ C
‭ hange the value of c. What happens as c gets but stays less than a? What‬
‭about when it is larger than a?‬

‭𝑐‬
‭e.‬ ‭The eccentricity of an ellipse (‬‭e‭)‬ is‬ ‭𝑒‬‭‬ = ‭‬ ‭𝑎‬ ‭. Based on your observations, what‬
‭does eccentricity measure?‬

‭9.‬ A
‭ n exoplanet is a planet outside our solar system. Scientists discover an unknown‬
‭exoplanet, and they believe that if the unknown planet has an orbit similar to Earth’s,‬
‭then it will be able to support life. If the star that the unknown planet orbits is located 2‬
‭AUs away from the unknown planet at one of its foci and the length of the minor axis of‬
‭the orbit is 6 AUs, then can this unknown planet support life? The eccentricity of earth is‬
‭0.017.‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭12‬

‭Parabolas‬
‭-‬ ‭I can write the equation of a parabola‬
‭-‬ ‭I can graph a parabola‬
‭-‬ ‭I can find the properties of a parabola‬

‭Bell-ringer:‬

‭1.‬ F
‭ ind the x-intercepts, y-intercept, AOS, vertex, domain and range of the parabola. Then‬
‭graph it.‬

‭2‬
‭𝑦‬ = ‭𝑥‬ + ‭3‭𝑥
‬ ‬ − ‭4‬

‭2.‬ ‭Find the x-intercept, y-intercepts, AOS, and vertex of the parabola. Graph it.‬

‭2‬
‭𝑥‬ = ‭𝑦‬ − ‭4‭𝑦
‬ ‬ − ‭5‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭13‬

‭ ‬‭parabola‬‭is the locus of all points equidistant‬‭from a point (called a‬‭focus‬‭) and‬
A
‭a line (called the‬‭directrix‬‭) that does not contain‬‭the focus.‬

‭3.‬ ‭Derive the standard form of a vertical parabola using the image below.‬

‭ o find the equation of a the parabola with a vertex (h,k) use the given information to find‬
T
‭p‬‭and the direction the parabola is facing, then substitute‬‭p into either:‬
‭2‬
‬ (‬ ‭𝑥‬ − ‭ℎ‬) ‭(if facing right or left) or‬
(‭𝑦‬ − ‭𝑘)‬ = ‭4‭𝑝
‭2‬
‬ (‬ ‭𝑦‬ − ‭𝑘)‬ ‭(if facing up or down)‬
(‭𝑥‬ − ‭ℎ‬) = ‭4‭𝑝

‭4.‬ ‭Find the equation of the parabola with the given properties:‬
‭a.‬ ‭Vertex at (0,0) and Focus at (2,0)‬

‭3‬
‭b.‬ ‭Vertex at (0,0) and Focus at (0,‬‭8‬ ‭)‬

‭c.‬ ‭A vertical parabola, with Vertex at (0,0) passing through (-2, 12)‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭14‬

‭d.‬ ‭Vertex at (1,3) and Focus at (-1,3)‬

‭e.‬ ‭Vertex at (0,0) and Directrix at y=1‬

‭f.‬ ‭Vertex at (0,0) and Directrix at x=4‬

‭g.‬ ‭Focus at (0,0) and Directrix at y=4‬

‭ . Rewrite the equation in standard form and then identify the vertex, directrix, focus, and‬
5
‭direction of the parabola.‬

‭2‬
‭16‬‭𝑦‬ + ‭128‬‭𝑥‬ + ‭8‭𝑦
‬ ‬ − ‭7‬ = ‭0‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭15‬

‭2‬
‭6. Find the vertex, focus, and directrix of‬(‭𝑥‬ + ‭2)‬ + (‭𝑦‬ − ‭4)‬ = ‭0‬‭. Then graph the parabola.‬

‭ . Each cable of the Golden Gate Bridge is suspended (in the‬

7
‭shape of a parabola) between two towers that are 1280 meters‬
‭apart. The top of each tower is 152 meters above the roadway.‬
‭The cables touch the roadway at the midpoints between the‬
‭towers.‬
‭a.‬ ‭Sketch the bridge on a coordinate plane.‬

‭b.‬ ‭Write an equation that models the cables.‬

 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭16‬

‭Hyperbolas‬
‭-‬ ‭I can write the equation of a hyperbola‬
‭-‬ ‭I can graph a hyperbola‬
‭-‬ ‭I can find the properties of a hyperbola‬

‭ ‬‭hyperbola‬‭is the set of all points (x, y) in a plane,‬‭the difference of whose distance from‬
A
‭two distinct points, the foci, is a positive constant.‬

‭ he graph of a hyperbola has two disconnected parts called the‬‭branches‬‭. The line through the‬
T
‭two‬‭foci‬‭intersects the hyperbola at two points called‬‭the‬‭vertices‬‭. The line segment connecting‬
‭the vertices is the‬‭transverse axis‬‭, and its midpoint‬‭is the‬‭center‬‭of the hyperbola.‬

‭Horizontal transverse axis:‬ ‭Vertical transverse axis:‬

 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭17‬

‭STANDARD FORM WITH CENTER AT (‬‭h,k‬‭)‬

‭●‬ ‭The standard form of the equation of a hyperbola depends on whether the hyperbola’s‬
‭transverse axis is horizontal or vertical.‬
‭●‬ ‭a‬‭is always first‬
‭2‬ ‭2‬ ‭2‬
‭●‬ ‭𝑐‬ = ‭𝑎‬ + ‭𝑏‬

‭This graph above has too much info but it may be useful to students‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭18‬

‭1.‬ G
‭ iven the following equation, find the center, vertices, foci and asymptotes of the‬
‭hyperbola. Graph the hyperbola.‬
‭2‬ ‭2‬
‭4‬‭𝑥‬ − ‭𝑦‬ = ‭16‬
‭Center:___________‬

‭Vertices:___________‬

‭Foci:___________‬

‭Asymptotes:___________‬

‭2.‬ G
‭ iven the following equation, find the center, vertices, foci and asymptotes of the‬
‭hyperbola. Graph the hyperbola.‬
‭2‬ ‭2‬
‭25‬‭𝑦‬ − ‭4‭𝑥
‬ ‬ = ‭100‬
‭Center:___________‬

‭Vertices:___________‬

‭Foci:___________‬

‭Asymptotes:___________‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭19‬

‭3.‬ G
‭ iven the following equation, find the center, vertices, foci and asymptotes of the‬
‭hyperbola. Graph the hyperbola.‬
‭2‬ ‭2‬
(‭𝑦+
‬ ‭2‬) (‭𝑥‬+‭3‬)
‭9‬
− ‭4‬
= ‭1‬ ‭Center:___________‬

‭Vertices:___________‬

‭Foci:___________‬

‭Asymptotes:___________‬
 ‭Conics Notes -‬‭20‬

‭4.‬ G
‭ iven the following equation, find the center, vertices, foci and asymptotes of the‬
‭hyperbola. Graph the hyperbola.‬
‭2‬ ‭2‬
(‭𝑥−
‬ ‭3‬) (‭𝑦‬−‭2‬)
‭1‬
− ‭9‬
= ‭1‬ ‭Center:___________‬

‭Vertices:___________‬

‭Foci:___________‬

‭Asymptotes:___________‬

‭5.‬ F ‭ ind the equation of the hyperbola with the following properties:‬
‭Foci at (-3,0) and (3,0) and‬
‭Vertices at (-2,0) and (2,0)‬