3RD QUARTER EXAMINATIONS REVIEWER

PRECALCULUS

A. CONIC SECTIONS

General Form: 𝑨𝒙𝟐 + 𝑪𝒚𝟐 + 𝑫𝒙 + 𝑬𝒚 + 𝑭 = 𝟎

where…

• A = C, circle
• A = 0 or C = 0, no term defined, parabola
• A ≠ C, same signs, ellipse
• A ≠ C, opposite signs, hyperbola

𝑥!+𝑥2 𝑦1 +𝑦2
Midpoint Formula: ( , )
2 2

1. Circle

• set of all points in an xy plane that is equidistant from a fixed point: center.
• distance formula: 𝑑 = √(𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) + (𝑦1 + 𝑦2 ) or 𝑑 2 = (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) + (𝑦1 + 𝑦2 )

Standard Form (h, k): (𝑥 − 𝒉)2 + (𝑦 − 𝒌)2 = 𝒓𝟐

ex. (𝑥 − 𝟐)2 + (𝑦 + 𝟖)2 = 𝟖𝟏

Center: (2, -8)

radius: r = √81

Standard Form (origin or 0,0): 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 𝑟 2

Translating General Form to Standard Form (can be applied to other conic sections)

𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 6𝑥 + 8𝑦 + 9 = 0 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 … 𝑨 = 𝑪

1. Join all x terms and y terms, while placing the constant on one side.

(𝑥 2 + 6𝑥+ ? ) + (𝑦 2 + 8𝑦+ ? ) = −9

2. Complete the square to have perfect trinomials in x and y. Divide 2nd term by 2 and square.

(𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 + 9) + (𝑦 2 + 8𝑦 + 16) = −9 + 9 + 16

*what you do one side, you do on the other

3. Factor the trinomials to get the standard form.

𝑺𝑭: (𝒙 + 𝟑)𝟐 + (𝒚 + 𝟒)𝟐 = 𝟏𝟔

2. Parabola

Standard Form: 𝒚 = 𝒂𝒙𝟐 + 𝒃𝒙 + 𝒄 or 𝒙 = 𝒂𝒚𝟐 + 𝒃𝒚 + 𝒄

Intercept Form: 𝒚 = 𝒂(𝒙 − 𝒑)(𝒙 − 𝒒) or 𝒙 = 𝒂(𝒚 − 𝒑)(𝒚 − 𝒒)

Vertex Form (h, k):

𝒙 = 𝒂(𝒚 − 𝒌)𝟐 + 𝒉 or 𝒚 = 𝒂(𝒙 − 𝒉)𝟐 + 𝒌

(𝒚 − 𝒌)𝟐 = 𝟒𝒑(𝒙 − 𝒉) or (𝒙 − 𝒉)𝟐 = 𝟒𝒑(𝒚 − 𝒌)

Vertex Form (origin or 0,0):

𝟏
𝒙𝟐 = 𝟒𝒑𝒚 or 𝒙 = 𝒚
𝟒𝒑

𝟏
𝒚𝟐 = 𝟒𝒑𝒙 or 𝒚 = 𝟒𝒑 𝒙

1 1
where… 𝑎 = 4𝑝 and 𝑝 = 4𝑎; 4p is the focal distance from focus to vertex

Properties:

1. Opening – when a/p is positive (up in y, right in x), when a/p is negative (down in y,
left in x)

2. Vertex – origin or (h,k)

3. Axis of Symmetry – line in x or y that shows equal parts of the parabola *what is squared
in the equation

4. Focus – in front of the vertex

5. Directrix – opposite of the focus (equal distance with respect to focus – vertex that is
vertex – directrix) *what is linear in the equation

6. Latus Rectum – 4p, length of chord which passes through the focus of the parabola
3. Ellipse

Standard Form (h, k):

(𝒙 − 𝒉)𝟐 (𝒚 − 𝒌)𝟐 (𝒙 − 𝒉)𝟐 (𝒚 − 𝒌)𝟐

+ = 𝟏 or + =𝟏
𝒂𝟐 𝒃𝟐 𝒃𝟐 𝒂𝟐

Standard Form (origin or 0,0):

𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟐 𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟐
+ = 𝟏 or + =𝟏
𝒂𝟐 𝒃𝟐 𝒃𝟐 𝒂𝟐

Properties:

1. Major axis – 𝑎2 , longest segment, horizontal if in x, vertical if in y

2. minor axis – 𝑏2 , shortest segment

3. Foci – 𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 − 𝑏2

4. Hyperbola

Standard Form (origin or 0,0):

𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟐 𝒚𝟐 𝒙𝟐
− = 𝟏 or − =𝟏
𝒂𝟐 𝒃𝟐 𝒂𝟐 𝒃𝟐

Properties:

1. Opening – if in x: left or right, if in y: up or down

2. Transverse Axis – 𝑎2 , longest, horizontal in x, vertical in y

3. Conjugate Axis – 𝑏2 , shortest segment

4. Foci – 𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏2
𝑎
5. Asymptote – given by 𝑦 = ± 𝑏 𝑥 then 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑦 = 0 for its linear equation

Good Luck on your Exams! – Jm Rojas, 2024