ClipArt ETC
Illustration showing a circle formed by the intersection of a plane perpendicular to the axis of the cone.

Circle

Illustration showing a circle formed by the intersection of a plane perpendicular to the axis of the…

Illustration of a plane parallel to the base passing through a cone (section made is a circle).

Plane Parallel to Base, Passing Through a Cone

Illustration of a plane parallel to the base passing through a cone (section made is a circle).

Illustration of a plane parallel to the base passing through a cone (section made is a circle).

Plane Parallel to Base, Passing Through a Cone

Illustration of a plane parallel to the base passing through a cone (section made is a circle).

Conic sections, cones divided by a plane.

Conic Sections

Conic sections, cones divided by a plane.

Diagram of a cone with inscribed spheres and cut by various planes to depict the conic sections: circle, ellipse.

Cone depicting Conic Sections

Diagram of a cone with inscribed spheres and cut by various planes to depict the conic sections: circle,…

Diagram showing how to construct a conic when given the focus and the auxiliary circle. If the focus is outside the circle, we get a hyperbola. If it's inside the circle, we get an ellipse. If the auxiliary circle is a straight line (radius is infinite), we get a parabola.

Construction of a Conic

Diagram showing how to construct a conic when given the focus and the auxiliary circle. If the focus…

Diagram showing how to construct a conic when given the focus and the auxiliary circle. The focus is on the left of the auxiliary circle, thus producing a very obtuse hyperbola.

Focus In Auxiliary Circle of Conic

Diagram showing how to construct a conic when given the focus and the auxiliary circle. The focus is…

Diagram showing how to construct a conic when given the focus and the auxiliary circle. As the focus moves inside the circle the ellipse broadens out until the focus reaches the center and becomes a circle.

Focus In Auxiliary Circle of Conic

Diagram showing how to construct a conic when given the focus and the auxiliary circle. As the focus…

Illustration of an ellipse with major and minor axes, foci, and points on the ellipse. "An ellipse is a plane figure bounded by a curved line, to any point of which the sum of the distances from two fixed points within, called the foci, is equal to the sum of the distances from the foci to any other point on the curve."

Ellipse

Illustration of an ellipse with major and minor axes, foci, and points on the ellipse. "An ellipse is…

Illustration of an ellipse.

Ellipse

Illustration of an ellipse.

Illustration showing an ellipse formed by the intersection of the surface of a cone with a plane neither parallel nor perpendicular to a straight line of the surface of the cone nor the axis.

Ellipse

Illustration showing an ellipse formed by the intersection of the surface of a cone with a plane neither…

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse parallel to two parallel lines A and B. "Draw a semicircle on AB, draw ordinates in the circle at right angle to AB, the corresponding and equal ordinates for the ellipse to be drawn parallel to the lines, and thus the elliptic curve is obtained as shown by the figure."

Construction Of An Ellipse Tangent To Two Parallel Lines

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse parallel to two parallel lines A and B. "Draw a…

Illustration of a cone cut by a plane that is not parallel to the base and does not intersect the base.

Conic Section Ellipse

Illustration of a cone cut by a plane that is not parallel to the base and does not intersect the base.

Illustration showing the definition of an ellipse as a conic section. The plane cuts the cone obliquely.

Conic Section Showing Ellipse

Illustration showing the definition of an ellipse as a conic section. The plane cuts the cone obliquely.

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse. "With a as a center, draw two concentric circles with diameters equal to the long and short axes of the desired ellipse. Draw from o any number of radii, A, B, etc. Draw a line Bb' parallel to n and bb' parallel to m, then b is a point in the desired ellipse.

Construction Of An Ellipse

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse. "With a as a center, draw two concentric circles…

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse using a string. "Having given the two axes, set off from c half the great axis at a and b, which are the two focuses of the ellipse. Take an endless string as long as the three sides in the triangle abc, fix two pins or nails in the focuses, one in a and one in b, lay the string around a and b, stretch it with a pencil d, which then will describe the desired ellipse."

Construction Of An Ellipse

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse using a string. "Having given the two axes, set…

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse using circle arcs. "Divide the long axis into three equal parts, draw the two circles, and where they intersect one another are the centers for the tangent arcs of the ellipses as shown by the figure."

Construction Of An Ellipse

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse using circle arcs. "Divide the long axis into three…

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse using circle arcs. "Given the two axes, set off the short axis from A to b, divide b into three equal parts, set off two of these parts from o towards c and c which are the centers for the ends of the ellipse. Make equilateral triangles on cc, when ee will be the centers for the sides of the ellipse. If the long axis is more than twice the short one, this construction will not make a good ellipse."

Construction Of An Ellipse

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse using circle arcs. "Given the two axes, set off…

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse. Given the two axes, set off half the long axis from c to ff, which will be the two focuses in the ellipse. Divide the long axis into any number of parts, say a to be a division point. Take Aa as radius and f as center and describe a circle arc about b, take aB as radius and f as center describe another circle arc about b, then the intersection b is a point in the ellipse, and so the whole ellipse can be constructed."

Construction Of An Ellipse

An illustration showing how to construct an ellipse. Given the two axes, set off half the long axis…

Diagram showing how to construct an ellipse when given the two foci and the length of the major axis (2a).

