MATHS CONIC SECTIONS

Conic Sections
Key Concepts

1. 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 .

On rotating the line m around the line l in such a way that the angle  remains constant, the surface
generated is a double-napped right-circular hollow cone.

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2. The point V is called the vertex while 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.

3. The sections obtained by cutting a double napped cone with a plane are called conic sections. Conic
sections are of two types (i) degenerate conics (ii) non-degenerate conics.

4. If the cone is cut at its vertex by the plane, then degenerate conics are obtained.

5. If the cone is cut at the nappes by the plane, then non-degenerate conics are obtained.

6. Degenerate conics are points, lines and double lines.

7. Circle, parabola, ellipse and hyperbola are degenerate conics.

8. When the plane cuts the nappes (other than at the vertex) of the cone, degenerate conics are
obtained.

(a) When  = 90°, the section is a circle.

The plane cuts the cone horizontally.

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(b) When  <  < 90o, the section is an ellipse.

Ellipse

The plane cuts one part of the cone in an inclined manner

(c) When  = , the section is a parabola.

Parabola

The plane cuts the cone in such a way that it is parallel to a generator.

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(d) When 0   < , the plane cuts through both the nappes the curve of intersection is a
hyperbola.

Hyperbola

The plane cuts both parts of the cone.

9. When the plane cuts at the vertex of the cone, we get the following different cases:

(a) When  <  90°, the section is a point.

Point
It is a degenerated case of a circle.

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(b) When  = , the plane contains a generator of the cone and the section is a straight line.

Line

It is the degenerated case of a parabola.

(c) When 0   < , the section is a pair of intersecting straight lines. It is the degenerated case
of a hyperbola.

Double Line

10. A circle is the set of all points in a plane which are equidistant from a fixed point in the plane.

11. 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.

In the circle, O is the centre and OA = OB = OC are the radii.

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12. If the centre of a circle is (h, k) and the radius is r, then the equation of the circle is given by (x − h)2 +
(y − k)2 = r 2

13. A circle with radius of length zero is a point circle.

14. If the centre of a circle radius is r is at the origin, then the equation of the circle is given by
x2 + y2 = r 2.

15. If three points lie on the circle and if we prove that the fourth point also lies on the circle, then the four
points are concyclic.

16. A parabola is the locus of a point, which moves in a plane in such a way that its distance from a fixed
point (not on the line) in the plane is equal to its distance from a fixed straight line in the same plane.

17. If a fixed point is on a fixed line, then the set of points which are equidistant from the line and focus
will be a straight line which passes through the fixed point focus and perpendicular to the given line.
This straight line is the degenerate case of the parabola.

18. The fixed line is called the directrix of the parabola and the fixed point F is called the focus.

19. ‘Para’ means ‘for’ and ‘bola’ means ‘throwing’. The path taken by the trajectory of a rocket artillery
etc. are parabolic. One of nature’s best known approximations to parabolas is the path taken by a
body projected upward and obliquely to the pull of gravity, as in the parabolic trajectory of a golf ball.

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20. A line through the focus and perpendicular to the directrix is called the axis of the parabola. The point
of intersection of the parabola with the axis is called the vertex of the parabola.

21. A chord of a parabola is the line segment joining any two points on the parabola. If the chord passes
through the focus, then it is called the focal chord. LM and PQ are both chords, but PQ is the focal
chord.

22. The chord which passes through the focus is called the focal chord. The focal chord perpendicular to
the axis is called the latus rectum of the parabola.

23. Any chord perpendicular to the axis of a parabola is called a double ordinate.

24. The equation of a parabola is simplest if the vertex is at the origin and the axis of symmetry is along
the x-axis or the y-axis. The four such possible orientations of a parabola are shown below:

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25. In terms of loci, the conic sections can be defined as follows:

Given a line Z and point F not on Z, a conic is the locus of a point P such that the distance from P to F
divided by the distance from P to Z is constant, i.e. PF/PM = e, which is a constant called
eccentricity.
In case of parabola eccentricity, e = 1

26. Parabola is symmetric with respect to its axis. If the equation has a y2 term, then the axis of symmetry
is along the x-axis and if the equation has an x2 term, then the axis of symmetry is along the y-axis.

27. When the axis of symmetry is along the x-axis, the parabola opens to the
(a) Right if the coefficient of x is positive.
(b) Left if the coefficient of x is negative.

28. When the axis of symmetry is along the Y-axis, the parabola opens
(c) Upwards if the coefficient of y is positive.
(d) Downwards if the coefficient of y is negative.

29. An ellipse is the set of all points in a plane, the sum of whose distance from two fixed points in the
plane is constant. These two fixed points are called the foci. For instance, if F1 and F2 are the foci and
P1, P2 and P3 are the points on the ellipse, then

P1F1 + P1F2 = P2F1 + P2F2 = P3F1 + P3F2 is a constant and this constant is more than the distance
between the two foci.

30. An ellipse is the locus of a point which moves in such a way that its distance from a fixed point
(called focus) bears a constant ratio to its distance from a fixed line (called directrix). The ratio e is
called the eccentricity of the ellipse. For an ellipse, e < 1.

