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Conic Sections

Conic Sections

The family of curves including circles, ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas. All of these geometric figures may be obtained by the intersection a double cone with a plane, hence the name conic section. All conic sections have equations of the form Ax2 + Bxy + Cy2 + Dx + Ey + F = 0.

 

Four double cones intersected by planes showing conic sections: Circle, Ellipse, Parabola, and Hyperbola (red cross-sections).

 

 

See also

Eccentricity, degenerate conic sections, focal radius