Construction of an Ellipse

Diagram showing how to construct an ellipse when given the two foci and the length of the major axis…

Diagram of an ellipse that can used to illustrate the definition. "The constant ration between the distances of a point on an ellipse from the focus and the directrix equals the linear eccentricity divided by the semi major axis."

Definition of Ellipse

Diagram of an ellipse that can used to illustrate the definition. "The constant ration between the distances…

Diagram that illustrates "The algebraic sum of the distances of any point from the foci of a conic is greater or less than 2a, according as the point is without or within the curve."

Foci Distances on an Ellipse

Diagram that illustrates "The algebraic sum of the distances of any point from the foci of a conic is…

A graph of tan ellipse with Foci and Center.

Graph of Ellipse with Foci and Center Labeled

A graph of tan ellipse with Foci and Center.

Illustration of ellipse with parts labeled.

Ellipse With Parts Labeled

Illustration of ellipse with parts labeled.

Diagram of an ellipse that can used to illustrate the different parts. Segment MN is the major axis, segment CD is the conjugate (minor) axis, and point O is the center of the ellipse. Both foci are also labeled in the illustration.

Parts of Ellipse

Diagram of an ellipse that can used to illustrate the different parts. Segment MN is the major axis,…

Diagram an ellipse with a tangent line that illustrates "A line through a point on the ellipse and bisecting the external angle between the focal radii is a tangent."

Tangent to an Ellipse

Diagram an ellipse with a tangent line that illustrates "A line through a point on the ellipse and bisecting…

One of the three species of conic sections is the hyperbola.

Hyperbola

One of the three species of conic sections is the hyperbola.

Illustration showing a hyperbola as a curve formed by the intersection of the surface of a cone with a plane parallel to the axis of the cone.

Hyperbola

Illustration showing a hyperbola as a curve formed by the intersection of the surface of a cone with…

Diagram depicting a cone with both nappes intersected by plane J to form a hyperbola.

Cone Intersected by a Plane to Form a Hyperbola

Diagram depicting a cone with both nappes intersected by plane J to form a hyperbola.

Illustration of a cone cut by a plane parallel to the axis of the cone and perpendicular to the vertical plane of projection. The curve made by the intersection of the plane and the cone is called a hyperbola.

Conic Section Hyperbola

Illustration of a cone cut by a plane parallel to the axis of the cone and perpendicular to the vertical…

Illustration showing the definition of a hyperbola as a conic section.

Conic Section Showing Hyperbola

Illustration showing the definition of a hyperbola as a conic section.

Diagram showing how to construct a hyperbola when given the two foci and the length of the major axis (2a).

Construction of a Hyperbola

Diagram showing how to construct a hyperbola when given the two foci and the length of the major axis…

Diagram part of a hyperbola with a tangent line that illustrates "A line through a point on the hyperbola and bisecting the internal angle between the focal radii is a tangent."

Tangent to a Hyperbola

Diagram part of a hyperbola with a tangent line that illustrates "A line through a point on the hyperbola…

All triangles formed by a tangent and the asymptotes of an hyperbola are equal in area.

Hyperbola Tangent Triangles

All triangles formed by a tangent and the asymptotes of an hyperbola are equal in area.

The lines joining any point on a conic to the two foci are equally inclined to the tangent and normal at that point. This is an ellipse.

Conic Foci Involution

The lines joining any point on a conic to the two foci are equally inclined to the tangent and normal…

One of the three species of conic sections is the parabola.

Parabola

One of the three species of conic sections is the parabola.

Illustration showing a parabola as a curve formed by the intersection of the surface of a cone with a plane parallel to a straight line of the surface of the cone.

Parabola

Illustration showing a parabola as a curve formed by the intersection of the surface of a cone with…

The segments between the point of intersection of two tangents to a conic and their points of contact are seen from a focus under equal angles. the ratio of the distances of any point on a conic from a focus and the corresponding directrix is constant.

Parabola Foci Properties

The segments between the point of intersection of two tangents to a conic and their points of contact…

Diagram of a cone intersected by plane J to form a parabola. Also pictured is a circle formed by the intersection of plane K with the cone. "Every point of a parabola is equidistant from the focus and the directrix."

Cone Intersected by a Plane to Form a Parabola

Diagram of a cone intersected by plane J to form a parabola. Also pictured is a circle formed by the…

Illustration of a cone cut by a plane that is parallel to one of the elements of the cone. The curve made by the intersection of the plane and the cone is called a parabola.

Conic Section Parabola

Illustration of a cone cut by a plane that is parallel to one of the elements of the cone. The curve…

Illustration showing the definition of a parabola as a conic section. The plane cuts the cone parallel to one element.

Conic Section Showing Parabola

Illustration showing the definition of a parabola as a conic section. The plane cuts the cone parallel…

Diagram showing how to construct a parabola when given the directrix (d), the focus (F) and the eccentricity (m).

Construction of a Parabola

Diagram showing how to construct a parabola when given the directrix (d), the focus (F) and the eccentricity…

Illustration showing intersecting straight lines meeting to form a triangle. It is formed by the intersection of the surface of a cone with a plane parallel to the axis and actually containing the axis.

Degenerate Conic Forming Triangle

Illustration showing intersecting straight lines meeting to form a triangle. It is formed by the intersection…