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31. Eccentricity is a measure of the flatness of the ellipse. The eccentricity of a conic section is a
measure of how far it deviates from being circular.

32. Terms associated with ellipse:

(a) The midpoint of the line segment joining the foci is called the centre of the ellipse. In the figure, O
is the centre of ellipse. For the simplest ellipse, the centre is at the origin.
(b) The line segment through the foci of the ellipse is called the major axis and the line segment
through the centre and perpendicular to the major axis is called the minor axis. In the figure below
AB is the major axis and CD is the minor axis. In case of the simplest ellipse, the two axes are along
the coordinate axes. The two axes intersect at the centre of ellipse.
(c) Major axes represent the longer sections of the parabola and the foci lie on the major axes.
(d) The end points of the major axis are called the vertices of the ellipse.

33. If the distance from each vertex on the major axis to the centre be a, then the length of the major axis
is 2a. Similarly, if the distance of each vertex on the minor axis to the centre is b, then the length of
the minor axis is 2b. Finally, the distance from each focus to the centre is c. Hence, the distance
between foci is 2c.

34. Semi-major axis a, semi-minor axis b and the distance of focus from the centre c are connected by
the relation a2 = b2 + c2 or c2 = a2 − b2.

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35. In the equation c2 = a2 – b2, if ‘a’ is fixed and ‘c’ varies from 0 to a, then the resulting ellipses will vary
in shape.
Case (i) When c = 0, both foci merge together with the centre of the ellipse and a 2 = b2, i.e. a = b, and
thus the ellipse becomes a circle. Thus, the circle is a special case of an ellipse.

Case (ii) When c = a, b = 0. The ellipse reduces to the line segment F1F2 joining the two foci.

36. The eccentricity of an ellipse is the ratio of the distances from the centre of the ellipse to one of the
c
foci and one of the vertices of the ellipse. Eccentricity is denoted by e, i.e. e  .
a

37. For the standard form of ellipses having the centre at the origin and the major and minor axis as
coordinate axes, there are two possible orientations:

38. An ellipse is symmetric with respect to both the coordinate axes and across the origin. If (x, y) is a
point on the ellipse, then (−x, y), (x, −y) and (−x, y) are also points on the ellipse.

39. Because the ellipse is symmetric across the y-axis, it follows another point F2(−c,0) which may be
considered as a focus, corresponding to another directrix. Thus, every ellipse has two foci and two
directrices.
40. The distances AA' = 2a and BB' = 2b are called the major and minor axes.

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41. Let P be a point on the ellipse and let PN be perpendicular to the major axis AA' such that PN
produced meets the ellipse at P'. Thus, PN is called the ordinate of P and PNP' is called the double
ordinate of P.

42. The foci always lie on the major axis. The major axis can be determined by finding the intercepts on
the axes of symmetry, i.e. the major axis is along the x-axis if the coefficient of x2 has a larger
denominator and it is along the y-axis if the coefficient of y2 has a larger denominator.

43. Lines perpendicular to the major axis A'A through the foci F1 and F2, respectively, are called latus
rectum, i.e. LL’ and MM’ are the latus rectum.

44. The sum of focal distances of any point on an ellipse is a constant and is equal to the major axis.

45. A conic ellipse can be seen in the physical world. The orbital of planets is elliptical.

Apart from this, one can see an ellipse at many places since every circle, viewed obliquely, appears
elliptical.
If a glass of water is seen from the top or if it is held straight, it appears to be circular but if it is tilted it
will be elliptical.

46. A hyperbola is a set of all points in a plane, the difference of whose distances from two fixed points
in the plane is a constant. The two fixed points are called the foci of the hyperbola.

(Distance to F1) − (distance to F2) = constant

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47. A hyperbola is the locus of a point in the plane which moves in such a way that its distance from a
fixed point in the plane bears a constant ratio, e > 1, to its distance from a fixed line in the plane. The
fixed point is called the focus, the fixed line is called the directrix and the constant ratio e is called
the eccentricity of the hyperbola.

48. Terms associated with hyperbola

(a) The midpoint of the line segment joining the foci is called the centre of the hyperbola.

(b) 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.

(c)The points at which the hyperbola intersects the transverse axis are called the vertices of the
hyperbola.

49. The hyperbola is perfectly symmetrical about the centre O.

50. Let the distance of each focus from the centre be c, and let the distance of each vertex from the
centre be a.
Then, F1F2 = 2c and AB = 2a.
If the point P is taken at A or B, then PF2 − PF1 = 2a.

51. If the distance between the two foci is 2c, distance between the two vertices is 2a, i.e. length of the
transverse axis is 2a and length of the conjugate axis is 2b, then
a, b and c are connected as c2 = a2 + b2

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c
52. The ratio e  is called the eccentricity of the hyperbola. From the shape of the hyperbola, we can
a
see that the distance of focus from origin, c is always greater than or equal to the distance of the
vertex from the centre, so c is always greater than or equal to a.
Because c  a, the eccentricity is never less than one.

