Conic Sections — Revision Notes
ICSE · Class 11 · Mathematics
Conic Sections revision notes for ICSE Class 11 Mathematics: 4 topics in quick points. Part of the ICSE Class 11 Mathematics syllabus.
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Key Topics to Revise
1. Basic Idea and Geometric Classification
- A conic section is a curve obtained as the intersection of a plane with a right circular conical surface.
- A cone has two nappes, separated by the vertex.
- If the cutting plane does not pass through the vertex, the result may be a circle, ellipse, parabola, or hyperbola.
2. Core Definitions and Terms
- The fixed point in the focus-directrix definition is called the focus.
- The fixed line in that definition is called the directrix.
- The axis is the straight line through the focus and perpendicular to the directrix.
3. Parabola
- A parabola is the locus of points whose distance from a fixed point equals their distance from a fixed line.
- The eccentricity of a parabola is always 1.
- If the fixed point lies on the fixed line, the parabola degenerates into a straight line through the fixed point perpendicular to the fixed line.
4. Ellipse
- An ellipse is the locus of points whose ratio of distance from a fixed point to distance from a fixed line is constant and less than 1.
- An ellipse is also the set of points whose sum of distances from two fixed points is constant.
- The fixed points are called foci.
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