PRECALCULUS: CONIC SECTIONS

Table of Formulae

CIRCLE
Standard Forms of the Equation of a Circle
(a) Circle with center at (0, 0) 𝑥 2 + 𝑦2 = 𝑟2
(b) Circle with center at (h, k) (𝑥 − 𝑘)2 + (𝑦 − ℎ)2 = 𝑟 2

General Form of the Equation of a Circle 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0

PARABOLA
Standard Forms of the Equation of a Parabola
(a) Parabola with vertex at (0, 0)
Parabola with horizontal axis of
Vertex: (0, 0) Parabola with vertical axis of symmetry
symmetry

Equation 𝑦 2 = 4𝑝𝑥 𝑥 2 = 4𝑝𝑦

Focus (𝑝, 0) (0, 𝑝)

Opening of If 𝑝 < 0, parabola opens to the left. If 𝑝 < 0, parabola opens downward.
Parabola If 𝑝 > 0, parabola opens to the right. If 𝑝 > 0, parabola opens upward.
Equation: x = ± 𝑝 Equation: y = ± 𝑝
Direction: Vertical Direction: Horizontal
Latus Rectum
Length: 4𝑝 Length: 4𝑝
Endpoints: (𝑝, ± 2𝑝) Endpoints: (±2𝑝, 𝑝)
Axis of Equation: 𝑦 = 0 Equation: x = 0
Symmetry Direction: Horizontal Direction: Vertical
Equation: 𝑥 = − 𝑝 Equation: y = − 𝑝
Directrix
Direction: Vertical Direction: Horizontal

(b) Parabola with vertex at (h, k)

Parabola with horizontal axis of
Vertex: (h, k) Parabola with vertical axis of symmetry
symmetry
Equation (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 = 4𝑝(𝑥 − ℎ) (𝑥 − ℎ)2 = 4𝑝(𝑦 − 𝑘)
Focus (ℎ + 𝑝, 𝑘) (ℎ, 𝑘 + 𝑝)
If 𝑝 < 0, parabola opens to the
Opening of If 𝑝 < 0, parabola opens to the left.
downward.
Parabola If 𝑝 > 0, parabola opens to the right.
If 𝑝 > 0, parabola opens to the upward.
Equation: x = ℎ + 𝑝 Equation: y = 𝑘 + 𝑝
Direction: Vertical Direction: Horizontal
Latus Rectum
Length: 4𝑝 Length: 4𝑝
Endpoints: (ℎ + 𝑝, 𝑘 ± 2𝑝) Endpoints: (ℎ ± 2𝑝, 𝑘 + 𝑝)
Axis of Equation: 𝑦 = 𝑘 Equation: x = ℎ
Symmetry Direction: Horizontal Direction: Vertical
Equation: 𝑥 = ℎ − 𝑝 Equation: y = 𝑘 − 𝑝
Directrix Direction: Vertical Direction: Horizontal
General Forms of the Equation of a Parabola
(a) Parabola with horizontal axis of symmetry 𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0
(b) Parabola with vertical axis of symmetry 𝑥 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0

ELLIPSE
Standard Forms of the Equation of an Ellipse
(a) Ellipse with center at (0, 0)

