Research question

What is the generalized formula for the correlation of the areas of intersecting shapes and
curved surface area with conic sections?

Introduction
When a circular cone is cut by a plane, the different angle of cuts allows different shapes to be
formed including circles, ellipses, parabolas and hyperbolas. These shapes are used to model
out-of-this-world phenomenons such as the orbits of planets, meteorites and satellites. Conic
sections were recognised to be discovered by the Greek mathematician Menaechmus who
experimented with the different shapes produced when cutting a circular cone with a plane.
Exploring the correlation of the different angle of cuts on the surface area of the conic sections,
provides a mathematical approach towards developing my interests and curiosity towards
geometry. I will be investigating the effects of the angle of cut, from planes with the same
defined line of intersection and determine the different shapes produced when cutting a circular
cone and how the area of the shapes can be expressed as a proportion of the curved surface
area of the cone.

Background
The area formed by the intersection of a plane and a circular cone, in my paper, will be defined
as “conic sections” whilst conic sections can also be categorized by the volume, surface area or
dimensions of the shape formed by a cone after it has been cut by a plane.

The example above shows conic sections from a shape formed from a shape made by two
cones flipped upside down. A singular cone, used in this paper, will limit conic sections into
ellipses, circles, one triangle and hyperbolas. In my paper, I will limit the planes of cut to only
through one line of intersection, namely z = 0.5, limiting my shapes to only ellipses, circles and
triangles. The formulas I will be using are proven as so:

Area of the ellipses

An ellipses is characterized as a closed curve formed by the intersection of a plane to the cone
that is not parallel to the base of the cone. From two fixed points on the lines of symmetry of the
shape has the same ratios for distance traveled towards the edge of the shape. As shown in the
two examples below, the paths traveled from F1 to F2 all have the same distance ratio.

Since an ellipses is a many-one function, we can only draw an ellipses by limiting the graph to
one quadrant defined by the area bounded by the ellipses’s two lines of symmetry. In this
example, the two lines of symmetry are x=0 and y=0. We can graph one quadrant of the ellipses
with the general formula:
The two significant figures used in calculating the area of an ellipses are the lengths of a and b.
By reorganizing the general formula we get:

Integrating this formula and multiplying it by 4 gives us the area for the ellipses:

Circle
At the angle of 0 radians, a plane cuts the cone into a circle at any value of the z-axis.
Similarly, we can do the same for a circle with a constant length from the middle point from the
middle towards the edge of the circle. This length is called “a”, also referred to as the radius.
With a circle, a is equal to b with the same variables used in the ellipses.

Curved surface area of a cone:

Physically, a cone can be formed through a net made by the major sector of a circle made with
angle theta. When we wrap this net so the two sides of the sector are touching- but not
overlapping- we form the curved surface of a cone.
The area of the major sector of the circle with radius r is defined by the formula:

This is also the curved surface area of the cone formed from the circular net, however using this
formula involves the disassembling of the cone to figure out angle theta and is not practical for
the exploration that I would want to conduct. Therefore, we can further use other aspects of the
circular net including arc length.

The arc length of the major sector much be equal to the circumference of the circular base of
the cone:

We substitute R into the formula involving the area of the major sector:

And r can be defined as the slant height of the cone:

Limits

Due to the time restrictions, I would like to limit my variables so that the planes constructed to
cut through the cone will all have the same line of intersection (in the example used, this line is
z=1). This will limit the shapes produced with the intersection to only triangles, circles and
ellipses.
The formulas of triangle are will consists of:
 and

Furthermore, I will be limiting most of my calculations with theoretical cones that have a radius :
height ratio of 1 : 2, however, I do specify whenever this condition is used.

Exploration
The cone that I am going to be using is a circular based cone where the base circle has the
radius of 1, for simplicity I am not going to be mentioning the units used and each unit is defined
by one cube on the axis. The plane looks like this when constructed on the three axes x,y and z.

