PRE CALCULUS

QUARTER 1 – MODULE 1
WEEK 1 - 4

LESSON 1: Introduction of Conic Sections and the Circle

What I Need to Know
Upon completion of this lesson, you should be able to:
 illustrate the different types of conic sections: parabola, ellipse, circle, hyperbola, and degenerate
cases;
  determine the type of conic section defined by a given 2nd degree equation in x and y;
 define a circle;
 determine the standard form of equation of circle;
 Graph a circle in a rectangular coordinate system;
 Derive and illustrate the equation of the circle;
 Find the center and the radius of the circle of an equation;
 Convert the general equation of circle to standard form and vice versa;

What’s In
Activity 1: Recall
You had learned in your previous mathematics in junior high school about solving a quadratic equation
by completing the squares. Let us recall your knowledge about the subject using these following examples.
In order to find the roots of a certain quadratic equation, the following steps will be used using
completing the square method.
1. Rewrite the equation in the form x2 + bx = c.
2. Add to both sides the term needed to complete the square.
3. Factor the perfect square trinomial.
4. Solve the resulting equation by using the square root property.

1. Solve the equation x2 + 8x + 5 = 0 by completing the square.

Solution:
x2 + 8x + 5 = 0 x2 + 8x = -5 Rewrite the equation in the form x2 + bx = c.
x2 + 8x + 16 = -5 + 16 Add the appropriate constant to complete the square.
(x + 4)2 = 11 Factoring the perfect square trinomial

Solve using the square root method.

2. Find the roots of x2 + 10x − 4 = 0 using completing the square method.

x2+10x+25=4+25 Add the appropriate constant to complete the square.

x2 + 10x = 4 Rewrite the equation in the form x2 + bx = c.
(x+5)2=29 Factoring the perfect square trinomial
Solve using the square root method.

X1=0.39
X2= -10.39
Completing the square method is useful in discussing conic sections specially the equation of a circle.

What’s New
Geometric Figures or shapes are use in architectural designs. For this activity, identify the following shapes
as circle, parabola, ellipse, or hyperbola as shown in the pictures being used in real-life. Write your answer on
the space provided.

1) 2) 3) 4)
___________ __________ ____________ ____________

5) 6) 7) 8)

___________ __________ ____________ ____________

Does
the activity ignite your interest to study more about geometric shapes particularly different conic sections like
your answers in the activity? Can you name other architectural designs not in the pictures that used the idea of
geometrical shapes? Does the shape matters on the durability, functionality and artistic designs?
Studying this module will help you appreciate nature and man’s creation that would help daily life activities.
What is It
We present the conic sections, a particular class of curves which sometimes appear in nature and which
have applications in other fields. In this lesson, we first illustrate how each of these curves is obtained from the
intersection of a plane and a cone, and then discuss the first of their kind, circles. The other conic sections will
be covered in the next lessons.
Conic sections (or conics), is a curved formed by a plane passing through a double-napped circular
cone. One of the first shapes we learned, a circle, is a conic. When you throw a ball, the trajectory it takes is a
parabola. The orbit taken by each planet around the sun is an ellipse. Properties of hyperbolas have been
used in the design of certain telescopes and navigation systems. We will discuss circles in this lesson, leaving
parabolas, ellipses, and hyperbolas for subsequent lessons.
• Circle (Figure 1.1) – is a special case of ellipse in which the plane is perpendicular to the axis of the
cone.
• Ellipse (Figure 1.1) - when the (tilted) plane intersects only one cone to form a bounded curve
• Parabola (Figure 1.2) – the plane is parallel to a generator line of the cone
• Hyperbola (Figure 1.3) – the intersection is an unbounded curve and the plane is not parallel to a
generator line of the cone and the plane intersects both halves of the cone.

Figure 1.1 Figure 1.2 Figure 1.3

We can draw these conic sections on a
rectangular coordinate plane and find their equations. To be able to do this, we will present equivalent
definitions of these conic sections in subsequent sections, and use these to find the equations.

There are other ways for a plane and the cones to intersect, to form what are referred to as
degenerate conics: a point, one line, and two lines. See Figures 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6.

Figure 1.4 Figure 1.5 Figure 1.6

The graph of the second degree equation of the form is
determine by the values of

Table 1 Graphs of Quadratic Equations

Conic Section Value of Eccentricity
Circle <0 or A=C
Parabola
Ellipse
Hyperbola

Example1.1 Determine the type conic section that each general equation will produce.
1. 3.
2. 4.

Solutions: We will collect all the values of A, B, C in each equation. Then solve for the value of
Interpret the result based on table 1.
1.

Note that and . Thus, the conic section is an ellipse.

2. Thus, the conic section is hyperbola.

 3.