Center: (0, 0) Ellipse with foci on the x-axis Ellipse with foci on the y-axis
𝑥2 𝑦2 𝑥2 𝑦2
+ =1 + =1
Equation 𝑎2 𝑏2 𝑏2 𝑎2
where 𝑐 = √𝑎2 − 𝑏2 and 𝑎 > 𝑏 where 𝑐 = √𝑎2 − 𝑏2 and 𝑎 > 𝑏
Vertices (±𝑎, 0) (0, ± 𝑎)
Foci (±𝑐, 0) (0, ± 𝑐)
Equation: 𝑦 = 0 Equation: 𝑥 = 0
Location: On the x-axis Location: On the y-axis
Major axis
Length: 2𝑎 Length: 2𝑎
Endpoints: (±𝑎, 0) Endpoints: (0, ± 𝑎)
Equation: 𝑥 = 0 Equation: 𝑦 = 0
Location: On the y-axis Location: On the x-axis
Minor axis
Length: 2𝑏 Length: 2𝑏
Endpoints: (0, ±𝑏) Endpoints: (±𝑏, 0)
x-intercepts ±𝑎 ±𝑏
y-intercepts ±𝑏 ±𝑎
Equation: 𝑥 = ±𝑐 Equation: y = ±𝑐
Direction: Vertical Direction: Horizontal
Latus Rectum 2𝑏2 2𝑏2
Length: Length:
𝑎 𝑎
𝑏2 𝑏2 𝑏2 𝑏2
Endpoints: (−𝑐, ± ) and (𝑐, ± ) Endpoints: (± , − 𝑐) and (± , 𝑐)
𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎
𝑎2 𝑎2
Directrices 𝑥=± 𝑦=±
𝑐 𝑐
Permissible −𝑎 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 𝑎 −𝑏 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 𝑏
Values −𝑏 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ 𝑏 −𝑎 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ 𝑎

(b) Ellipse with center at (h, k)

Center: (h, k) Ellipse with foci on the x-axis Ellipse with foci on the y-axis
(𝑥 − ℎ)2 (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 (𝑥 − ℎ)2 (𝑦 − 𝑘)2
+ =1 + =1
Equation 𝑎2 𝑏2 𝑏2 𝑎2
where 𝑐 = √𝑎2 − 𝑏2 and 𝑎 > 𝑏 where 𝑐 = √𝑎2 − 𝑏2 and 𝑎 > 𝑏
Vertices (ℎ ± 𝑎, 𝑘) (ℎ, 𝑘 ± 𝑎)
Foci (ℎ ± 𝑐, 𝑘) (ℎ, 𝑘 ± 𝑐)
Equation: 𝑦 = 𝑘 Equation: 𝑥 = ℎ
Direction: Horizontal Direction: Vertical
Major axis
Length: 2𝑎 Length: 2𝑎
Endpoints: (ℎ ± 𝑎, 𝑘) Endpoints: (ℎ, 𝑘 ± 𝑎)
Equation: 𝑥 = ℎ Equation: 𝑦 = 𝑘
Direction: Vertical Direction: Horizontal
Minor axis
Length: 2𝑏 Length: 2𝑏
Endpoints: (ℎ, 𝑘 ± 𝑏) Endpoints: (ℎ ± 𝑏, 𝑘)
 Equation: 𝑥 = ℎ ± 𝑐 Equation: y = 𝑘 ± 𝑐
Direction: Vertical Direction: Horizontal
2𝑏2 2𝑏2
Length: Length:
Latus Rectum 𝑎 𝑎
𝑏2 𝑏2
Endpoints: (ℎ − 𝑐, 𝑘 ± ) and (ℎ + Endpoints: (ℎ ± , 𝑘 − 𝑐) and (ℎ ±
𝑎 𝑎
𝑏2 𝑏2
𝑐, 𝑘 ± ) , 𝑘 + 𝑐)
𝑎 𝑎
𝑎2 𝑎2
Directrices 𝑥=ℎ± 𝑦=𝑘±
𝑐 𝑐
Permissible ℎ−𝑎 ≤𝑥 ≤ℎ+𝑎 ℎ−𝑏 ≤𝑥 ≤ℎ+𝑏
Values 𝑘−𝑏 ≤𝑦 ≤𝑘+𝑏 𝑘−𝑎 ≤𝑦 ≤𝑘+𝑎

General Forms of the Equation of an Ellipse

𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐵𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0

HYPERBOLA
Standard Forms of the Equation of an Ellipse
(a) Ellipse with center at (0, 0)

