C - Conics Module Overview
Conics Module Overview
Introduction
As you continue your study of Precalculus, we will begin our exploration of conic sections. You've probably studied circles and parabolas before, but ellipses and hyperbolas will be new! A conic section is formed by the intersection of a plane and a cone as shown in the image! Let's get started!
Essential Questions
- How do I graph circles, parabolas, ellipses, and hyperbolas?
- How are ellipses and hyperbolas defined in relation to their foci?
- How can conic sections be graphed when given in general form?
- How do I write the equation of a conic section given two features?
Conics Key Terms
The following key terms will help you understand the content in this module.
Cone - a three-dimensional figure with a circular or elliptical base and one vertex
Coplanar - set of points, lines, rays, line segments, etc. that lie in the same plane
Ellipse - a curved line forming a closed loop. It is the locus of points for which the sum of the distances from two fixed points (foci) to every point on the curve is constant.
Focus - one of the fixed points from which the distances to any point of a given curve
Hyperbola - a plane curve having two branches, formed by the intersection of a plane with both halves of a right circular cone at an angle parallel to the axis of the cone. It is the locus of points for which the difference of the distances from the two given points is a constant.
Locus of Points - a group of points that share a property
IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS