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Math Formulas: Conic Sections

The Parabola Formulas

The standard formula of a parabola

1. y2 = 2 p x
Parametric equations of the parabola:

x = 2 p t2
2.
y = 2pt
Tangent line in a point D(x0 , y0 ) of a parabola y 2 = 2px is :

3. y0 y = p (x + x0 )
Tangent line with a given slope m:

p
4. y = mx +
2m

Tangent lines from a given point

Take a fixed point P (x0 , y0 ). The equations of the tangent lines are:

y − y0 = m1 (x − x0 )
y − y0 = m2 (x − x0 )
p
5. y0 + y02 − 2px0
m1 =
2x
p 0
y0 − y02 − 2px0
m2 =
2x0

The Ellipse Formulas

The set of all points in the plane, the sum of whose distances from two fixed points, called the foci, is a
constant.

The standard formula of a ellipse:

x2 y2
6. + =1
a2 b2

Parametric equations of the ellipse:

x = a cos t
7.
y = b sin t

Tangent line in a point D(x0 , y0 ) of a ellipse:

x0 x y0 y
8. + 2 =1
a2 b

Eccentricity of the ellipse:

√
a2 − b2
9. e=
a

Foci of the ellipse:

1
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 p  p 
if a ≥ b =⇒ F1 − a2 − b2 , 0 F2 a2 − b2 , 0
10.  p   p 
if a < b =⇒ F1 0, − b2 − a2 F2 0, b2 − a2

Area of the ellipse:

11. A=π·a·b

The Hyperbola Formulas

The set of all points in the plane, the difference of whose distances from two fixed points, called the foci,
remains constant.

The standard formula of a hyperbola:

x2 y2
12. − =1
a2 b2

Parametric equations of the Hyperbola:

a
x=
sin t
13.
b sin t
y=
cos t

Tangent line in a point D(x0 , y0 ) of a Hyperbola:

x0 x y0 y
14. − 2 =1
a2 b

Foci:
 p  p 
if a ≥ b =⇒ F1 − a2 + b2 , 0 F2 a2 + b2 , 0
15.  p   p 
if a < b =⇒ F1 0, − a2 + b2 F2 0, a2 + b2

Asymptotes:
b b
if a ≥ b =⇒ y = x and y = − x
16. a a
a a
if a < b =⇒ y = x and y = − x
b b