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Conic Sections Cheat Sheet by

Graphics sourced from these websites: Conic Cross-Sections https://www.ck12.org/book/ck-12-algebra-ii-with-trigonometry-concepts/section/10.0/ Labelled Parabola, Ellipse, and Hyperbola https://math.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Calculus/Calculus_3e_%28Apex%29/09%3A_Curves_in_the_Plane/9.01%3A_Conic_Sections

Parabolas with vertex (h,k)

Opening up/down
(x-h)2=±4p(y-k)
Vertical Focus
(h, k+p)
Directrix
y=k-p
Opening right/left
(y-k)2=±4p(x-h)
Horizontal Focus
(h+p, k)
Directrix
x=h-p
Any point on a parabola is equidi­stant from the parabola's focus and directrix

Conic Cross-­Sec­tions Diagram

Parabola opening upwards

 

Circle­s/E­llipses with center (h,k)

Circle
(x-h)2+(y-k)2=r2
Circle Focus
(h,k)
Circle Vertices
None
Wide Ellipse
(x-h)2/a2+(y-k)2/b2=1
Wide Foci
(h±c, k)
Wide Vertices
(h±a, k±b)
Tall Ellipse
(x-h)2/b2+(y-k)2/a2=1
Tall Foci
(h, k±c)
Tall Vertices
(h±b, k±a)
c²=a²-b² and |a|≥|b­|>0
Formulas for foci generate two different points (+c and -c), and formulas for vertices generate four different vertices: (h+a,k) (h-a,k) (h,k+b) and (h,k-b)
Distances between a focal point to any point on the ellipse, plus the distance of the other focal point to that same point on the ellipse, gives a sum of distances that is constant for any point on the ellipse

Wide Ellipse

 

Hyperbolas with center (h,k)

Pair opening left and right
(x-h)2/a2-(y-k)2/b2=1
Horizontal Foci
(h±c, k)
Horizontal Vertices
(h±a, k)
Asymptotes
y-k=±(­b/a­)(x-h)
Pair opening up and down
(y-k)2/a2-(x-h)2/b2=1
Vertical Foci
(h, k±c)
Vertical Vertices
(h, k±a)
Asymptotes
y-k=±(­a/b­)(x-h)
c²=a²+b², |a|≠0, |b|≠0
Formulas for foci generate two different points (+c and -c), formulas for vertices generate two different points (+a and -a), and formulas for asymptotes generate two different asymptotes (+(a/b) and -(a/b) or +(b/a) and -(b/a))
Distance of a focal point to a point on either hyperbola branch, minus distance of the other focal point to that same point on that same hyperbola branch, gives a value whose magnitude is constant for any point on either hyperbola branch

Horizontal pair of Hyperbolas

Horizontal Hyperbola Asymptotes

                       
 

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