Identifying Conic Sections

How do I determine whether the graph of an equation represents a conic, and if so, which conic does it represent, a circle, an ellipse, a parabola or a hyperbola?
Created by K. Chiodo, HCPS

General Form of a Conic Equation

We usually see conic equations written in General, or Implicit Form:

Ax Bxy Cy Dx Ey F 0
where A, B, C, D, E and F are integers and A, B and C are NOT ALL equal to zero. Note: You may see some conic equations solved for y, but if the equation can be re-written into the form above, it is a conic equation!

Please Note:
A conic equation written in General Form doesnt have to have all SIX terms! Several of the coefficients A, B, C, D, E and F can equal zero, as long as A, B and C dont ALL equal zero.

If A, B and C all equal zero, what kind of equation do you have? ... T H I N K...

Dx Ey F 0

Linear!

So, its a conic equation if...

the highest degree (power) of x and/or y is 2 (at least ONE has to be squared)
the other terms are either linear, constant, or the product of x and y there are no variable terms with rational exponents (i.e. no radical expressions) or terms with negative exponents (i.e. no rational expressions)

The values of the coefficients in the conic equation determine the TYPE of conic.
Ax Bxy Cy Dx Ey F 0
2

What values form an Ellipse?

What values form a Hyperbola? What values form a Parabola?

Ellipses...
Ax Cy Dx Ey F 0
where A & C have the SAME SIGN
NOTE: There is no Bxy term, and D, E & F may equal zero!

For example:

2x y 8x 0 2 2 x 2x 3y 6 y 0 2 2 2x 2y 8x 6 0

Ellipses...
2 2

The General, or Implicit, Form of the equations can be converted to Graphing Form by completing the square and dividing so that the constant = 1.
This is an ellipse since x & y are both squared, and both quadratic terms have the same sign!
Center (-2, 0)

2 x y 8x 0 2( x 4 x 4) y 8 2( x 2) y 8 2( x 2)2 y 2 8 8 8 8 ( x 2)2 y 2 1 4 8
2 2 2 2

Hor. Axis = 2

Vert. Axis = 8

Ellipses...
2 2

In this example, x2 and y2 are both negative (still the same sign), you can see in the final step that when we divide by negative 4 all of the terms are positive.

x 2x 3y 6y 0 ( x 2 x 1) 3( y 2 y 1) 1 3 ( x 1) 3( y 1) 4 ( x 1)2 3( y 1)2 1 4 4 2 2 ( x 1) ( y 1) 4 1 4 3
2 2 2 2

Vert. axis = 2/3

center (-1, 1)

Hor. axis = 2

Ellipsesa special case!

When A & C are the same value as well as the same sign, the ellipse is the same length in all directions it is a ...

Circle!

2 x 2 y 8x 6 0
2 2

Radius = 5

2( x 2 4 x 2) 2 y 2 6 4 2( x 2) 2 2 y 2 10 ( x 2)2 y 2 1 5 5
Center (2, 0)

Hyperbola...
Ax Cy Dx Ey F 0
where A & C have DIFFERENT signs.
NOTE: There is no Bxy term, and D, E & F may equal zero!

For example:

9 x 4 y 36 x 8 y 4 0 2 2 x y 6y 5 0 2 2 x 10 x 4 y 8y 5 0

Hyperbola...
2 2

The General, or Implicit, Form of the equations can be converted to Graphing Form by completing the square and dividing so that the constant = 1.
This is a hyperbola since x & y are both squared, and the quadratic terms have different signs!

9 x 4 y 36 x 8 y 4 0 9( x 2 4 x ) 4( y2 2 y) 4 9( x 2)2 4( y 1)2 36 9( x 2) 4( y 1) 36 36 36 36 ( x 2)2 ( y 1)2 1 4 9

2 2

9( x 2 4 x 4) 4( y 2 2 y 1) 4 36 4

x-axis=2

y-axis=3

Center (2,-1)

Hyperbola...
x2 y2 6 y 5 0 x 2 (y 2 6 y ) 5

In this example, the signs change, but since the quadratic terms still have different signs, it is still a hyperbola!

x ( y 6 y 9) 5 9
2 2

x ( y 3) 4
2 2

x-axis=2 Center (0,3)

x 2 ( y 3)2 4 4 4 4 ( y 3)2 x 2 1 4 4

y-axis=2

Parabola...

