PRE-CALCULUS

Defining Conic Sections

• A conic section (or simply conic) is a curve obtained as the intersection of the surface of a
cone with a plane. The three types of conic sections are the hyperbola, the parabola, and the
ellipse. The circle is type of ellipse, and is sometimes considered to be a fourth type of conic
section.

Key Points:

• A conic section (or simply conic) is a curve obtained as the intersection of the surface of a
cone with a plane; the three types are parabolas, ellipses, and hyperbolas.

• A conic section can be graphed on a coordinate plane.

• vertex: An extreme point on a conic section.

• nappe: One half of a double cone.

• conic section: Any curve formed by the intersection of a plane with a cone of two nappes.

Conic sections are generated by the intersection of a plane with a cone.

• If the plane is parallel to the axis of revolution (the y-axis), then the conic section is a
hyperbola.

• If the plane is parallel to the generating line, the conic section is a parabola.

• If the plane is perpendicular to the axis of revolution, the conic section is a circle.

• If the plane intersects one nappe at an angle to the axis (other than 90° ), then the conic
section is an ellipse.
 • a. when the (tilted) plane intersects one of the cone to form a bounded curve. - ellipse

• b. when the plane intersects one of the cone horizontally. - circle

• c. when the plane (not necessarily vertical) intersects both cones to form unbounded curves.
- hyperbola

• d. when the plane intersects only one cone to form an unbounded curve. - parabola

CIRCLES

• Geometric: the result of a cone and a plane intersecting each other

• Algebraic: set of points on a plane that are equidistant from a fixed point on the same plane
(center/origin)
The General form of the equation of the Circle:

x 2+ y 2+Cx + Dy+ E=0

 We can consider the following cases on the
existence of a circle.

a. If r 2 >0 , then the graph is circle with center

b. If r 2=0 , then the graph is a single point

c. If r 2 <0 , then the graph is a [O--;

PARABOLA

Review: The geometric definition relies on a cone and a plane intersecting it.

Algebraic definition: All points that are equidistant from a given line (the directrix) and a fixed point
not on the directrix (the focus)
The General Form of the equation of the parabola:

The equation of the parabola is a second-degree polynomial in two variables; that is

2 2
A x + Dx + Ey+ F=0 or A y + Dx+ Ey+ F=0
Where A, D, E, F are all real numbers.
Standard form of the parabola with vertex at (0, 0):

The standard form of the equation of the parabola with vertex at (0, 0) is given by:

Standard form of the parabola with vertex at (0, 0)

where; 4p is the length of the latus rectum

p is the distance of the vertex from the directrix and focus.

OPENING VERTEX(0,0)

2
Right y =4 px

2
Left y =−4 px

2
Upward x =4 py

Downward x 2=−4 py
What is an Ellipse?

- The geometric definition relies on a cone and a plane

intersecting it.

Algebraic Definition: A set of points in the plane such that the sum
of the distances, from 2 fixed points, called FOCI, remains constant.

- An ellipse is the set of all points on the plane, the sum of

whose distances from 2 fixed points, called the foci, is a constant. The line containing the
foci is called major axis. The line through the center and the perpendicular to the major axis
is called the minor axis.
- From each point on the ellipse, the sum of the distances to the foci is constant.
Remember:

In the standard equation, if the x-part has the bigger denominator, the ellipse is HORIZONTAL.

If the y-part has the bigger denominator, the ellipse is VERTICAL.

THE HYPERBOLA

HYPERBOLA - A hyperbola is the set of all points in a plane where the difference of the distances
from two fixed points is a positive constant.

A hyperbola, like the ellipse, has two axes of symmetry, two vertices, two foci; and two latera
recta(singular: latus rectum).

CENTER - The intersection of the two axes of symmetry is the center of the hyperbola. The center is
the midpoint between the two foci.
VERTICES - The hyperbola intersects the focal axis in two points called the vertices. These vertices
are the endpoints of a segment called transverse axis. The center is also the midpoint between the
two vertices.

FOCAL AXIS OR PRINCIPAL AXIS - The axis that contains the foci, the center, and the vertices of the
hyperbola is referred to as focal axis or principal axis.

CONJUGATE AXIS - The axis that plays an important role in defining the hyperbola. This axis has no
point in common with the hyperbola. It is perpendicular to the transverse axis at the center.

LATUS RECTUM - A segment passing through a focus of the hyperbola that is perpendicular to the
focal axis.

