Lesson 1 Precalculus

Lesson 1.
Introduction to Conic
Sections
Precalculus / Basic Calculus

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
The planets,
comets, and stars
take a path that
corresponds to
one of the conic
sections, which
are: ellipse,
parabola,
hyperbola, and
circle.
2
What does each conic section
look like?
3
Learning Competency
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:
Illustrate the different types of conic sections:

parabola, ellipse, circle, hyperbola, and
degenerate cases (STEM_PC11AG-ia-1)
4
Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Generate conic sections from the intersection of a

plane and a cone.
● Identify the conic sections: parabola, ellipse, circle,

hyperbola, and degenerate cases.
● Locate the common parts of the conic sections.
5
Conic Sections
Conic sections are obtained from the intersection

between a double-napped cone and a plane.
6
Parabola
Parabolas are formed when the plane is parallel to the

generating line of one cone.
7
Ellipse
Ellipses are formed when the plane intersects the one

cone at an angle other than .
8
Hyperbola
Hyperbolas are formed when the plane is parallel to the

axis of revolution or the -axis
9
Circle
Circles are formed when the intersection of the plane is

perpendicular to the axis of revolution.
10
Degenerate Conic Sections
Degenerate conic sections are formed when a plane

intersects the cone in such a way that it passes through
the apex.
11
Two Intersecting lines
12
Single Line
13
Single Point
14
15
Common Parts of the Conic Sections
Vertex (with horizontal axis)

- an extreme point on a parabola, hyperbola, and ellipse
16
Vertex (with vertical axis)

- an extreme point on a parabola, hyperbola, and ellipse
17
Focus and Directrix (with horizontal axis)

These are the point and the line on a conic section that
are used to define and construct the curve, respectively.
18
Focus and Directrix (with vertical axis)

These are the point and the line on a conic section that
are used to define and construct the curve, respectively.
19
Center
It is the midpoint between the two foci of an ellipse and
hyperbola.
20
Center
For circles, center is the point

equidistant from any point on
the surface.
21
What are the different conic
sections and their common
parts?
22
Let’s Practice!
If a cone shaped pita bread

was cut as shown in the figure
on the right, which curve will
be formed between the
intersection of the knife and
the pita bread?
23
Let’s Practice!
If a cone shaped pita bread was cut as shown in the

figure below, which curve will be formed between
the intersection of the knife and the pita bread?
parabola
24
Try It!
An ice cream cone was cut

by a knife to get only the
bottom part filled with
chocolates as shown below.
What curve was formed
between the intersection
of the knife and the ice
cream cone?
25
Let’s Practice!
Given the curve on the

Cartesian plane, identify
the vertex, focus, and
directrix.
26
Let’s Practice!
Given the curve on the Cartesian plane, identify the

vertex, focus, and directrix.
Vertex : ; Focus : ; Directrix :
27
Try It!
Given the curve on the Cartesian plane,
identify the focus, vertex, and directrix.
28
Let’s Practice!
Identify the coordinates of the foci and center of

the graph below.
29
Let’s Practice!
Identify the coordinates of the foci and center of the

graph below.
Foci : ; Center :
30
Try It!
Identify the foci and the center of the
graph below.
31
Let’s Practice!
Plot the curve of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis Missouri, United
States on a Cartesian plane if its vertex is at the origin, with a
focus at . Give the type of conic and solve for its directrix.
32
Let’s Practice!
Plot the curve of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis Missouri, United
States on a Cartesian plane if its vertex is at the origin, with a
focus at . Give the type of conic and solve for its directrix.
33
Let’s Practice!
Plot the curve of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis

Missouri, United States on a Cartesian plane if its
vertex is at the origin, with a focus at . Give the type
of conic and solve for its directrix.
The directrix is
34
Try It!
Plot this plane figure of a football on a
Cartesian Plane. If the length of the
football is 12 in, height is 8 in, center at ,
and foci at and , give the type of conic,
and solve for its directrix.
35
Check Your Understanding
Identify the conic section or the part that is being

described.
1. These are the conic sections that are formed when the
plane intersects the double-napped cone in a way that it
passes through the apex.
2. This conic section is formed when the plane is parallel to
the axis of revolution.
3. It is the midpoint of the two foci for ellipse and
hyperbola. 36
Using the image,

complete the table and
solve for the directrix
given the vertices and
foci.
37
Vertex/ Focus/
Conics Directrix
Vertices Foci
(1) (4)
(2) (5)
(3) (6)
38
Analyze and solve the problem below.
Make an approximate sketch of the curve of the Eiffel Tower

