Hyperbola

- Set of points
- Difference of the distances from the foci is constant
 Constant difference
- Has visible asymptotes, unlike the other conic sections.
- Opposite of an ellipse, if the sum of the foci are the same
for an ellipse, it’s the difference that is constant for a
Hyperbola
- Properties are the combination of the three other conic
sections.
- Horizontal looks like “> <”
- Vertical looks like \/
/\
- Asymptote
 Limit of the graph
 Line that passes though the center
 Guide in making the hyperbola
 2 asymptotes
 Beyond the asymptotes, are the limits of the graph.
 Cannot go into the area of the asymptotes
Below are segments
|P11, F1 – P1, F2| = 2a

P are the points on the hyperbola, F are the points in the

parabola.
The axes of a hyperbola are called Transverse and Conjugate
axis. Their length does not matter unlike the ellipse.
Transverse Axis (All the coordinates in this section are
segments)
- Defines the shape of the parabola
- Endpoints are the vertices (V1, V2)
- = 2a
Conjugate Axis (All the coordinates in this section are
segments)
- Endpoints are (W2, W1)
- 2b

Standard Equation of the graph.

( x−h ) 2 ( y−k ) 2
–
a2 b2

Or flip the y and x around to get the other form. Like the
ellipse.

Remember these properties of equality:

Commutative Property, Multiplication Property, Additive
Property.

General equation of a hyperbola

Ax2-Cx2+Dx+Ey+F=0
A and C have opposite signs.

We convert between them using the same method as the

ellipse.