Conic Section Project
Name__________________
On one 8.5 x 11 inch piece of graph paper design a picture of your choice by using
various lines and conic sections.
Parameters that you must follow:
- You must use at least two of each of the following: lines, circles, ellipses, parabolas,
and hyperbolas.
- You must give the equation in standard form of everything that you graph.
- Describe the picture that you drew, in case I cannot decipher it.
Grading:
- Correct standard form for each piece.
- Correct center, vertices, etc.
- Accurately graph all vertices.
- Label each graph on the graph paper with a number and show the other information
(listed below) on a separate piece of paper.
- Creativity.
- Write a short story about your picture.
Requirements for each
- line (absolute value may also be used)
- must be in slope-intercept form.
If using absolute value, give the vertex.
- parabola
- must be in y = a(x – h)2 + k,
- must give the vertex
- circle
- must be in (x – h)2 + (y - k)2 = r2
- must give the center and radius.
- ellipse
- must be in (x – h)2 + (y - k)2 = 1
or
(y – h)2 + (x - k)2 = 1
2
2
a
b
a2
b2
- must give the center and the four vertices.
- hyperbola
- must be in (x – h)2 - (y - k)2 = 1
or
(y – h)2 - (x - k)2 = 1
a2
b2
a2
b2
- must give the center and the two vertices.
-if you only use part of a line, parabola, etc, give the domain and range of the portion
being graphed.
Note: it may be easier to sketch the picture first and then find the equations. You may also use
inequalities if you wish.