on the cartesian plane, with its center at , and say that the
vertices is at and the foci is at Give the type of conic
section, and its directrix.
39
Let’s Sum It Up!
● Conic sections are curves obtained from the

intersection between a double-napped cone and
a plane.
● There are basically three types of conic sections:

parabola, hyperbola, and ellipse. A circle is a
type of ellipse and is sometimes considered as
the fourth conic section.
40
Let’s Sum It Up!
● A parabola is formed when the plane is parallel

to the generating line of one cone.
● An ellipse is formed when the plane intersects

the cone at an angle other than .
● A hyperbola is formed when the plane is parallel

to the axis of revolution or the 𝑦-axis.
41
Let’s Sum It Up!
● A circle is formed when the intersection of the

plane is perpendicular to the axis of revolution.
● Degenerate conic sections are formed when the

plane intersects the cone in such a way that it
passes through the apex.
42
Let’s Sum It Up!
● The conic sections have common parts, which are

the vertex, the focus, directrix, and the center
for ellipse and hyperbola.
● Vertex is an extreme point on a parabola and

hyperbola.
43
Let’s Sum It Up!
● The focus and directrix are the point and the line
on a conic section that are used to define and
construct the curve, respectively.
● Center is the midpoint between the two foci of an

ellipse and hyperbola.
● For circles, the center is the point equidistant

from any point on the surface. 44
Challenge Yourself
A glass was placed on the table. If
you hold a flashlight as shown below,
what kind of curve will be formed by
its shadow?
45
Photo Credits
● Slide no.2: 01 The Solar System PIA10231, mod02 by Image Editor is licensed under CC By 2.0
via Flickr.
● Slide no.32: Gateway Arch St. Louis from Illinois by Mobilus In Mobili is licensed under
CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr.
● Slide no.35: American Football 1.svg by feraliminal is licensed under CC0 1.0 via
Wikimedia Commons.
46
Bibliography
Boeckmann, Catherine. “What Are Perihelion and Aphelion?” Old Farmer's Almanac. Accessed January
7, 2020 from https://www.almanac.com/content/what-aphelion-and-perihelion.
“Conic Section Directrix.” Wolfram MathWorld. Accessed December 6, 2019 from

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/ConicSectionDirectrix.html#:~:targetText=The%20directrix%20of%20
a%20conic,being%20the%20constant%20of%20proportionality
.
“Introduction to Conic Sections.” Lumen. Accessed December 5, 2019 from

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-algebra/chapter/introduction-to-conic-sections/.
James Stewart, Lothar Redlin, and Saleem Watson, Precalculus Mathematics for Calculus, 7th Edition
(Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2016).
Ron Larson, Precalculus, 9th Edition (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2013).
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion.” Encyclopædia

Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., October 31, 2019.
https://www.britannica.com/science/Keplers-laws-of-planetary-motion.
47

Lesson 1 Precalculus

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Lesson 1 Precalculus

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Lesson 1.

Precalculus / Basic Calculus

Illustrate the different types of conic sections:

● Generate conic sections from the intersection of a

● Identify the conic sections: parabola, ellipse, circle,

● Locate the common parts of the conic sections.

Conic sections are obtained from the intersection

Parabolas are formed when the plane is parallel to the

Ellipses are formed when the plane intersects the one

Hyperbolas are formed when the plane is parallel to the

Circles are formed when the intersection of the plane is

Degenerate conic sections are formed when a plane

Two Intersecting lines

Vertex (with horizontal axis)

Vertex (with vertical axis)

Focus and Directrix (with horizontal axis)

Focus and Directrix (with vertical axis)

For circles, center is the point

If a cone shaped pita bread

If a cone shaped pita bread was cut as shown in the

An ice cream cone was cut

Given the curve on the

Given the curve on the Cartesian plane, identify the

Vertex : ; Focus : ; Directrix :

Identify the coordinates of the foci and center of

Identify the coordinates of the foci and center of the

Plot the curve of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis

Identify the conic section or the part that is being

Using the image,

Analyze and solve the problem below.

Make an approximate sketch of the curve of the Eiffel Tower

● Conic sections are curves obtained from the

● There are basically three types of conic sections:

● A parabola is formed when the plane is parallel

● An ellipse is formed when the plane intersects

● A hyperbola is formed when the plane is parallel

● A circle is formed when the intersection of the

● Degenerate conic sections are formed when the

● The conic sections have common parts, which are

● Vertex is an extreme point on a parabola and

● Center is the midpoint between the two foci of an

● For circles, the center is the point equidistant

“Conic Section Directrix.” Wolfram MathWorld. Accessed December 6, 2019 from

“Introduction to Conic Sections.” Lumen. Accessed December 5, 2019 from

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion.” Encyclopædia

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