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A straight line associated with a curve such that as a point moves along an infinite branch of the curve, the distance from the point to the line approaches zero and the slope of the curve at the point approaches the slope of the line. |
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A point that is related to a geometrical figure in such a way that for any point on the figure there is another point on the figure such that a straight line joining the two points is bisected by the original point. |
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A closed plane curve in a plane whose distance from a given fixed point in the plane is constant. |
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A straight line the distance to which from any point of a conic section is in fixed ratio to the distance from the same point to a focus. |
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A mathematical constant that for a given conic section is the ratio of the distances from any point of the conic section to a focus and the corresponding directrix. |
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A closed plane curve generated by a point moving in such a way that the sums of its distances from two fixed points is a constant. |
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One of the fixed points that with the corresponding directrix defines a conic section (plural: foci). |
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A plane curve generated by a point so moving that the difference of the distances from two fixed points is a constant. |
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The axis passing through the foci of an ellipse. |
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The chord of an ellipse passing through the center and perpendicular to the major axis. |
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A plane curve generated by a point moving so that its distance from a fixed point is equal to its distance from a fixed line (directrix). |
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One half of the major axis of an ellipse (as that formed by the orbit of a planet). |
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One half of the minor axis of an ellipse (as that formed by the orbit of a planet). |
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The tangent of the angle made by a straight line with the x-axis. |
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A point where an axis of a circle, ellipse, parabola, or hyperbola intersects the curve itself. |