What is the formula to find the foci of a hyperbola?
$c^2 = a^2 + b^2$
What is the eccentricity of an ellipse?
$e = \frac{c}{a}$
What is the eccentricity of a hyperbola?
$e = \frac{c}{a}$
What is a conic section?
Shapes formed when a plane intersects a cone.
Define a parabola.
All points equidistant from a focus and a directrix.
What is the vertex of a parabola?
The turning point of the parabola.
Define an ellipse.
A conic section where the sum of the distances from any point on the ellipse to two foci is constant.
What are the foci of an ellipse?
Two special points inside the ellipse used in its definition.
Define a hyperbola.
A conic section formed by the intersection of a plane with a double cone.
What are the asymptotes of a hyperbola?
Lines that the hyperbola approaches as it extends to infinity.
What is the directrix of a parabola?
A line such that every point on the parabola is equidistant from the focus and the directrix.
What is the major axis of an ellipse?
The longest diameter of the ellipse, passing through the center and both foci.
What is the minor axis of an ellipse?
The shortest diameter of the ellipse, passing through the center and perpendicular to the major axis.
How to identify a conic section from its general equation?
Check for squared terms, their coefficients, and the sign between them. No squared term = line. Same coefficients with + = circle. Different coefficients with + = ellipse. - sign = hyperbola. One squared term = parabola.
How to find the center of an ellipse given its equation?
Identify 'h' and 'k' from the standard equation $\frac{(x - h)^2}{a^2} + \frac{(y - k)^2}{b^2} = 1$. The center is (h, k).
How to find the foci of a hyperbola given its equation?
1. Find a and b. 2. Calculate c using $c^2 = a^2 + b^2$. 3. The foci are at (h ± c, k) if horizontal, or (h, k ± c) if vertical.
How to find the vertex of a parabola given its equation?
Identify 'h' and 'k' from the standard equation $(y - k)^2 = a(x - h)$ or $(x - h)^2 = a(y - k)$. The vertex is (h, k).
How to determine the direction a parabola opens?
If the x-term is squared, it opens up or down. If the y-term is squared, it opens left or right. If the coefficient 'a' is positive, it opens up or right; if negative, down or left.
How to find the equation of an ellipse given its foci and major axis length?
1. Find the center (midpoint of foci). 2. Find 'a' (half major axis length). 3. Find 'c' (distance from center to focus). 4. Calculate 'b' using $b^2 = a^2 - c^2$. 5. Write the equation.
How to find the asymptotes of a hyperbola?
For a hyperbola centered at (h, k) with equation $\frac{(x - h)^2}{a^2} - \frac{(y - k)^2}{b^2} = 1$, the asymptotes are $y - k = \pm \frac{b}{a}(x - h)$.
How to convert the general form of a conic section to standard form?
Complete the square for both x and y terms to get the equation into the standard form for the specific conic section.
How to find the directrix of a parabola?
1. Find the vertex (h, k). 2. Determine 'a' from the equation. 3. The directrix is a line y = k - p for parabolas opening up/down or x = h - p for parabolas opening left/right, where p = 1/(4a).
How to determine the major and minor axes of an ellipse from its equation?
Identify 'a' and 'b' in the equation $\frac{(x - h)^2}{a^2} + \frac{(y - k)^2}{b^2} = 1$. The major axis has length 2a, and the minor axis has length 2b.