ASYMPTOTES - A pair of lines that is closely related to but also not part of the hyperbola. The
asymptotes intersect at the center of the hyperbola. A hyperbola approaches its asymptotes but will
never intersect them. Each of the asymptotes passes through the opposite vertices of the auxiliary
rectangle.

AUXILIARY RECTANGLE - An auxiliary rectangle that is not part of the hyperbola plays an important
role in graphing the hyperbola. A pair of opposite sides of the rectangle passes through the vertices.
These are perpendicular to the transverse axis. The other pair passes through the endpoints of the
conjugate axis.
SYSTEMS OF NONLINEAR EQUATIONS

Linear VS NONLINEAR EQUATIONS

LINEAR EQUATIONS NONLINEAR EQUATIONS

It forms a straight line or represents the It does not form a straight line but forms a
equation fort eh straight line curve.

It has only one degree. It has the degree as 2 or more than 2.

All these equations form a straight line in It forms a curve and if we increase the value of
cartesian plane. These lines can be extended to the degree, the curvature of the graph
any direction but in a straight form. increases.

NONLINEAR EQUATIONS
 are equations whose graphs are not straight lines
 EXAMPLES: ALL CONIC SECTIONS

SYSTEMS OF NONLINEAR EQUATIONS

 Is a system that consists of two or more equations.
 If at least one of the equations is nonlinear, then the system is called a nonlinear system of
equations

The solution of a system when graph can be determined by its number of point of intersection.
1. No intersection – there is no solution
2. Intersect at one point - there is one solution
3. Intersect at two points – there is two solutions

ELIMINATION METHOD
1. Choose which variable to eliminate
2. Multiply both equations by an appropriate constant so that the coefficients of the chosen
variable in STEP 1 are additive inverses of each other (OPTIONAL)
3. Add the two equations, resulting in an equation with a single variable
 4. Solve for the remaining variable
5. Substitute the obtained value in STEP 4 in either of the equations to solve for the other
variable

Substitution METHOD
1. Choose ONE variable to isolate.
2. Rewrite the equation leaving ONE variable on one side.
3. Substitute that equation to the other equation then solve for the unknown variable.
4. Use the result in STEP 2 to solve for the other
unknown variable.

Use a SYSTEM OF NONLINEAR EQUATIONS to solve its applications

1. The difference of the squares of two numbers is 15. The sum of the numbers is 5. Find the
numbers.
Let define variables:
x = be the first number
y = be the second number
First Statement : The difference of the squares of two numbers is 15.
2 2
x − y =15
Second Statement : The sum of the numbers is 5.
x + y=5
Solve the system by substitution
2 2
x − y =15
x + y=5
Solve the second equation for x:
x=5− y
Substitute x into the first equation:
2 2
(5− y) − y =15
Expand and simplify
(5− y)2− y 2=15
2
(25−10 y+ y¿ ¿2)− y =15 ¿
25−10 y+ y 2− y 2=15
25−10 y=15
Solve for y
−10 y=15−25
−10 y=−10
y=1
Substitute back into the second equation
x + y=5
x +(1)=5
 x=4
Thus, the numbers are 1 and 4.

2. Heart purchased a small 25’’ TV for her kitchen. The size of a TV is measured on the diagonal of
the screen. The screen also has an area of 300 square inches. What are the length and width of the
TV screen?

Let define variables:

x = be the width of the rectangle
y = be the length of the rectangle
Draw a diagram to help visualize the situation

Area is 300 square inches.

First Statement : The diagonal of the right triangle is 25 inches.
2 2 2
x + y =25
x 2+ y 2=625
Second Statement : The area of the rectangle is 300 square inches.
x ∙ y=300
Solve the system by substitution
x ∙ y=300
Solve the second equation for x
x ∙ y=300
300
x=
y
Substitute x into the first equation
x 2+ y 2=625
2
300 2
( ) + y =625
y
Simplify
90000 2
+ y =625
y2
Multiply by y 2 to clear the fractions
2 2
90000+ y =625 y
Put in standard form
2 2
y −625 y +90000=0
Solve by factoring
2
( y ¿¿ 2−225)( y −400)=0 ¿
Equate the factors
2
y −225=0
2
y =225
y=15
 2
y −400=0
2
y =400
y=20
Substitute back into the second equation
x ∙ y=300
x ∙ 15=300 x=20
x ∙ y=300
x ∙ 20=300
x=15
If the length is 15 inches, the width is 20 inches.
If the length is 20 inches, the width is 15 inches.
Since length longer than the width, therefore the width and length of the TV screen is 15 inches and
20 inches, respectively.

Arithmetic Sequences and Series