With this cone, the yellow lines represent the radius of the circular base and height of the cone
which are 1 and 2 respectively. As following the curved surface area formula previously proven
the curved surface area of the cone will be:

Triangle

Areas
A plane, positioned 90 degrees anticlockwise from the x-axis, cuts through the cones triangle
and is produced with the intersection of the cone and the plane. This triangle is an isosceles
triangle with its two equal sides made up of the slant height of the cone and the base is worth
the diameter of the circular base as the triangle cuts the cone straight down the middle from its
tip. The area of the triangle is :

Now if we chose to keep the same ratios as the model cone, where the ratio of radius : height is
1: 2, we can obtain a table of results for the area of the triangle formed, when the cone is sliced
straight down from the middle, and the curved surface area of the cone.
We can use the formula for finding the Nth term to establish a general equation to predict (as
the CSA is rounded to two decimal places) how the CSA of the cone is connected to the area of
the triangle.
Therefore the curved surface area of the cone can be defined with the following equation where
n is the area of the triangle formed.

We can double check the validity of this equation by graphing the curved surface area
against the area of the triangle. In order to increase the accuracy of the equation
generated from this graph, I will take the figures of the curved surface area rounded to
10 decimal places.

The equation shows that the coefficient of x (area of the triangle) is predicted accurately.
We can compare this equation derived from the nth term formula to a formula created from
rearranging the variables in the general equations of the triangle and curved surface area.

This formula is proven correct for the sample of data with a cone with a ratio of 2:1 (radius :
height).
However, I can only prove that this formula is correct with my sample of the first 10, positive
integer, radii with the radius, height ratio of 1:2. I cannot prove this formula correct for all the
cones that exist with the ratio of 1:2, not to mention all the cones with different radius height
ratios. This formula requires up to two independent variables including the radius of the circular
base and the height of the cone. and my mathematical knowledge and understanding is limited
and lacks the capability to universally prove this formula so my paper will be limited to this
much. However, the general formula I have proven seems to have no fault and considering that
I have only used general variables, therefore I will predict that this formula is proven true for
cones with the conditions of when the height is double the radius.

Angles
My next topic of exploration would be to find a general equation and identify the relationship
between the isosceles triangle formed when the cone is sliced through the middle with a plane
perpendicular to the z axis, and the angle formed by the major sector of the net of the cone,
these angles will be defined as theta (triangle) and var phi (cone net)

By rearranging the two area formula mentioned in my background section, we can define a
common variable that the two equations both have, the slant height.
Again the limitations set for this formula is for a cone with radius : height ratio of 1 : 2 therefore,

the height can be expressed as 2r. As I was using the general formula for the area of the

triangle with height : base ratio 1 :2, the formula above is therefore proven true for all circular

base cones with radius : height ratio 1 : 2.

Circle

When a cone is cut with a plane parallel to the x-y plane, i.e 0 degrees from the x-axis, the

intersection forms a triangle.

The ratio of the circle’s radius to the cone’s circular base’s radius is the circle’s height to the

cone’s height. The ratio can be expressed where r and h is the radius and height of the cone

respectively and r2 and h2 being the respective radius and height of the circle formed from the

intersection

The curved surface area of the cone, CSA1 is

The relationship of the curved surface area of the cone with base of intersection circle and the

curved surface area of the cone can be proven as:

Since the general cone used in this paper has the planes passing through the line z = 1,

therefore the horizontal plane forming the circle will be limited to cutting the cone in half, height

wise. Therefore, due to ratios, the radius. of the circle formed, r, can be multiplied by 2 to

achieve the radius of the circular base of the cone, R.

The area of the circle and curved surface area can be proven as follow:
Note that the ratio of radius : height is still 1 : 2. The previous method used when correlating the

area of a triangle and the CSA by obtaining a graph and determining the slope of the graph is

shown in the appendix, this formula has a similar conclusion as the relationship proven using

algebra above.

