Algebra 2 Topic 9 Vocabulary (copy)

conic section

a figure formed by the intersection of a plane and a right circular cone.

directrix

a fixed line that is equidistant from the vertex as the focus is to the vertex

focus of a parabola

A fixed point F used with a directrix to define a parabola

standard form of a circle

(x - h)^2 + (y - k)^2 = r^2, where (h, k) is the center and r is the radius

standard form of an ellipse

(x-h)^2/a^2 + (y-k)^2/b^2 = 1

major axis

Line through the widest part of an ellipse

minor axis

The shorter axis of an ellipse

vertices of an ellipse

the endpoints of the major axis of an ellipse

foci of an ellipse

Two fixed points in an ellipse where the sum of the distances from the points is constant

standard form of a hyperbola

(x-h)^2/a^2 - (y-k)^2/b^2 = 1

foci of a hyperbola

fixed points of hyperbola (+/- c, 0)

vertices of a hyperbola

the endpoints of the transverse axis of the hyperbola