CONIC / CONIC SECTION

The path generated by a point moving so that CIRCLE – a locus of a point which moves at a
the ratio (eccentricity) of its distance from a constant distance from a fixed point called the
fixed point (focus) to its distance from a fixed center and the constant distance of any point
line (directrix) is constant. from the center is called the radius.

P
GENERAL EQUATION OF A CONIC
r
Ax² + Bxy + Cy² + Dx + Ey + F = 0
(h,k)
when
h B = 0 ------- (no
( xy term))
The axis of a conic is parallel to one
of the coordinate axis
when B ≠ 0
The axis of a conic rotated or EQUATION OF CIRCLE:
inclined 1. General Form
x2 + y2 + dx + ey + f = 0

d
h 2r  d 2  e 2  4 f
2
e
k
2

1
2. Standard Form
a. Center at origin
g : C ((0 , 0))
y

x2 + y2 = r2

b. Center at ( h , k) : C (h , k)
y

h
(x – h)2 + (y – k)2 = r2

x
PARABOLA – a locus of a points which are
equidistant from a fixed point called the focus
and a fixed line called the directrix.

V = vertex

directrix F = focus

LR = latus rectum

V F
a a

LR

axis of
parabola

Eccentrcity : e = 1
Latur Rectum : LR = 4a
Equation of Parabola b. Vertex at V(0,0) and opening
1 General Form
1. to the left

a. Axis parallel to x.
y2 = - 4ax
x2 + dx + ey + f = 0

b. Axis parallel to y.
V
y2 + dx + ey + f = 0

2. Standard Form
a. Vertex at V(0,0) and
opening to the right

b. Vertex at V(0,0)
b V(0 0) and opening
upward
y2 = 4ax
x2 = 4ay

V
d. Vertex at V(0,0) and opening f. Vertex at V(h,k) and opening
downward to the left

(y – k)2 = - 4a(x – h)

V h V

x2 = - 4ay

e. Vertex at V(h,k)
( , ) and opening
p g to g. Vertex at V(h
g V(h,k)
k) and opening
the right upward

(y – k)2 = 4a(x – h)
(x – h)2 = 4a(y – k)

h V
h
k V
k
h. Vertex at V(h,k) and opening
downward

h V

(x – h)2 = - 4a(y – k)
ELLIPSE – a locus of a point whose sum of
the distances from two fixed points called foci
is constant and is equal to the length of the latus rectum minor axis
major
j axis,, 2a.
a a

d2
d1
V1 F2 V2
F1 C
b
d d
c c
directrix directrix
major axis

C = center of ellipse
F1 & F2 = the two fixed points called foci
V1 & V2 = vertices of ellipse
a + a = length of major axis = d1 + d2
c
Eccentricity: e = must be less than 1
a
a
Distance from center to directrix: d =
e

R l ti
Relation off a, b and
d c : a2 = b2 + c2
2b 2
Length of latus rectum : LR =
a
Equation of Ellipse b. Center at C(0,0) and major
1. General Form axis parallel to y

a. Major axis parallel to x.

ax2 + by² + dx + ey + f = 0 x 2 y2
+ =1
b. Major axis parallel to y. b2 a 2
C
Ax² + by2 + dx + ey + f = 0

2. Standard Form
a. Center at C(0,0) and major axis
parallel to x

c. Center at C(h,k) and major

axis parallel to x
(x - h) 2 (y - k) 2
+ =1
C a 2
b 2

x 2 y2
2 + 2 =1
a b
d. Center at C(h,k) and major axis
parallel to y

(x - h) 2 (y - k) 2
2 + 2 =1
b a
HYPERBOLA – a locus of a point whose
difference of the distances from two fixed conjugate axis
transverse axis
points called the foci is constant and is equal
to the length
g of the transverse axis,, 2a.
d2
latus
d1 rectum
V1 b
F1 b V2 F2
C
a a

c c
d
assymtote directrix

C = center of hyperbola
F1 & F2 = the two fixed points called foci
V1 & V2 = vertices of hyperbola
a + a = length of transverse axis = d2 – d1
c
Eccentricity: e = must be greater than 1
a
a
Distance from center to directrix: d =
e
Relation of a, b and c : c2 = a2 + b2
2b 2
Length of latus rectum : LR =
a
Equation of Hyperbola b. Center at C(0,0) and transverse
1. General Form axis parallel to y

a. Transverse axis parallel to x.