53. The simplest hyperbola is the one in which the two axes lie along the axes and the centre is at the
origin. Two possible orientations of a hyperbola are

North–South opening Hyperbola

East–West opening Hyperbola

49. A hyperbola in which a = b is called a rectangular hyperbola.

Hyperbola is symmetric with respect to both the axes. If (x, y) is a point on the hyperbola, then (−x, y),
(x, −y) and (−x, −y) are also points on the hyperbola.

50. The foci are always on the transverse axis. The denominator of positive term gives the transverse
axis.

51. Latus rectum of a hyperbola is a line segment perpendicular to the transverse axis through any of the
foci and whose end points lie on the hyperbola.
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Key Formulae

1. The general equation of second degree ax2  2hxy  by2  2gx  2fy  c  0 represents
(i) a pair of straight lines if   abc  2fgh  af 2  bg2  ch2  0.
(ii) a circle if   0,a  b and h=0.
(iii) a parabola if   0,h2 = ab.
(iv) an ellipse if   0,h2<ab.
(v) a hyperbola if   0,h2>ab
(vi) a rectangular hyperbola if   0,h2>ab and a + b = 0

2. The eccentricity of the conic is denoted by e.

(i) If e < 1, then the conic is an ellipse.
(ii) If e = 1, then the conic is a parabola.
(iii) If e > 1, then the conic is a hyperbola.
(iv) If e = 0, then the conic is a circle.

3. The equation of a circle with centre (h, k) and radius r is

(x – h)2 + (y –k)2 = r2.

4. If the centre of a circle is the origin O(0, 0), then the equation of the circle reduces to
x2 + y2 = r2.

5. If the circle passes through the origin, then the equation of the circle is x2  y2  2hx  2ky  0.

6. If the circle touches the x-axis, then the equation of the circle is x2  y2  2hx  2ay  h2  0.

7. If the circle touches y-axis, then the equation of the circle is x2  y2  2ax  2ky  k2  0.

8. If the circle touches both the axes, then the equation of the circle is x2  y2  2ax  2ay  a2  0.

9. If the circle passes through the origin and centre lies on the x-axis , then the equation of the circle is
x2  y2  2ax  0.

10. If the circle passes through the origin and centre lies on the y-axis , then the equation of the circle is
x2  y2  2ay  0.

11. The general equation of the circle with centre  g, f  and radius = g2  f   c is
x2  y2  2gx  2fy  c  0.

12. If g2  f   c  0 , then the radius of the circle is real and hence the circle is also real.

13. If g2  f   c  0 , then the radius of the circle is zero and the circle is called a point circle.

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14. If g2  f   c  0 , then the radius of the circle is imaginary and the circle is called an imaginary circle.

15. Let  x1, y1  and  x2 , y2  be two given points. Thus, the equation of the circle with
 x1, y1  and  x2 , y2  as diameter is  x  x1  x  x2    y  y1  y  y2   0.

16. Equation of the parabola in its standard form is y2  4ax.

17. If the vertex of the parabola is at the point A(h, k) and its latus rectum is of length 4a, then its equation
is  y  k   4a  x  h .
2

x2 y2
18. Equation of the ellipse in standard form is   1.
a2 b2
19.
y2 = 4ax y2 = −4ax x2 = 4ay x2 = −4ay

Illustrations of
the parabola

Coordinates of (0, 0) (0,0) (0,0) (0,0)

vertex

Coordinates of (a,0) (−a,0) (0, a) (0, −a)

focus

Equation of the x = −a x=a y = −a y=a

directrix

Equation of the y=0 y=0 x=0 x=0

axis

Length of the 4a 4a 4a 4a
Latus Rectum

Focal distance a+x a−x a+y a−y

of a point
P(x,y)

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20.
Standard equations of the Ellipse

Corresponding figures of ellipse.

Coordinates of the centre (0, 0) (0, 0)

Coordinates of the vertices (a, 0) and (−a, 0) (0, +b) and (0, −b)

Coordinates of foci (ae, 0) and (−ae, 0) (0, be) and (0, −be)

Length of the major axis 2a 2b

Length of the minor axis 2b 2a

Equation of the major axis y=0 x=0

Equation of the minor axis x=0 y=0

Equations of the directrices

Eccentricity c b2 c a2
e  1 2 e  1 2
a a b b

Length of the latus rectum 2b2 2a2

a b

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21.

Standard Equations x2 y2 y2 x2
of the Hyperbola  1  1
a2 b2 b2 a2

Corresponding
figures of Hyperbola

Coordinates of the (0, 0) (0, 0)

centre

Coordinates of the (a, 0) and (−a, 0) (0, b) and (0, −b)

vertices

Coordinates of foci

Length of the 2a 2b
transverse axis

Length of the 2b 2a
conjugate axis

Equations of the
directrices

Eccentricity c b2 c a2
e  1 2 e  1 2
a a b b

Length of the latus 2b2 2a2

rectum a b

Equation of the y=0 x=0

transverse axis

Equation of the x=0 y=0

conjugate axis

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