MATHEMATICS PROJECT

DIVYA

XI A

CONIC SECTIONS

HISTORY

The names parabola and hyperbola are given by

APOLLONIUS.These curves are in fact, known as
CONIC SECTIONS or more commonly CONICS
because they can be obtained as intersections of a plane
with a double napped right circular cone. These curves
have a very wide range of application in fields such as
planetary motion, design of telescopes and reflectors in
flash lights and automobile headlights, etc.

SECTIONS OF A
CONE
Let l be a fixed vertical line and m
be another line intersecting it at a
fixed point V and inclined to it at an
angle .
Suppose we rotate the line m
around the line l in such a way that
the angle remains constant.
Then the surface generated is a
double-napped right circular hollow
cone herein after referred as cone
and extending indefinitely far in
both directions.

The point V is called the vertex;

The line l is the axis of the cone.
The rotating line m is called a generator
of the cone. The vertex separates the cone
into two parts called nappes.
If we take the intersection of a plane with
a cone, the section so obtained is called a
conic section.
Thus, conic sections are the curves
obtained by intersecting a right circular
cone by a plane.
Let be the angle made by the
intersecting plane with the vertical axis.
The intersection of the plane can take place
in any axis.

CONIC SECTION
When a right circular cone is intersected by a plane, the curves obtained
are known as conic sections.
If the plane which cuts the cone is parallel the generator, then the conic
section obtained is called PARABOLA.
When the plane which cuts the cone is not parallel to the generator, then
the conic section obtained is called an ELLIPSE.
When the plane which cuts the cone is parallel to the axis, then the conic
section is called HYPERBOLA .

Conic Sections
When the plane cuts the nappe (other than the vertex) of the cone, we
have the following situations :

(a) When = 90, the section is a

circle.

(b) When < < 90, the section is

an ellipse.

(c) When = ; the section is a

parabola

(d) When 0 < ; the plane cuts

through both the nappes and the
curves of intersection is a hyperbola

When the plane cuts at the vertex of the cone, we have the
following different cases:

(a) When < 90o, then the

section is a point

(b) When = , the plane contains a

generator of the cone and the
section is a straight line. It is the
degenerated case of a parabola.

CIRCLE

Circ
le

A Circle is the set of all points in a plane that are equidistant

from a fixed point in the plane.

The fixed point is called the centre of the circle and the
distance from the centre to a point on the circle is called the
radius of the circle

EQUATION OF A CIRCLE
Given C (h, k) be the centre and r the radius of circle. Let P(x,
y) be any point on the circle. Then, by the definition, | CP | =
r . By the distance formula,

(x-h)2 + (y-k)2 =
r2

PARABOLA

Parab
ola

A parabola is the set of all points in a plane that are equidistant

from a fixed line and a fixed point (not on the line) in the plane.

The fixed line is called the

directrix of the parabola and
the fixed point F is called the
focus .(Para means for and
bola means throwing, i.e.,
the shape described when you
throw a ball in the air).

A line through the focus

and perpendicular to the
directrix is called the axis
of the parabola. The point
of
intersection
of
parabola with the axis is
called the vertex of the
parabola.

STANDARD EQUATION
OF PARABOLA
Let F be the focus and l the
directrix.
Let FM be perpendicular to the
directrix and bisect FM at the point
O.
Produce MO to X.

X
F (a,0)

By the definition of parabola, the

mid-point O is on the parabola and
Y
is called the vertex of the parabola.
Take O as origin, OX as x-axis and OY perpendicular to it as the yaxis.
Let the distance from the directrix to the focus be 2a.

Then, the coordinates of the focus are (a, 0), and the equation of
the directrix is x + a = 0.
Let P(x, y) be any point on the
parabola such that PF = PB, ... (1)
where PB is perpendicular to l.
Y

l
(-a, y) B
X

P
(x,y)
O

x = -a

The coordinates of B are ( a, y).

X
F (a,0)

By the distance formula, we have

PF = (x a)2 + y2 and PB = (x + a)2
Since PF = PB, we have
(x a)2 + y2 = (x + a)2

x2 2ax + a2 + y2 = x2 + 2ax + a2
y2 = 4ax ( a > 0).

Or
,

(2)

And so, P(x, y) lies on the

parabola.

LATUS RECTUM
Latus rectum of a parabola is a line segment perpendicular to
the axis of the parabola, through the focus and whose end
points lie on the parabola.
To find the Length of the latus
rectum of the parabola y2 = 4ax.

By the definition of the parabola,

AF = AC.
But AC = FM = 2a
Hence AF = 2a.

And since the parabola is symmetric with

respect to x-axis AF = FB and so
AB = Length of the latus rectum = 4a.

