Scribd
Upload
25 views6 pages

10.2 Classifying Conic Sections by Eccentricity: 9 October 2007

This document classifies conic sections based on eccentricity. It defines a conic section as the set of points where the distance from the focus (F) is a constant multiple (e) of the distance from the directrix (D). An ellipse results when 0<e<1, a parabola when e=1, and a hyperbola when e>1. Standard equations are derived for each case in terms of the eccentricity and coordinates of F and D.

Uploaded by

yousifabr
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
25 views6 pages

10.2 Classifying Conic Sections by Eccentricity: 9 October 2007

This document classifies conic sections based on eccentricity. It defines a conic section as the set of points where the distance from the focus (F) is a constant multiple (e) of the distance from the directrix (D). An ellipse results when 0<e<1, a parabola when e=1, and a hyperbola when e>1. Standard equations are derived for each case in terms of the eccentricity and coordinates of F and D.

Uploaded by

yousifabr
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

10.

Classifying Conic Sections by Eccentricity


9 October 2007

Eccentricity and Directrix Given two real quantities a > 0 and e > 0 with e = 1, dene the auxiliary quantities c = a e and d = a e. Dene the focus as the point F (c, 0) and the directrix as the vertical line D with equation x = d . Consider the set C = C (a, e) dened as the set of all points P (x, y ) in the plane which satisfy the condition PF = e PD . (1)

The points of C (a, e) are described by (P F )2 = e2 (P D)2 (x c)2 + (y 0)2 = e2 (x d)2 x2 2cx + c2 + y 2 = e2 x2 2dx + d2 1 e2 x2 + y 2 + 2(de2 c)x = e2d2 c2 . Since d e2 = c and d e = a we nd that the points of C (a, e) are characterized by the equation 1 e2 x2 + y 2 = a2 c2 .

Elliptic case: If 0 < e < 1 it follows that 0 < c < a < d . Dening b > 0 by b2 = a2 c2 the last equation above implies that 1 e2 x2 + y 2 = b2 .

b 2 we obtain the standard equation of an ellipse Since 1 = a 2 e x2 + y 2 = 1 . a2 b2

Hyperbolic case: If 1 < e it follows that 0 < d < a < c . Dening b > 0 by b2 = a2 + c2 the last equation above implies that 1 e2 x2 + y 2 = b2 .

b2 = a2 we obtain the standard equation of a hyperbola Since 1 e2 x2 y 2 = 1 . a2 b2

Summary: Recall that the parabola was dened in terms of a focus F (p, 0) where p > 0 and the directrix D with equation x = p in terms of the condition PF = 1 PD . Hence a common denition for the standard ellipse, parabola, hyperbola is provided by the focus-directrix equation PF = e PD , where for xed e > 0 condition is an ellipse, a parabola, a hyperbola, the set of points in the plane satisfying this if 0 < e < 1; if e = 1; if e > 1.

You might also like