PRECALCULUS

Module 1, Lesson 1a: Introduction to Conic Sections and Standard Equation of Circles
I. Overview:

• This lesson will demonstrate key concepts of conic sections.

II. Objectives:

• At the end of the lesson, the student is able to:

(1) illustrate the different types of conic sections: parabola, ellipse, circle, hyperbola, and
degenerate cases;
(2) define a circle;
(3) determine the standard form of equation of a circle;
(4) graph a circle in a rectangular coordinate system.

III. Content Outline:

• Please take time to read and understand this part because all graded activities and quizzes will be
coming from these contents.

CONIC SECTIONS
Two millennia ago, Apollonius of Perga, the great Greek geometer, studied the
curves formed by the intersection of a plane and a double right circular cone, and
discovered many properties of these curves.
These curves were later known as conic sections because they were formed from the
double right circular cone. A conic section is a curved formed by the intersection of a
plane and a right circular cone with two nappes.

generator A line lying entirely on the cone is referred to as

Upper generator of the cone.
nappe
The point where the generator intersect is called the
vertex
vertex.
Lower The vertical line passing through the vertex is called
nappe the axis of the cone.
axis

A line lying entirely on the cone is called a generator of the cone, and all generators
of a cone pass through its vertex, which is the only point where the two nappes
intersect.
2 types of conics:
1. Degenerate conic – either a point, a line or two intersecting lines.
2. Non – degenerate conic – either a parabola, a circle or an ellipse, or a hyperbola.
These non-degenerate conics can be characterized by the number of generators which
are parallel to a cutting plane.

• If the cutting plane is parallel to one

and only one generator, the curve
of intersection is called a parabola.

• If the cutting plane is not parallel to

any generator, the curve of
intersection is called an ellipse.

• If the cutting plane intersects a

double-napped cone and is parallel
to the axis of the cone, the curve of
intersection is hyperbola.

The point, line, and two intersecting lines are obviously not curves but are also possible
results of the intersection of the plane and the double right circular cone. That is why they
are not conics, but referred to as degenerate conic sections.

Eccentricity – the constant ratio. It tells us the amount of roundness of a curve.

Given the eccentricity e of a conic, the conic is;
a. Circle if 𝑒 = 0
b. Parabola if 𝑒 = 1.
c. Ellipse if 0 < 𝑒 < 1.
d. Hyperbola if 𝑒 > 1.
History about conic sections:
• They were discovered by the Greek Manaechmus, tutor to Alexander the Great.
• Previous studies on conics were consolidated by the Greek Appolonius, who
gave names ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola.
A circle is formed if the cutting plane to the cone is parallel to no generator but is
perpendicular to the axis of the cone.
Now what is a circle?

Circle: Set of all points on a plane that are

equidistant from a fixed point on the plane.
The fixed point is called the center. The distance
from the center to any point of the circle is called the
radius.

STANDARD FORM OF THE EQUATION OF A CIRCLE

Now, we obtain an equation of the circle centered at the origin C(0,0) and radius
r using the distance formula.

Suppose point P (x,y) is on the circle:

Recall:
Distance formula: P (x,y)
r
𝑑 = √(𝑥2 − 𝑥1 )2 + (𝑦2 − 𝑦1 )2

C (0,0)

Using distance formula, the equation of the circle in standard form with center at the
origin is:
𝑟 2 = (𝑥 − 0)2 + (𝑦 − 0)2

𝑟 = √(𝑥 − 0)2 + (𝑦 − 0)2

𝑟2 = 𝑥2 + 𝑦2

𝑟 = √𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2
 Suppose the center of the circle is not on the origin but at the arbitrary point C (h,k),
what would the equation of the circle be like?

P (x,y)
r 𝑟 2 = (𝑥 − ℎ)2 + (𝑦 − 𝑘)2
C (h,k)
𝑟 = √(𝑥 − ℎ)2 + (𝑦 − 𝑘)2

Therefore, the standard equation of a circle centered at the origin is 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 𝑟 2 , 𝑟 > 0.

On the other hand, the standard equation of a circle centered not on the origin (h,k) is
(𝑥 − ℎ)2 + (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 = 𝑟 2 , 𝑟 > 0.

EXAMPLES:
1. Find the standard form of the equation of the circle given the center and the
radius. Draw the circle.
a. C (2,1), r = 2 b. C (0,0), r = 5
Solution:

a. h = 2, k =1, r = 2 b. C (0,0) ; r = 5
(𝑥 − 2)2 + (𝑦 − 1)2 = (2)2 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 52
(𝑥 − 2)2 + (𝑦 − 1)2 = 4
y
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 25
y





 





 x

− − − − − − − −        

−
x

−
− − − −     

−

− −

−

−
−
−

−

−

2. Find the standard form of the equation of the circle with center at (-1,1) and
−

diameter 4.
1
Solution: Diameter of a circle is twice the length of its radius, 𝑟 = 2 𝑑
1
So, 𝑟 = 2 (4) = 2. Thus, [𝑥 − (−1)]2 + (𝑦 − 1)2 = 22
(𝑥 + 1)2 + (𝑦 − 1)2 = 4
 3. Find the equation of the circle whose center is at the origin and which passes
through the point (2,1).

Notice: The radius is the length of the line segment joining (0,0) and (2,1). Thus,

𝑟 = √(2 − 0)2 + (1 − 0)2 ; 𝑟 = √4 + 1 ; 𝑟 = √5. Thus, the equation of a circle is:

2
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = (√5)

𝑥2 + 𝑦2 = 5

4. The small circle is tangent internally at (-2, 0) to a big circle. Find:

a. The equation of each circle.
b. The area of each circle.
c. The area of the shaded region.

By inspection, the small circle is centered

0
at (0,0) and radius 2 units.
The big circle is centered at (2, 0) and
radius 4.
Solution:
a. Equation of small circle: b. 𝐴𝑐 = 𝜋𝑟 2
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 22
𝑥2 + 𝑦2 = 4 Area of a small circle: 𝐴𝑠𝑐 = 𝜋(2)2 = 4𝜋 𝑠𝑞. 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠
Area of a big circle: 𝐴𝑏𝑐 = 𝜋(4)2 = 16𝜋 𝑠𝑞. 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠
Equation of big circle:
(𝑥 − 2)2 + (𝑦 − 0)2 = 42 c. Area of shaded region is 𝐴𝑠𝑟 = 𝐴𝑏𝑐 − 𝐴𝑠𝑐 :
(𝑥 − 2)2 + 𝑦 2 = 16
𝐴𝑠𝑟 = 16𝜋 − 4𝜋 = 12𝜋 𝑠𝑞. 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠

FINDING THE CENTER AND RADIUS GIVEN THE EQUATION

Find the center and radius of the given circle.
1. 𝑥 2 + (𝑦 + 2)2 = 36 Solution: C (0, -2) & r2=36 / r = 6
2. (𝑥 − 1)2 + 𝑦 2 = 1 Solution: C (1, 0) & r = 1
3. (𝑥 + 4)2 + (𝑦 − 3)2 = 16 Solution: C (-4, 3) & r2=16 / r = 4
1
(𝑦−2)2 (𝑥+ )2
2
4. + =1 Solution: Multiply both sides by 9
9 9
1 2
(𝑦 − 2)2 + (𝑥 + 2) = 9 Thus, C (-1/2, 2), r = 3