Now suppose the ratio of the radius : height ratio is given a variable 1 : n then the general

formula for the curved surface area of the cone will be:

Ellipses

From between the angles of 0° to 90°, the planes that are intersecting the cone create an

ellipsis. An ellipses is defined dominantly using its two lengths called the semi-minor axis (i.e the

distance from the center towards the closest edge of the ellipses) and the semi-major axis

(distance from center to furthest edge)

In the example above, I have used three planes that cut the plane at
30°, 45° and 60° with the larger the angle, the closer the plane gets to 90°, however, due to

convenience of calculations later on, these angles will be defined as theta.

In the following images, I have shown the ellipse formed with the plane intersection at 60° at

different points of view.

Area

When I obtain a data set from the area of an ellipses with the limitation that the semi-major axis

(b) is double the semi-minor axis (a), starting with a = 1 and increasing by 1 every data point.

The curved surface area of the cone is taken with the same conditions as the data group

associated with the triangles (i.e the height is double the radius, starting with r = 1), we can

obtain a linear graph as so:

To not repeat myself, I will not prove this linear line correct with the arithmetic sequence, instead

it is linked in my appendix.

In the previous two shapes, I derived another formula for relating the area or angle of the shape

created with the intersection of the plane to the cone, however, this can only be done

algebraically if there is a common dimension between the curved surface area and the shape.

For the triangle, it was the base of the triangle written in terms of the diameter of the radius of

the cone. With the circles, the radius of the circle is expressed as a ratio with the radius of the

cone. However, for the ellipses, I cannot find the common dimension between the area of the

ellipses and the curved surface area of the cone.

Proof for Volume of elliptical base cone

When an ellipsis is formed, we can use this ellipsis as the elliptical base for a cone using the tip

of the predetermined cone. The ellipses are the semi-major axis “b” and the semi-minor axis “a”.

The further we move up this cone, we will get ellipses that have the semi-major and semi-minor

dimensions that are similar to the ellipses, in this example the ratio of A : a is equal to B : b, and

we can map this out using similar triangles.

By using the proven formula of the area of the ellipse, we can derive a formula for the volume of

this elliptical based cone using the integration of the area formula. We can prove for the formula

for the elliptical based cone as so:

It is important to remember the height of an elliptical based cone, here called “h” , is not in same

line as the height of the circular based cone.

Volumes and areas

However, after some time of processing, I think I can attempt to define the height of the elliptical

based cone and the height of the main body cone (circular based). The height of the elliptical

based cone, with the ellipses formed with the intersection of the plane to a circular based cone,

between 0 and one half radians. My thinking can be illustrated with this diagram:

*drawing not to scale*

In this drawing, the height of the circular base cone is “H” where the height of the elliptical base

cone is defined as “h” and their relationship is defined by:

It may be important to clarify that the height of the elliptical base cone is the distance from the

tip of the cone to the center of the ellipses, and in this scenario when the ellipses cone is

contained within the circular base cone, the height of these two cones do not lie on the same

line, i.e they do not have the same slope.

I can then work my way out to a formula that involves the volumes of these two cones, “V1”

being the volume of the circular base cone and “V2” being the volume of the elliptical base cone.

I will also be including the areas of the circular base, “A1” and the area of the elliptical base “A2”.

In this calculation, I will not be limiting any variables whether that be the ratio of the semi-minor

axis to the semi-major axis of the ellipses or the ratio of radius to height of the circular base

cone, these variables will be kept as general variables.

By making this h value equal to the h value we derived from above, we can make H the subject

and then replace it back into the volume formula of the circular base cone:

And we get interesting formulas, or even ratios between the two volumes and areas.

This equation may have indicated that I have created a ratio formula for the ratios of volume

over area of a circular cone and the volume over area of an elliptical cone made from the

ellipses, a conic section of the circular cone, as the base.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I have attempted to explore the various relationships regarding conic sections

and the curved surface area of the cone. I have done so by formulating theoretical equations

that would link the general formula of these conic sections to the formula of the curved surface

area of the cone. To recap, the limit I have set are all of the planes creating conic sections in this

paper to only have the line z=0.5 as their common line of intersection. When a plane that is

perpendicular to the x-axis cuts the cone, we get a isosceles triangle with the sides the slant

height of the cone and the base as the diameter of the cone, we concluded that the CSA of the

cone can be expressed with, with the limitation that the radius : height ratio of 1 : 2:

I have also used this formula to prove the linear correlation between the CSA and the area of

the triangle.