Note that and . Thus, the conic section is a circle.

4.

The conic section is a parabola.

Definition and Equation of a Circle

A circle may also be considered a special kind of ellipse (for the special case when the tilted plane is
horizontal). As we get to know more about a circle, we will also be able to distinguish more between these two
conics.
See Figure 1.7, with the point shown. From the figure, the distance of from C is AC = 5.
By the distance formula, the distance of from C is BC = . There are other
points P such that PC = 5. The collection of all such points which are 5 units away from C, forms a circle.

Figure 1.7 Figure 1.8

Let C be a given point. The set of all points P having the same distance from C is called a circle. The
point C is called the center of the circle, and the common distance its radius.

The term radius is both used to refer to a segment from the center C to a point P on the circle, and the
length of this segment.
See Figure 1.8, where a circle is drawn. It has center C(h, k) and radius r > 0. A point P(x, y) is on the
circle if and only if PC = r. For any such point then, its coordinates should satisfy the following.

This is the standard equation of the circle with center C(h, k) and radius r. If the center is the origin,
then h = 0 and k = 0. The standard equation is then x2 + y2 = r2.

Example 1.2. Graph the circle .

The given equation is in standard form with center at the origin C(0,0) and radius. We can rewrite the
equation into this form .following the standard equation x2 + y2 = r2. Thus, r=4. To be able to
graph the circle, we take all the points that are 4 units from the center (0,0) to all directions along the plane.
See Figure 1.9 below.

Figure 1.9
Example1.2. In each item, give the standard equation of the circle
satisfying the given conditions.
(1) center at the origin, radius 4
(2) center (−4, 3), radius
(3) circle in Figure 1.7
(4) circle A in Figure 1.10
(5) circle B in Figure 1.10
(6) center (5, 6), tangent to the y-axis
Figure 1.10
(7) center (5, −6), tangent to the x-axis
(8) It has a diameter with endpoints A(−1, 4) and B(4, 2).
Solution:
(1) Since the center of the circle is the origin, then h=0 and k=0, the standard equation of the circle
given radius (r=4) is
(2) Since the center of the circle is not the origin, we will use the standard equation

(3) The center is (3, 1) and the radius is 5

(4) By inspection, the center is (-2, -1) and the radius is 4. The equation is (x + 2)2 + (y + 1)2 = 16.
(5) Similarly by inspection, we have (x − 3)2 + (y − 2)2 = 9.
(6) The center is 5 units away from the y-axis, so the radius is r= 5 (you can make a sketch to see why).
The equation is
(x− 5)2 + (y + 6)2 = 25.
(7) Similarly, since the center is 6 units away from the x-axis, the equation is (x − 5)2 + (y + 6)2 = 36.
(8) The center C is the midpoint of A and B: C= The radius is then r=AC=

. The circle has an equation .

After expanding the standard equation, say for example the standard form in example 1.8,
, can be written as , an equation of the circle in general
form. If the equation of a circle is given in the general form Ax 2 + By2 + Cx + Dy + E = 0, A ≠ 0, x 2 + y2 + Cx +
Dy + E = 0, we can determine the standard form by completing the square in both variables. Steps below show
the knowledge we had in our previous activity about completing the square.

In completing the square like the expression (x2 + 14x) means determining the term to be added that
will produce a perfect polynomial square. Since the coefficient of x 2 is already 1, we take half the coefficient
of x and square it, and we get 49. Indeed, x 2 + 14x + 49 = (x + 7) 2 is a perfect square. To complete the
square in, say, 3x2 + 18x, we factor the coefficient of x 2 from the expression: 3(x2 + 6x), then add 9 inside.
When completing a square in an equation, any extra term introduced on one side should also be added to
the other side.
Example 1.3. Identify the center and radius of the circle with the given equation in each item. Sketch its
graph, and indicate the center.
Solution. The first step is to rewrite each equation in standard form by completing the square in x and in y.
From the standard equation, we can determine the center and radius.
(1) (Given)
(Adding 9 both sides)
(Simplify right side of the equation)
(Factoring into perfect square binomial)

Center (3,0), r = 4, see Figure 1.11

(2) (Given)
(Rearrange by terms)
(Adding 49 & 1 both sides)
(Simplify right side of the equation)
(Factoring into perfect square binomial)

Center (7,-1), r=6, see Figure 1.12

(3) (Given)
(Rearrange by terms)
(Applying common monomial factor)
(Adding ) both sides)
(Simplify & factoring into perfect square binomial)

(Multiplying both sides)

(Simplify)

Center (- or 5.5, see Fig. 1.13

In the standard equation both the two squared terms on the left side have
coefficient 1. This is the reason why the preceding example, we multiplied at the last equation.

