Activities

Exploring Ellipses and Hyperbolas

Published on 04/03/2013

Students will explore two conic sections, ellipses and hyperbolas, both graphically and analytically.

First, students will explore what happens to the graph of an ellipse as the distance of the foci to the center of the ellipse changes.
Students will then investigate the equation of an ellipse by moving the center of the circle.

Students will then plot and change the foci of the ellipse and determine what role the foci play in the equation of the ellipse.
Students will apply their knowledge of conic sections to locate the vertices and foci of a hyperbola.