HonorsMath2NameDateIntroductiontoConicSections.docVIP

Honors Math 2 Name: Date: Introduction to Conic Sections This introduction to conic section is going to focus on what they are and some of the skills needed to work with their equations and graphs. Physical Definitions A double cone is formed when a line segment is revolved around an axis. All conic sections come from the shape exposed when you cut off a section of a cone. How you cut the cone determines the shape. Parabola: The slice is made by cutting parallel to the revolving line. Circle: The slice is made by cutting perpendicular to the center axis. Ellipse: The slice is made by cutting more shallowly than the revolving line (won’t go through the bottom). Hyperbola: The slice is made by cutting more steeply than the revolving line (will go through the bottom). We will be working with slices that are parallel to the center axis. Conic sections are also called quadratic relations. The standard form of a quadratic relation is For most of our work, coefficient B will be zero. This is, in general, the mechanism that rotates the conic sections and will be studied in more depth in a later course. It should be noted that most conic sections are not functions, only relations.There are two skills necessary to work with quadratic relations. The first is completing the square to put it in a form that gives many useful numbers (a vertex form, if you will). The second is solving for y so they can be put in the calculator. Here is an example of both for the relation Completing the Square: Solving for y: Now you can enter both parts of the relation into your calculator and see the graph. Other Important Formulas to Remember The distance between two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is given by: The midpoint between two points is the average of their x- and y-coordinates. A formula would be: Practice Problems For problems #1-4: Use completing the square to put the quadratic relation into the form Solve for y, put the relation in your calcu