A Parabola can be oriented 2 different ways:

A parabola is vertical if the equation has an x squared term AND a linear y term; it may or may not have a linear x term & constant:

Ax Dx Ey F 0
A parabola is horizontal if the equation has a y squared term AND a linear x term; it may or may not have a linear y term & constant:

Cy Dx Ey F 0

Parabola Vertical
The following equations all represent vertical parabolas in general form; they all have a squared x term and a linear y term:

x 4x y 7 0 2 4 x 8x y 0 x y70 2 x y0
2

Parabola Vertical
To write the equations in Graphing Form, complete the square for the x-terms. There are 2 popular conventions for writing parabolas in Graphing Form, both are given below:

0 x 2 4x y 7 0 (x 2 4 x 4) y 7 4 0 (x 2)2 y 3 y (x 2)2 3 or y 3 (x 2)2

Vertex (2,3)

Parabola Vertical
In this example, the signs must be changed at the end so that the y-term is positive, notice that the negative coefficient of the x squared term makes the parabola open downward.

0 4 x2 8 x y 0 4( x 2 2 x 1) y 4 0 4( x 1) y 4 y 4( x 1) 4 y 4( x 1)2 4 or y 4 4( x 1)2
2 2

Vertex (-1,4)

Parabola Horizontal
The following equations all represent horizontal parabolas in general form, they all have a squared y term and a linear x term:

y 8y 2 x 18 0 2 x y 3 0 2 3y 6 y x 2 0 2 y x0

Parabola Horizontal
To write the equations in Graphing Form, complete the square for the y-terms. There are 2 popular conventions for writing parabolas in Graphing Form, both are given below:
0 y 2 8y 2 x 18 0 ( y 2 8y 16) 2 x 18 16 0 ( y 4) 2 x 2
2

Vertex (1,-4)

2 x ( y 4) 2 2 1 2 x ( y 4) 1 2 or 0 ( y 4) 2 2( x 1) 2( x 1) ( y 4) 2

Parabola Horizontal
In this example, the signs must be changed at the end so that the x-term is positive; notice that the negative coefficient of the y squared term makes the parabola open to the left.

0 x y2 3 0 y2 x 3 x y2 3 x y2 3 or ( x 3) y 2

Vertex (3,0)

What About the term Bxy?

Ax Bxy Cy Dx Ey F 0
None of the conic equations we have looked at so far included the term Bxy. This term leads to a hyperbolic graph:

4 xy 8 0
or, solved for y:

8 2 y 4x x

Summary ...
General Form of a Conic Equation:
Ax 2 Bxy Cy 2 Dx Ey F 0
where A, B, C, D, E and F are integers and A, B and C are NOT ALL equal to zero.

Identifying a Conic Equation:

Conic Parabola Circle Ellipse Hyperbola Equation Stats A = 0 or C = 0, but not both. If A = 0, then the If C = 0, then the parabola is horizonta l. parabola is vertical. A=C A & C hav e the same sign. A & C hav e different signs.

Practice ...
Identify each of the following equations as a(n): (a) ellipse (b) circle (c) hyperbola

(d) parabola

(e) not a conic

See if you can rewrite each equation into its Graphing Form! 1) x 2 4 y 2 2 x 24 y 33 0
2) 4 x 2 4y 2 9 0 3) x 2 4 x y 0 4) x 2 y2 2 x 8 0 5) 9x 2 25y 2 54x 50 y 119 0 6) x 2 x 0 7) y 2 8 y 9x 52 0 8) x 2 2 x y 2 4 y 7 0

Answers ...
(a) ellipse (b) circle (c) hyperbola (d) parabola (e) not a conic

1) x 4 y 2 x 24 y 33 0 2) 4 x 2 4y 2 9 0 3) x 2 4 x y 0 4) x 2 y2 2 x 8 0
2 2

( x 1)2 ( y 3)2 - -- > (a) 1 4 1 x2 y2 - -- > (c) 1

9 4 9 4

- -- > (d) (y 4) ( x 2)2 - -- > (b) ( x 1) 2 y2 9

(x 3) 2 ( y 1)2 5) 9x 25y 54x 50 y 119 0 - - > (a) 1 25 9 6) x 2 x 0 - -- > (e) not a conic 7) y 2 8 y 9x 52 0 8) x 2 x y 4 y 7 0
2 2

--- > (d) 9( x 4) ( y 4)2 ( x 1)2 ( y 2)2 - -- > (c) 1 4 4

Conic Sections !
H

Created by K. Chiodo, HCPS