ax2 - by² + dx + ey + f = 0 y2 x 2
- =1
b. Transverse axis parallel to y. a 2 b2
by² - ax2 + dx + ey + f = 0

2. Standard Form
a. Center at C(0,0) and transverse
axis parallel to x

c. Center at C(h,k) and transverse

axis parallel to x
(x - h) 2 (y - k) 2
- =1
a2 b2

x 2 y2
- =1
a 2 b2
d. Center at C(h,k) and transverse
axis parallel to y

y2 – x2 = a2
2xy
y = a2

(y - k) 2 (x - h) 2
- =1
a2 b2
Equilateral Hyperbola

2xy = -a2

x2 – y2 = a2
FROM THE GEN. EQ’N OF A CONIC To get equation of a tangent line on a curve
at a given point P(x1, y1)
Ax² + Cy
Ax Cy² + Dx + Ey + F = 0
A HYPERBOLA, if AC < 0 - change x2 to x x1

or A & C have OPPOSITE SIGNS - change y2 to y y1

x + x1
- change x to
• SPECIE OF A CONIC 2
1. B² - 4AC = 0 ; PARABOLA - change y to
y + y1
2
2. B² - 4AC < 0 ; ELLIPSE
x y1 + yx1
- change xy to
3. B² - 4AC > 0 ; HYPERBOLA 2
Another method to get equation of a
TANGENTS AND NORMALS tangent line
li on a curve at a given
i point
i
P(x1, y1)
normal tangent
Equation of tangent : y – y1 = m1 (x – x1)
dy
m1 =
dx
m1 = first derivative of y wrt x of the equation of
curve at point P(x1 , y1)

Equation of normal : y – y1 = m2 (x – x1)

m1 m2 = -1
DIAMETER OF CONICS

diameter

Diameter = locus of the mid-points of a

system of parallel chord.
dy
q
Equation of diameter: m =
d
dx
m = slope of the parallel chords

dy
= first derivative of the equation
q of conic
d
dx
TRANSLATION OF AXIS
y

y
y’

x’

x = x’ + h
y = y’
y +k
ROTATION OF AXIS
y

y’

x’

GENERAL EQUATION OF A CONIC

Ax² + Bxy + Cy² + Dx + Ey + F = 0

AC x = x’cosθ – y
y’sinθ
cot 2 
B
y = x’sinθ + y’cosθ
POLAR COORDINATES
(r, θ) DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS
•
P2 (r2, θ2)
r d P1 (r1, θ1)
• •
r sinθ

θ
θ2 – θ1
r1
P l (0
Pole (0,0°)
0°) Polar axis r2
θ2
r cosθ
θ1

x = r cosθ Polar axis

y = r sinθ
d r1  r2  2 r1 r2 cos  2  1 
2 2
y
tan  
x
r² = x² + y²
COMMON POLAR CURVES
y y

x x
a a 2a
a
2a

r = a ((1 – sinθ)) r = a ((1 – cosθ))

3
A   a2
2
P = 8a
 y y

2a a

x x
a a 2a
a

r = a ((1 + sinθ)) r = a ((1 + cosθ))

CYCLOID

• 2a
a
x
2∏a

A = 3∏a²
3∏a

P = 8a
HYPOCYCLOID 4 – CUSPED HYPOCYCLOID
y

1.5a 1.5a
a
a
x
a
a
• 1.5a 1.5a

PARAMETRIC EQUATION

x = a cos³t
y = a sin³t
3
A   a2 P = 6a
8
COORDINATES IN SPACE
1. POLAR COORDINATES : (r, θ, β, Φ)

P (r, θ, β, Φ)
Φ r
θ
x
β

y
r² = x² + y²
x y z
cos   cos   cos  
r r r
2. CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES : (r, θ, z)
z

P (r, θ, z)

z
x
θ
r y

y
y
r²
² = x²
² + y²
² tan  
x
x = r cosθ
y = r sinθ
3. SPHERICAL COORDINATES : (r, θ, Φ)
z

P (r, θ, Φ)
Φ
z
A x
θ
r y

x B

r²
² = x²
² + y²
² + z²
² x = AB cosθ
AB = r sinβ y = AB sinθ
y z z = r sinβ
i β cosθ
θ
tan   cos  
x r