CONICS

CHAPTER REVIEW
1- Definitions

A conic is a curve determined

by the intersection of a plane with
a conic surface ( made up of two napes
symmetric of each other with respect to
their common vertex) as shown in the adjacent figure.
We notice that a conic may be a circle, an ellipse, a parabola or a hyperbola.

Consider in a fixed plane (Q):

A fixed line (D) called the directrix

A fixed point F not belonging to (D) and is called the focus;

e being a given positive number, and is called the eccentricity.

A conic (other than a circle) is the set of points M, in (Q),
having a constant ratio of distances from F and (D) equal to e.
This conic is denoted by C(F; (D); e) .
d(M  F)
M is a point on C (F; (D); e)  e.
d(M  (D))

MF
M belongs to conic C  =e.
MK

Remarks:
a- The positive real number p is the product of the
distance from F to (D) by the eccentricity e; p is called the
parameter of the conic:
p = d(F; (D)) × e.
b- The line (L) passing through the focus F

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and perpendicular to the directrix (D) is called the focal axis.

Let M = sym/(L)(M); then MK = MK and MF = M’F.

If M is a point on (F; (D); e) then M also belongs to this conic.

c- Nature of the conic is determined according to values of the eccentricity e:
Parabola Ellipse Hyperbol
(P) (E) a (H)
e=1 0<e<1 e>1

2-Reduced equation of a conic

Case of a parabola (e = 1):

The reduced equation (the simplest equation) of a parabola is: Y2 = 2pX.
Case of an (0 < e < 1):
2
Y2
The reduced equation of an ellipse is: X2 + = 1 where 0 < b < a.
a b2
Case of a hyperbola (e >1):
2
Y2
The reduced equation of an ellipse is: X2 – = 1 where a > 0 and b > 0.
a b2
In the particular case where a = b the hyperbola is called rectangular.( asymptotes are
perpendicular)
Remark

The image of a conic (C) = (F, (D), e) by a similitude S is a conic (C’) with focus
F’= S(F), and directrix (D’) = S(D) and the same eccentricity e.
3-Remarkable (principal) elements of a parabola

A parabola (P) with reduced equation Y2 = 2pX has the following remarkable elements:
The
The The
directrix
vertex focus
(D)
p p
S(0; 0) F ( ; 0) X=–
2 2

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4-Remarkable (principal) elements of an ellipse

2
Y2
An ellipse (E) with reduced equation: X2 + = 1 has the following remarkable elements:
a b2

Vertices on Vertices
eccentricit
Center the focal axis on the non Foci Directrices
y
( x-axis ) focal axis
2
(D): X = a
A(a; 0) B(0; b) F(c; 0) c e =c
a
associated to F
a2
(D): X = –
A(– a; 0) B(0; – b) F(– c; 0) c
W(0; 0) associated to F
AA= 2a is BB = 2b
the length of is the 2

the focal axis length of c2 = a2 – b2 parameter = e × d (F; (D)) = b

a
( the major the non-
length) focal axis

𝑥2 𝑦2
An ellipse (E) with reduced equation: 2
+ = 1 has the following remarkable elements:
𝑏 𝑎2

Vertices on Vertices
Center the focal axis on the non Foci Directrices eccentricity
( y-axis ) focal axis
2
(D): Y = a c
W(0; 0) A(0; a) B(b; 0) F(0; c) c e=
a
associated to F

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a2
(D): Y = –
A(0 ; - a) B(- b; 0) F(0; - c ) c
associated to F
AA= 2a is BB = 2b
the length of is the 2

the focal axis length of c2 = a2 – b2 parameter = e × d (F; (D)) = b

a
( the major the non-
length) focal axis

5-Remarkable (principal) elements of a hyperbola

2
Y2
A hyperbola (H) with reduced equation: X2 – = 1 has the following remarkable elements:
a b2

Vertices
on the Eccentric
Center Foci Directrices Asymptotes
focal ity
axis
2
(D): X = a
A(a; 0) F(c; 0) c
associated to F
2
e =c Y= ( b / a) x
(D): X = -a a Y= - (b / a) x
c
A(-a; 0) F(-c; 0) associated to
W(0; 0) F'
AA = 2a
is the
b2
length of c2 = a2 + b2 Parameter p= = e × d (F; (D)) =
a
the focal
axis

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𝑦2 𝑥2
A hyperbola (H) with reduced equation: 2
− = 1 has the following remarkable elements:
𝑎 𝑏2

Vertices
on the Eccentric
Center Foci Directrices Asymptotes
focal ity
axis
2
(D): Y = a
A(0; a) F(0; c) c
associated to F
2
e =c Y= ( a / b) x
(D): Y = -a a Y= - ( a / b) x
c
A(0; - a) F(0; - c) associated to
W(0; 0) F'
AA = 2a
is the
b2
length of c2 = a2 + b2 Parameter p= = e × d (F; (D)) =
a
the focal
axis

6- The bifocal definition of a conic with center (ellipse and hyperbola)

X2 Y2
M  (E): + = 1  MF + MF = 2a , where 2a > FF.
a2 b2
X2 Y2
M  (H): – = 1  |MF – MF| = 2a , where 2a < FF.
a2 b2

7-Circles related to a conic with center

X2 Y2 X2 Y2
(E): + = 1 and (H): – = 1 have the following circles related to them:
a2 b2 a2 b2
Principal circle with center O (center of the ellipse) and radius a.
Director circle with center F and radius 2a.
Director circle with center F' and radius 2a.
Secondary circle with center O and radius b ( usually related to an ellipse).
8- Tangent and normal to a conic

 (P) is a parabola with reduced equation Y2 = 2pX.

The tangent at M to (P) cuts its focal axis at a point T.

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The normal at M to (P) cuts its focal axis at a point N.

S is the midpoint of [TM]; MKTF is a rhombus and MN = HF = p

X2 Y2
(E) is an ellipse with reduced equation + = 1.
a2 b2
The tangent at M to (P) cuts its focal axis at a point T.
The normal at M to (P) cuts its focal axis at a point N.

(MN) and (MT) are the bisectors of FMF.

X2 Y2
(H) is a hyperbola with reduced equation – = 1.
a2 b2

The tangent at M to (P) cuts its focal axis at a point T.

The normal at M to (P) cuts its focal axis at a point N.

(MN) and (MT) are the bisectors of FMF.

9-Ellipse as shadow of a circle:

The orthogonal projection of a circle (C) on a plane is in general an ellipse (E) with
eccentricity e = sin, where  is the acute angle between the plane of (C) and (P).
(C) has center I and radius R; (E) has center I’ = proj(I), and semi-focal axis a = R and semi-
non focal axis b = R cos .