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Apex Angle

The apex angle of a right circular cone is always less than 90 degrees because it is formed by rotating a right-angled triangle, which has a 90° angle at the base. If the apex angle were 90° or greater, the cone would collapse or not exist as a cone. The formation of a rectangular hyperbola from a cone involves a cutting plane and does not imply that the apex angle is 90°; the 90° condition refers to the asymptotes of the hyperbola.

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ABHISHEK GAUTAM
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1K views1 page

Apex Angle

The apex angle of a right circular cone is always less than 90 degrees because it is formed by rotating a right-angled triangle, which has a 90° angle at the base. If the apex angle were 90° or greater, the cone would collapse or not exist as a cone. The formation of a rectangular hyperbola from a cone involves a cutting plane and does not imply that the apex angle is 90°; the 90° condition refers to the asymptotes of the hyperbola.

Uploaded by

ABHISHEK GAUTAM
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

The apex angle of a right circular cone is always less than 90 degrees—it can

never be equal to or greater than 90 degrees.

Why?
A cone is formed by rotating a right-angled triangle about one of its legs.
The apex angle is part of this triangle, and since the triangle already has a 90°
angle at the base, the sum of the other two angles must be 90°.
This means the apex angle must be less than 90°, as it is one of the two
remaining angles.
Special Cases:
If the apex angle were exactly 90°, the cone would collapse into a flat plane
instead of a 3D shape.
If the apex angle were greater than 90°, the shape wouldn't be a cone at all.
Thus, the apex angle of a right circular cone is always less than 90°.

A rectangular hyperbola is formed when a right circular cone is cut by a plane


perpendicular to the axis, but at an angle to the cone’s base such that it passes
through both nappes of the cone. However, this does not mean that the apex angle
is 90°. Let’s clarify the confusion.

1. Understanding Rectangular Hyperbola Formation


A hyperbola is formed when a plane cuts through both nappes of a double-napped
cone (i.e., an extended cone with two identical parts joined at the vertex).
A rectangular hyperbola is a special case where the asymptotes of the hyperbola
are perpendicular (i.e., they form a 90° angle).
The rectangular hyperbola is defined by its equation:
𝑥
𝑦
=
𝑐
2
xy=c
2

where its asymptotes are perpendicular to each other.


2. Is the Apex Angle of the Cone 90°?
No, the apex angle of the cone is always less than 90° in a right circular cone.
A rectangular hyperbola is formed based on how the plane intersects the double
cone, not because the apex angle is 90°.
The 90° condition comes from the asymptotes of the hyperbola, not from the cone's
apex angle.
3. Key Takeaway
A rectangular hyperbola is formed by a specific cutting plane, but the original
cone still has an apex angle less than 90°.
The 90° angle in a rectangular hyperbola refers to the asymptotes, not the apex
angle of the cone.

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