Objective To graph and identify conic sections
In Chapter 4, you studied parabolas. Geometrically, a parabola has the shape of a cross section of a cone that you cut in a particular way. Parabolas form a family of curves that belong to a larger family known as conic sections.
Essential Understanding There are four types of curves known as conic sections: parabolas, circles, ellipses, and hyperbolas. Each curve has its own distinct shape and properties.
A conic section is a curve you get by intersecting a plane and a double cone. By changing the inclination of the plane, you can get a circle, a parabola, an ellipse, or a hyperbola.
You can use lines of symmetry to graph a conic section.