What’s More
Activity 1.1: Let Me try!
Let us find out if you really understood the discussed concept by answering these follow-up exercises.
1. Determine the type of conic section that each general equation will produce. Show your solution.

2. In each item, give the standard equation of the circle satisfying the given
conditions.

1. Identify the center and radius of the circle with the given equation in each item.
Sketch its graph, and indicate the center.
 (a) x2 + y2 + 8y = 33 b.4x2 + 4y 2 − 16x + 40y + 67 = 0

c. 4x2 + 12x + 4y2 + 16y − 11 = 0 d. x2 + y2 - 6x + 4y +4 = 0

e. x2 + y2 – 4x - 8y + 20 = 0

What I Have Learned

Let me check your knowledge by filling the blanks with a correct symbols/letter or terms in order to complete
the statement/s.
There are four types of conic sections. When the plane is perpendicular to the axis of the cone and
intersects each generator, a/an (1).__________is formed. However, when the plane is tilted slightly so that it
intersects each generator, but only intersects one nappe of the cone, a/an (2)___________ is formed. When
the plane is tilted further so that it is parallel to one and only one generator and intersects only one nappe of
the cone, a /an(3) ____________ is formed. A hyperbola is generated when plane intersects both nappes.
Given a general equation of the conic sections, we can determine what type of conics by collecting
the values (4)___, (5)___ and (6)___. Then solve the value of and interpret the result based on
the table of the graphs of quadratic equations.
The first type of conic section is circle. It is defined as a set of all points in a plane equidistant from a
fixed point called (7)_______ of the circle and the constant equal distance is called (8)________. The
standard form of the equation of a circle is (with the center: (9)_____, and radius:
(10)____. However, when the circle has a center at origin: C(0,0), the standard equation would be
(11)__________. This equation of the circle Ax 2 + By2 + Cx + Dy + E = 0, is called
(12)_________________. This equation can be converted into standard form using completing of (13)
_______. To graph the equation of the circle into the coordinate plane, use the center represented by (14)
_____. After locating the center, use the value of the (15) ________to move in all directions and then
connect the dots to form a circle.

What I Can Do
Performance Task: Let’s do this!
Materials: Grid paper, Philippine new coins (1, 5 and 10 peso coins), ruler, and pen.

Procedures:
 A. Center (0,0)
1. Use the grid paper below and draw 3 sets of Cartesian coordinate plane. Use 1 unit in labelling the x-
and y- axes.
2. Locate the center (0,0) of each 3 sets of Cartesian plane by putting a visible dots.
3. Place each coin (designated set) at the center or on the dot in each Cartesian plane. Using pen, draw
a circle by tracing the circumference (edge) of the each coin.
4. After you draw, remove the coins. From the center (dot), draw a line to any point of the circle.
5. Get your ruler, measure in centimeters the line (radius) you created in each Cartesian plane and
record the values.
6. Solve the equation of each circle using the obtained value of the radius.
7. Compare the equation obtained and make an observation note of the activity.

Observation Note:
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

B. Center(h,k)
1. Use the grid paper below and draw 3 sets of Cartesian coordinate plane. Use 1 unit in labelling the x-
and y- axes.
2. Locate the center (2,3) of each 3 sets of Cartesian plane by putting a visible dots.
3. Place each coin (designated set) at the center or on the dot in each Cartesian plane. Using pen, draw
a circle by tracing the circumference (edge) of the each coin.
4. After you draw, remove the coins. From the center (dot), draw a line to any point of the circle.
5. Get your ruler, measure in centimeters the line (radius) you created in each Cartesian plane and
record the values.
6. Solve the equation of each circle using the obtained value of the radius.
7. Compare the equation obtained and make an observation note of the activity.

Observation Note:
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

LESSON 2: The Parabola

What I Need to Know
Upon completion of this lesson, you should be able to:
 define a parabola;
 determine the standard form of equation of parabola
 graph a parabola in a Cartesian coordinate system;
 describe and discuss the parts of parabola;
 convert the general equation of parabola to standard form and vice versa.
What’s In
Activity 2.1: Recall
Let us recall previous lessons in quadratic function. Write the correct answer of the following questions below.

What is the standard form

of a quadratic function? ______________________
What is Vertex form of a quadratic function? _________________________
What do you call the graph of quadratic function?________________________

Recalling this concepts are useful in studying the new lesson in this module as you go along the parts.

What’s New
A parabola is one of the conic sections. You have learned from the previous lesson that it is
formed when the plane intersects only one cone to form an unbounded curve. The same thing
with circle, you will learn more about the opening of the graph, equation in standard form and
general form. Let us discover some important parts of the graph of a parabola.

