Hyperbolas

Definition: Hyperbola
A hyperbola is the set of all points in a plane whose
distances from two fixed points in the plane have a
constant difference. The fixed points are the foci of the
hyperbola. The line through the foci is the focal axis.
The point on the focal axis midway between the foci is
the center. The points where the hyperbola intersects
its focal axis are the vertices of the hyperbola.

How is this different from an ellipse???

Definition: Hyperbola

Focus Vertex Vertex Focus

Center

Focal Axis
 Deriving the Equation of a Hyperbola
x  a xa Notice:

P  x, y 
ca
PF1  PF2  2a
F1  c, 0  0 F2  c, 0  PF2  PF1  2a
Combining:
PF1  PF2  2a
Distance Formula:

 x  c   y  0   x  c   y  0   2a
2 2 2 2
 Deriving the Equation of a Hyperbola
 x  c   y  0   x  c   y  0   2a
2 2 2 2

 x  c  x  c
2 2
 y  2a 
2
y 2

 x  c
2
x  2cx  c  y  4a  4a
2 2 2 2
 y 2  x 2  2cx  c 2  y 2

 x  c
2
a  y  a  cx
2 2

a 2
x 2
 2cx  c  y 2 2
 a 4
 2a cx  c x
2 2 2

a x  2a cx  a c  a y  a  2a cx  c x
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 2 2 2
 Deriving the Equation of a Hyperbola
a x  2a cx  a c  a y  a  2a cx  c x
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 2 2 2

c 2
a 2
x 2
a y  a c a
2 2 2 2 2

Let b c a
2 2 2

b x a y  a b
2 2 2 2 2 2

2 2
Divide both sides by ab
2 2
x y
2
 2
 1
a b
 Deriving the Equation of a Hyperbola
2 2
x y
2
 2 1
a b
This equation is the standard form of the equation of a hyperbola
centered at the origin with the x-axis as its focal axis.
2 2
When the y-axis is the focal axis? y x
2
 2 1
a b
Chord – segment with endpoints on the hyperbola
Transverse Axis – chord lying on the focal axis, connecting
the vertices (length = 2a)
Conjugate Axis – segment (length = 2b) that is perp. to the
focal axis and has the center of the hyperbola as its midpoint
 Deriving the Equation of a Hyperbola
2 2
x y
2
 2 1
a b
This equation is the standard form of the equation of a hyperbola
centered at the origin with the x-axis as its focal axis.
2 2
When the y-axis is the focal axis? y x
2
 2 1
a b
Semitransverse Axis – the number “a”
Semiconjugate Axis – the number “b”
 Deriving the Equation of a Hyperbola
2 2
x y
The hyperbola
2
 2 1
a b
has two asymptotes, which can be found by replacing the “1”
in the equation with a “0”:

x2
y 2 b
 2 0 Solve for y y x
a 2
b a
2 2
Drawing Practice: x y
Steps to sketching the hyperbola
2
 2
 1
a b
 Hyperbolas with Center (0, 0)
2 2 2 2
x y y x
• Standard
2
 2 1 2
 2 1
Equation a b a b
• Focal Axis x-axis y-axis
• Foci   c, 0   0, c 
• Vertices   a, 0   0,  a 
• Semitrans. Axis a a
• Semiconj. Axis b b
• Pythagorean c  a b
2 2 2
c  a b
2 2 2
Relation
b a
• Asymptotes y x y x
a b
 Hyperbolas with Center (0, 0)
b
y x
a 2 2
x y
2
 2 1
a b
  a, 0   a, 0 
  c, 0   c, 0 

b
y x
a
 Hyperbolas with Center (0, 0)
2 2
y x
 2 1 a
2
a b  0, c  y x
b
 0, a 

 0, a 
a
 0, c  y x
b
 Guided Practice
Find the vertices and the foci of the hyperbola 4 x  9 y  36
2 2

2 2
x y Sketch the
Standard Equation:  1 hyperbola?
9 4
a  9 b  4 c  a  b  13
2 2 2 2 2

Vertices:  3, 0  Foci:  13, 0 

 Guided Practice
Find an equation of the hyperbola with foci (0, –3) and (0, 3)
whose conjugate axis has length 4. Sketch the hyperbola and
its asymptotes, and support your sketch with a grapher.
2 2
y x c=3 b=2
General Equation:
2
 2 1 a= 5
a b
The Sketch???
2 2
y x
  1 y   5 1  x 
2
Standard Equation:
5 4  
 4
Let’s see some hyperbolas whose centers are not on the origin…
b
y   x  h  k
a

 h  a, k   h  a, k 
 h, k 
 h  c, k   h  c, k 
yk

b
y    x  h  k
a
Let’s see some hyperbolas whose centers are not on the origin…

xh
a
 h, k  c  y   x  h  k
b
 h, k  a 
 h, k 
 h, k  a 
a
 h, k  c  y    x  h  k
b
 Hyperbolas with Center (h, k)
 x  h  y k
2 2
• Standard Equation
2
 2
1
a b
• Focal Axis yk
• Foci  h  c, k 
• Vertices
 h  a, k 
• Semitransverse Axis a
• Semiconjugate Axis b
• Pythagorean Relation c
2
 a b
2 2

b
• Asymptotes
y    x  h  k
a
 Hyperbolas with Center (h, k)
 y k  x  h
2 2
• Standard Equation
2
 2
1
a b
• Focal Axis xh
• Foci  h, k  c 
• Vertices
 h, k  a 
• Semitransverse Axis a
• Semiconjugate Axis b
• Pythagorean Relation c
2
 a b
2 2

a
• Asymptotes
y    x  h  k
b
Guided Practice
Find the standard form of the equation for the hyperbola
whose transverse axis has endpoints (–2, –1) and (8, –1),
and whose conjugate axis has length 8.

   
Start with a diagram? 2 2
xh yk
General Equation:
2
 2
1
a b
The center is the midpoint
of the transverse axis:  h, k    3, 1
Guided Practice
Find the standard form of the equation for the hyperbola
whose transverse axis has endpoints (–2, –1) and (8, –1),
and whose conjugate axis has length 8.
Semitransverse Axis: Semiconjugate Axis:
8   2  8
a 5 b 4
2 2

 x  3  y  1
2 2

Specific Equation:  1
25 16
Guided Practice
Find the center, vertices, and foci of the given hyperbola.

 x  2  y  5
2 2

 1 The graph?
9 49
Center:  2,5 a  3 b  7 c  58
Vertices:  2  3,5    1,5  ,  5,5 

Foci:  2  58,5    5.616,5  ,  9.616,5 

Guided Practice
Find an equation in standard form for the hyperbola with
transverse axis endpoints (–2, –2) and (–2, 7), slope of
one asymptote 4/3. Start with a graph?

Center is the midpoint  5

 h, k    2, 
of the transverse axis:
 2
9
Find a, the semi-transverse axis: a 
2
92 4 27
Asymptote slope is a/b:  b
b 3 8
Guided Practice
Find an equation in standard form for the hyperbola with
transverse axis endpoints (–2, –2) and (–2, 7), slope of
one asymptote 4/3.
 y k  x  h
2 2

General equation:
2
 2
1
a b
 y  5 2  x  2
2 2

Plug in data:  1
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