Furthermore, I have attempted to correlate the center angle of the triangle to the angle of the net

of the cone, shown as:

When a plane cuts a cone at 0 radians with regards to the x-axis, we produce a circle. I have

proven the generic ratio formula for the similar cones formed with the intersecting circle as the

base. I have, added the limits of, again, radius : height ratio of 1 : 2 and further limited by light

the ratio of radius intersecting cone to radius body cone of 1 : 2 and getting this formula:

I have attempted to make this formula more generalized by writing the ratio of the radius of the

intersecting circle : radius of circle base of cone as general variables and expressing the main
cone’s radius, height ratio as 1 : n, thereby getting the general formula connecting the area of

the intersecting circle and and CSA of the cone:

Lastly, when a plane intersects the cone from angles between 0 to half a radian, they will form

ellipses. I could not create a formula to connect the area of the ellipses to the CSA of the cone,

however, I managed to formulate a general equation that involves the area of the ellipses, area

of the circular base, volume of the circular base cone (main body cone) and the elliptical base

cone:

Although, there were many challenges encountered on the journey of my exploration, I have still

found ways to make reasonable attempts, most notably the limitations that I have set for the

cones that I used with each conic sections and I have tried my best, within my capabilities, to

generalize these formulas as much as possible by introducing general variables. In my attempt

to recognise the CSA of the cone with the area of the ellipses, I could not find a way to move

forward with the path I wanted to take and decided to sidetrack into volumes, where the heights

of the two cones could be expressed in one another.

In terms of real-life applications of my exploration, I would like to hope that my findings could

foster more research and proving so that these formulas can be used to best maximize the

efficiency of the materials we use in our everyday life, such as paint, to cover curved surface

areas or used for engineers to decide manipulate the cones they want to produce just my
applying a formula to the net layout of the cone. However, regardless of its use, I found my

exploration journey to be very much enjoyable.

Appendix

Appendix 1:

data measured from cones with radius : height ratio of 1 : 2 and ellipses with semi-minor :

semi-major axis ratio of 1 : 2 where the radius : semi-major axis ratio is 1 : 1, used to calculate

the area of ellipses and CSA of cone.

Cone Ellipses
radius height a b Area ellipses CSA cone
2 4 1 2 6.283185307 28.09925892
4 8 2 4 25.13274123 112.3970357
6 12 3 6 56.54866776 252.8933303
8 16 4 8 100.5309649 449.5881428
10 20 5 10 157.0796327 702.4814731
12 24 6 12 226.1946711 1011.573321
14 28 7 14 307.8760801 1376.863687
16 32 8 16 402.1238597 1798.352571
18 36 9 18 508.9380099 2276.039973
20 40 10 20 628.3185307 2809.925892

Appendix 2:

data measured from cones with radius : height ratio of 1 : 2 and intersecting circles with their

radius being one half of the radius of the cone (due to the limitation that the plane passes

through z = 1), used to form a relationship between the area of intersecting circle and CSA of

cone.

Cone Intersecting circle

height Radius Radius Area of circle CSA
4 2 1 3.141592654 28.09925892
8 4 2 12.56637061 112.3970357
12 6 3 28.27433388 252.8933303
16 8 4 50.26548246 449.5881428
20 10 5 78.53981634 702.4814731
24 12 6 113.0973355 1011.573321
28 14 7 153.9380400 1376.863687
32 16 8 201.0619298 1798.352571
36 18 9 254.4690049 2276.039973
40 20 10 314.1592654 2809.925892

Appendix 3:

Linear graph the forms the relationship between the area of the intersecting circle and the CSA

of the cone, this proves my general formula (with limitations) in the “circle” section correct

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