F (a, 0)

PARABOLA OF THE TYPE, y2=-4ax , a>0

CHARACTRISTICS
Focus (-a,0)
Equation of the axis is y= 0
Equation of the directrix is x-a= 0
Length of the latus rectum = 4a units

PARABOLA OF THE TYPE , x2=4ay , a>0

CHARACTRISTICS
Focus (0,a)
Equation of the axis is x= 0
Equation of the directrix is y+a= 0
Length of the latus rectum = 4a units

PARABOLA OF THE TYPE , x2=-4ay , a>0

CHARACTRISTICS
Focus (0,-a)
Equation of the axis is x= 0
Equation of the directrix is y-a= 0
Length of the latus rectum = 4a units

ELLIPSE

Ellipse
An ellipse is the set of all points in a plane, the sum of whose
distances from two fixed points in the plane is a constant.

P1

P2

Focus
F1

P3

Focus
F2

P1F1 + P1F2 = P2F1 + P2F2 = P3F1 +

P3F2

The two fixed points are called the foci (plural of focus) of the
ellipse.

The mid point of the line segment joining the foci is called the
centre of the ellipse.
The line segment through the foci of the ellipse is called the
major axis.
The line segment through the centre and perpendicular to the
major axis is called the minor axis.
The end points of the major axis are called the vertices of the
ellipse.
We denote the length of the major axis by 2a, the length of the
minor axis by 2b and the distance between the foci by 2ae (2c).
Thus the length of the semi major axis is a and that of the semi
minor axis is b.

STANDARD EQUATION OF THE ELLIPSE:-

Let F1 and F2 be the foci and 0 be the mid-point of the

line segment F1 , F2. let 0 be the origin and the line from
0 through F1 be the positive s-axis and through F2 as
the negative axis. Let the line through 0 perpendicular
to the x-axis be the y-axis. Let the coordinates of F1 and
F2 be F1(ae,0) and F2(-ae,0). Let P(x,y) be any point on
the ellipse. Such that sum of the distance from P to the
two foci be 2a.
By definition of the ellipse,
PF1+PF2= constant
PF1+PF2=2a

= 2a

Squaring both the sides,

x2+2xae+a2e2+y2=4a2-4a
x2+2xae+a2e2=4a2-4a

+y2 +(x-ae)2+y2
+x2-2xae+a2e2

4xae=4a2-4a
4a(xe)= 4a [a]
=a-xe
Squaring again,
x2-2xae+a2e2+y2= a2-2xae+x2e2
(x2-x2e2)+y2= a2-a2e2

x2(1-e2)+y2= a2(1-e)2

, where b2= a2(1- e2)

Here AB and CD are the latus rectum

Let AF1= k(say)
Therefore, (ae,k)
Since A(ae,k) lies on
,

b2=a2(1-e2)

Therefore, length of the latus rectum =

units

ECCENTRICITY:The eccentricity of an ellipse is the ratio of the distance from the

center of the ellipse to one of the foci and to one of the vertices of the
ellipse and is denoted by e.

Ellipse of the type,

(Major
axis along y-axis )

Vertex (0,a)
Foci (0, ae)
Length of the minor
axis =2a
Length of the latus
rectum =
units

HYPERBOLA

THE HYPERBOLA

The plane that intersects the cone is

parallel to the axis of symmetry of
the cone.

HYPERBOLA:A hyperbola is the set of all the points in a plane the difference
of whose distance from two fixed points in the plane is the
constant.

The

two fixed points are called the foci of the hyperbola.

The mid-point of the line segment joining the foci is
called the centre of the hyperbola.
The line through the foci is called the TRANSVERSE
AXIS and the line through the centre and perpendicular to
the transverse axis is called the CONJUGATE AXIS.
The points at which the hyperbola intersects the
transverse axis are called the VERTEX of the hyperbola.
Distance between two foci =2ae. Length of the transverse
axis =2a and the length of the conjugate axis =2b.

STANDARD EQUATION OF HYPERBOLA:-

Let F1 and F2 be the foci 0 be the mid-point of the line

segment F1 ,F2. Let 0 be the origin and the line through 0,
through F1 be the positive x-axis and through F2 be the
negative x-axis. The line through 0 perpendicular to x-axis
be the y-axis. Let the coordinates of F1 and F2 be F1(ae, 0)
and F2(-ae, 0).
Let P(x,y) be any point on the hyperbola, such that
PF2-PF1 =2a
PF2 =2a+PF1
(x+ae)2+y2=4a2+4a

+ (x-ae)2+y2

x2+2xae+a2e2 =4a2+4a
4xae-4a2 =4a
4a(xe-a) =4a
(xe-a)2 =(x-ae)2+y2
x2e2-2xae+a2=x2-2xae+a2e2+y2
(x2e2-x2)-y2 =a2e2-a2
x2(e2-1)-y2 =a2(e2-1)

+x2-2xae+a2e2

, where b2 =a2(e2-1)

HYPERBOLA OF THE TYPE

Vertices

(0, a)
Foci (0, ae)

THANK YOU
Thank you for
your kind
attention. This
power point
presentation was
created by Divya
of class XI A, K.V
A.S.C Centre[S].
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