Hyperbolas

HYPERBOLA TERMS
The “Butterfly” EQUATION ( x  h)2 ( y  k )2
 1
FORM a2 b2
CENTER
Conjugate axis (h, k )
VERTICES
(h ± a , k)
Co-vertex
CO-VERTICES
(h, k ± b )
Vertex
Focus TRANSVERSE
b AXIS horizontal
a
TRANSVERSE
length 2a
c
CONJUGATE
Transverse Vertex vertical
AXIS
axis
C=(h , k) CONJUGATE 2b
length
Co-vertex FOCI (h ± c , k)
b
ASYMPTOTES y   ( x  h)  k
c 2  a2  b2 a
 HYPERBOLA TERMS
The “Hourglass”
EQUATION ( y  k )2 ( x  h)2
 1
Transverse FORM a2 b2
axis CENTER
(h, k )
Vertex VERTICES
(h, k ± a )
CO-VERTICES
(h ± b, k)
C=(h , k)
Co-vertex TRANSVERSE
AXIS vertical
c
TRANSVERSE
length 2a
b a
CONJUGATE horizontal
Co-vertex
AXIS
Conjugate
axis CONJUGATE 2b
length
Vertex FOCI (h, k ± c )
a
ASYMPTOTES y   ( x  h)  k
c 2  a2  b2 b
 CONVERTING to STANDARD FORM
• 4x² – 9y² – 32x – 18y + 19 = 0
• Groups the x terms and y terms
• 4x² – 32x – 9y²– 18y + 19 = 0
• Complete the square
• 4(x² – 8x) – 9(y² + 2y) + 19 = 0
• 4(x² – 8x + 16) – 9(y² + 2y + 1) = -19 + 64 – 9
• 4(x – 4)² – 9(y + 1)² = 36
• Divide to put in standard form
• 4(x – 4)²/36 – 9(y + 1)²/36 = 1
( x  4)2 ( y  1)2
 1
9 4
Example Graph 4x2 – 16y2 = 64.
4x2 – 16y2 = 64

x2 y2
– =1 Rewrite the equation in standard form.
16 4

x2 y2
The equation of the form a 2– - 2 = 1, so the transverse axis is horizontal.
b

Since a2 = 16 and b2 = 4, a = 4 and b = 2.

Step 1: Graph the vertices. Since
the transverse axis is
horizontal, the vertices lie
on the x-axis. The
coordinates are (±a, 0), or
(±4, 0).
Step 2: Use the values a and b to
draw the central “invisible”
rectangle. The lengths of
its sides are 2a and 2b, or 8
and 4.
Example Graph 4x2 – 16y2 = 64.

Step 3: Draw the asymptotes. The equations of the asymptotes are

b 1
y = ± a x or y = ± x . The asymptotes contain the diagonals of the
2
central rectangle.

Step 4: Sketch the branches of the hyperbola through the vertices so they
approach the asymptotes.
 Graph and Label
• b) Find coordinates of vertices,
covertices, foci
• a) GRAPH
( x  5 )2 ( y  2)2 • Plot Center (-5,-2)
 1
4 9 • a = 2 (go left and right)
• Center = (-5,-2) • b = 3 (go up and down)
• Butterfly shape since the x terms
come first
• Since a = 2 and b = 3
• Vertices are 2 points left and right
from center  (-5 ± 2, -2)
• CoVertices are 3 points up and down
 (-5, -2 ± 3)
• Now to find focus points
• Use c² = a² + b²
• So c² = 9 + 4 = 13
• c² = 13 and c = ±√13
• Focus points are √13 left and right
from the center  F(-5 ±√13 , -2)
 Graph and Label
• b) Find coordinates of vertices,
covertices, foci
• a) GRAPH
( y  3) ( x  1)
2 2
 1 • Plot Center (-1,3)
4 16 • a = 2 (go up and down)
• Center = (-1,3) • b = 4 (go left and right)
• Hourglass shape since the y terms
come first
• Since a = 2 and b = 4
• Vertices are 2 points up and down
from center  (-1, 3 ± 2)
• Covertices are 3 points left and right
 (-1 ± 4, 3)
• Now to find focus points
• Use c² = a² + b²
• So c² = 4 + 16 = 20
• c² = 20 and c = ±√20
• Focus points are √20 up and down
from the center  F(-1, 3 ±√20)
 Write the equation of the hyperbola given…
vertices are at (-5,2) and (5,2)
conjugate axis of length 12

• Draw a graph with given info

• Use given info to get measurement
• Find the center first
• Center is in middle of vertices,
• so (h , k) = (0 , 2)

conjugate
• A = distance from center to vertices, V2 (-5,2) V1(5,2)
• so a = 5 major
• Also, the conjugate length = 2b
• Since conjugate = 12
• Then b = 6
• Use standard form
( x  h)2 ( y  k )2
 1
a2 b2
• Need values for h,k, a and b
• We know a = 5 and b = 6
• The center is (0, 2)
• Plug into formula ( x )2 ( y  2)2
 1
25 36
 Write the equation of the hyperbola given…
center is at (-3,2)
foci at (-3, 2±13) and major axis is 10
• Draw a graph with given info
• Use given info to get measurements F1(-3,2+13)
• Find the center first
• Center is in middle of vertices,
• so (h , k) = (-3 , 2)
• a = distance from center to vertices,
• so a = 5
• We still don’t have b ….
• Use the formula  c² = a² + b²
• Since a = 5 and c = 13 then….
• b² = c² - a²
• b² = (13)² - (5)²
• b² = 169 – 25
• b² = 144
• b = 12
Use standard form

( y  k )2 ( x  h)2 F2(-3,2-13)
 1
a2 b2

• Need values for h,k, a and b ( y  2) 2 ( x  3) 2

• We know a = 5 and b = 12  1
and center is (-3, 2)
25 144
• Plug into formula
Example
y2 x2
Find the foci of the graph – 9 = 1.
4

y2 x2
The equation is in the form a2
– -b2 = 1, so the transverse axis is horizontal;
a2 = 4 and b2 = 9.

c2 = a2 + b2 Use the Pythagorean Theorem.

=4+9 Substitute 4 for a2 and 9 for b2.

c= 13 3.6 Find the square root of each side of the equation.

Example
(continued)

The foci (0, ±c) are approximately (0, –3.6) and (0, 3.6). The vertices
(0, ±a) are (0, –2) and (0, 2).

a 2
The asymptotes are the lines y = ± b x , or y = ±3 x.
 Real Life Examples
As a spacecraft approaches a planet, the gravitational pull of the
planet changes the spacecraft’s path to a hyperbola that diverges
from its asymptote. Find an equation that models the path of the
spacecraft around the planet given that a = 300,765 km and
c = 424,650 km.

Assume that the center of the hyperbola is at the origin and that the transverse
x2 y2
axis is horizontal. The equation will be in the form a2
– b2 = 1.

c2 = a2 + b2 Use the Pythagorean Theorem.

(424,650)2 = (300,765)2 + b2 Substitute.

1.803  1011 = 9.046  1010 + b2 Use a calculator.

 Real Life Examples
(continued)

b2 = 1.803  1011 – 9.046  1010 Solve for b2.

= 8.987  1010

x2 y2
– =1 Substitute a2 and b2.
9.046  1010 8.987  1010

The path of the spacecraft around the planet can be modeled

x2 y2
by – = 1.
9.046  1010 8.987  1010