PRECALCULUS

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONIC

SECTIONS
DIRECTIONS: Study the given illustrative examples and answer the exercises that follow.

Illustrative Examples
Determine the type of conic each equation represents using the discriminant.
a. 9𝑥 2 + 25𝑦 2 − 54𝑥 − 50𝑦 − 119 = 0
b. 𝑥 2 − 4𝑦 2 + 10𝑥 − 16𝑦 + 5 = 0
c. 4𝑥 2 − 8𝑥 + 6𝑦 + 24 = 0

Solution:
a) A = 9, B=0, C=25
𝐵2 − 4𝐴𝐶 = (0)2 − 4(9)(25) = −900
Since the discriminant is negative, 9𝑥 2 + 25𝑦 2 − 54𝑥 − 50𝑦 − 119 = 0 is an ellipse.

b) A = 1, B=0, C=-4
𝐵2 − 4𝐴𝐶 = (1)2 − 4(0)(−4) = 16
Since the discriminant is positive, 𝑥 2 − 4𝑦 2 + 10𝑥 − 16𝑦 + 5 = 0 is a hyperbola.

c) A = 4, B=0, C=0
𝐵2 − 4𝐴𝐶 = (0)2 − 4(4)(0) = 0
Since the discriminant is zero, 4𝑥 2 − 8𝑥 + 6𝑦 + 24 = 0 is a parabola.

KEY CONCEPT/S
The coefficients A, B, and C of the general form 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐵𝑥𝑦 + 𝐶𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 +
𝐹 = 0 of the equation of conic section can be used in determining the type of conics it
represents using the discriminant 𝐵2 − 4𝐴𝐶, provided that the graph is not degenerate form:
i. If 𝐵2 − 4𝐴𝐶 < 0, the graph of 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐵𝑥𝑦 + 𝐶𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0 is either an
ellipse or a circle, and A and C in the equation of an ellipse have the same sign. A
and C in the equation of a circle are equal.
ii. If 𝐵2 − 4𝐴𝐶 = 0, the graph of 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐵𝑥𝑦 + 𝐶𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0 is a
parabola. Either A or C in the equation of a parabola is zero.
iii. If 𝐵2 − 4𝐴𝐶 > 0, the graph of 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐵𝑥𝑦 + 𝐶𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0 is a
hyperbola and A and C in the equation of a hyperbola are opposite sign.

EXERCISES:
A. Determine the type of conics each equation represents using the discriminant.
1. 2𝑥 2 − 4𝑥𝑦 + 8𝑦 2 + 7 = 0
2. 2𝑥𝑦 − 𝑥 + 𝑦 − 3 = 0
3. 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 + 4 = 0
4. 3𝑥 2 + 6𝑥𝑦 + 5𝑦 2 − 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 0
5. 8𝑥 2 + 3𝑦 2 + 4𝑥 + 4𝑦 + 7 = 0
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B.

CONIC SECTIONS

Problem Solving: Read the problems carefully and solve them completely. Write the answer(s) of
the following problems before each item. Show your solutions.

________________1) A satellite dish is in the shape of a paraboloid is 10 ft across, and 4 ft deep at its
vertex. How far is the receiver from the vertex, if its is placed at the focus? Round off your answer to
2 decimal places. Answer: 1.56 ft

________________2) An arch is in the form of a semi-ellipse with the span as its major axis. If the
span is 60 ft. long and the height is 24 ft. find the height of the arch at a point 12 ft. from the minor
axis. Answer: 22 ft

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________________3) A circle has center at the focus of the parabola 𝑦 2 + 16𝑥 + 4𝑦 = 44 and is
tangent to the directrix of this parabola. Find its standard equation.
Answer: (𝑥 + 1)2 + (𝑦 + 2)2 = 64

________________4) A seismological station is located at ( 0, -3), 3 km away from a straight

shoreline where the x-axis runs through . The epicenter of an earthquake was determined to be 6 km
away from the station.

(a) Find the equation of the curve that contain the possible location of the epicenter.
Answer: 𝑥 2 + (𝑦 + 3)2 = 36

(b) If furthermore, the epicenter was determined to be 2 km away from the shore, find its
possible coordinates (round off to two decimal places) Answer: 𝑥 = ±√11 ≈ ±3.32

_____________5) Find the equation of an ellipse whose c(0,0) , major axis is along the x-
𝑥2 𝑦2
axis, and passing through the points ( 4, 3) and (6, 2).Answer: + =1
52 13

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