Center: (0, 0) Ellipse with foci on the x-axis Ellipse with foci on the y-axis
𝑥2 𝑦2 𝑦2 𝑥2
− =1 − =1
Equation 𝑎2 𝑏2 𝑎2 𝑏2
where 𝑐 = √𝑎2 + 𝑏2 and 𝑐 > 𝑎 where 𝑐 = √𝑎2 + 𝑏2 and 𝑐 > 𝑎
Vertices (±𝑎, 0) (0, ± 𝑎)
Foci (±𝑐, 0) (0, ± 𝑐)
Equation: 𝑦 = 0 Equation: 𝑥 = 0
Location: On the x-axis Location: On the y-axis
Major axis
Length: 2𝑎 Length: 2𝑎
Endpoints: (±𝑎, 0) Endpoints: (0, ± 𝑎)
Equation: 𝑥 = 0 Equation: 𝑦 = 0
Location: On the y-axis Location: On the x-axis
Minor axis
Length: 2𝑏 Length: 2𝑏
Endpoints: (0, ±𝑏) Endpoints: (±𝑏, 0)
x-intercepts ±𝑎 None
y-intercepts None ±𝑎
Equation: 𝑥 = ±𝑐 Equation: y = ±𝑐
Direction: Vertical Direction: Horizontal
Latus Rectum 2𝑏2 2𝑏2
Length: Length:
𝑎 𝑎
𝑏2 𝑏2 𝑏2 𝑏2
Endpoints: (−𝑐, ± ) and (𝑐, ± ) Endpoints: (± , − 𝑐) and (± , 𝑐)
𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎
𝑎2 𝑎2
Directrices 𝑥=± 𝑦=±
𝑐 𝑐
𝑏 𝑎
Asymptotes 𝑦=± 𝑥 𝑦=± 𝑥
𝑎 𝑏

(b) Hyperbola with center at (h, k)

Center: (h, k) Ellipse with foci on the x-axis Ellipse with foci on the y-axis
(𝑥 − ℎ)2 (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 (𝑥 − ℎ)2
Equation − =1 − =1
𝑎2 𝑏2 𝑎2 𝑏2
 where 𝑐 = √𝑎2 + 𝑏2 and 𝑐 > 𝑎 where 𝑐 = √𝑎2 + 𝑏2 and 𝑐 > 𝑎

Vertices (ℎ ± 𝑎, 𝑘) (ℎ, 𝑘 ± 𝑎)
Foci (ℎ ± 𝑐, 𝑘) (ℎ, 𝑘 ± 𝑐)
Equation: 𝑦 = 𝑘 Equation: 𝑥 = ℎ
Direction: Horizontal Direction: Vertical
Major axis
Length: 2𝑎 Length: 2𝑎
Endpoints: (ℎ ± 𝑎, 𝑘) Endpoints: (ℎ, 𝑘 ± 𝑎)
Equation: 𝑥 = ℎ Equation: 𝑦 = 𝑘
Direction: Vertical Direction: Horizontal
Minor axis
Length: 2𝑏 Length: 2𝑏
Endpoints: (ℎ, 𝑘 ± 𝑏) Endpoints: (ℎ ± 𝑏, 𝑘)
Equation: 𝑥 = ℎ ± 𝑐 Equation: y = 𝑘 ± 𝑐
Direction: Vertical Direction: Horizontal
2𝑏2 2𝑏2
Length: Length:
Latus Rectum 𝑎 𝑎
𝑏2 𝑏2
Endpoints: (ℎ − 𝑐, 𝑘 ± ) and (ℎ + Endpoints: (ℎ ± , 𝑘 − 𝑐) and (ℎ ±
𝑎 𝑎
𝑏2 𝑏2
𝑐, 𝑘 ± 𝑎) ,𝑘 + 𝑐)
𝑎
𝑎2 𝑎2
Directrices 𝑥=ℎ± 𝑦=𝑘±
𝑐 𝑐
𝑏 𝑎
Asymptotes 𝑦 = 𝑘 ± (𝑥 − ℎ) 𝑦 = 𝑘 ± (𝑥 − ℎ)
𝑎 𝑏

General Forms of the Equation of a Hyperbola

𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐵𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0