Figure 2.1
Follow-up Activity!
Study figure 2.1 and fill in the blank to complete the statement.
Knowing that the graph of quadratic function is a parabola and you already had the idea on its part.
But, there are new parts to be introduced in teaching parabola as one of the conics. A parabola is the set of
all points in a plane equidistant from a fixed point and a fixed line. The fixed point is called ________ and the
fixed line is called the ________.The _______ of the parabola is the midpoint of the perpendicular segment
from the focus to the directrix, while the line that passes through it and the focus is called the
_______________. The line segment through the focus perpendicular to the axis of symmetry is called the
____________ whose length is 4ac.

What is It
Parabola is the set of all points in a plane equidistant from a fixed point and a fixed line.
This part presents how to convert general form of a parabola to its standard form and vice versa. Table 2.1
presents the general and standard equations of the parabola with vertex at origin and at (h,k).

Table 2.1
General and Standard Equations of the Parabola
Example 2.2 Convert the general equations to standard form:
a. b.

Solution: a.

b.

Consider the point F(0, 2) and the line ℓ having equation y = 2, as shown in Figure 1.14. What are
the distances of A(4, 2) from F and from ℓ? (The latter is taken as the distance of A from Aℓ, the point on ℓ
closest to A). How about the distances of B(−8, 8) from F and from ℓ (from Bℓ)?
AF = 4 and AAℓ = 4
BF= and BBℓ = 10
There are other points P such that PF = PPℓ (where Pℓ is the closest point on line ℓ). The collection of
all such points forms a shape called a parabola.
 Consider a parabola with focus F(0, c) and directrix ℓ having equation y = c. See Figure 1.26. The focus
and directrix are c units above and below, respectively, the origin. Let P(x, y) be a point on the parabola so
PF = PPℓ, where Pℓ is the point on ℓ closest to P. The point P has to be on the same side of the directrix as
the focus (if P was below, it would be closer to ℓ than it is from F).
PF = PPℓ
= y − (−c) = y + c
x2 + y2 − 2cy + c2 = y2 + 2cy + c2
x2 = 4cy
The vertex V is the point midway between the focus and the directrix. This equation, x2 = 4cy, is then
the standard equation of a parabola opening upward with vertex V (0, 0).
Suppose the focus is F(0,-c) and the directrix is y = c. In this case, a point P on the resulting parabola
would be below the directrix (just like the focus). Instead of opening upward, it will open downward.
Consequently, PF = and PPℓ = (you may draw a version of Figure 1.15 for this
case). Computations similar to the one done above will lead to the equation x2 = −4cy.
We collect here the features of the graph of a parabola with standard equation x2 = 4cy or x2 = −4cy,
where c > 0.

(1) vertex : origin V (0, 0)

 If the parabola opens upward, the vertex is the lowest point. If the parabola opens downward, the
vertex is the highest point.
(2) directrix : the line y = −c or y = c
 The directrix is c units below or above the vertex.
(3) focus: F(0, c) or F(0, −c)
 The focus is c units above or below the vertex.
 Any point on the parabola has the same distance from the focus as it has from the directrix.
(4) axis of symmetry : x = 0 (the y-axis)
 This line divides the parabola into two parts which are mirror images of each other.

Example 2.3. Determine the focus and directrix of the parabola with the given equation. Sketch the graph,
and indicate the focus, directrix, vertex, and axis of symmetry.

(1) x2 = 12y (2) x2 = −6y

Solution.
(1) The vertex is V (0, 0) and the parabola opens upward. From 4c = 12, c = 3. The focus, c = 3 units
above the vertex, is F(0, 3). The directrix, 3 units below the vertex, is y = −3. The axis of symmetry is x = 0.
 (2) The vertex is V (0,0) and the parabola opens downward. From 4c=6, c= . The focus, c= units below
the vertex, is F (0,- ). The directrix, units above the vertex, is y= . The axis of symmetry is x=0.

Example 2.4. What is the standard equation of the parabola in Figure 1.14?
Solution: From the figure, we deduce that c=2. The equation is thus
In all four cases below, we assume that c > 0. The vertex is V (h, k), and it lies between the focus F
and the directrix ℓ. The focus F is c units away from the vertex V, and the directrix is c units away from the
vertex. Recall that, for any point on the parabola, its distance from the focus is the same as its distance from
the directrix.

(x − h) = 4c(y − k) (y − k) = 4c(x − h)

(x − h) = − 4c(y − k) (y − k) = − 4c(x − h)

directrix ℓ: horizontal directrix ℓ: vertical

axis of symmetry: x=h, vertical axis of symmetry: y=k, horizontal

Note the following observations:

• The equations are in terms of x h and y k: the vertex coordinates are subtracted from the
corresponding variable. Thus, replacing both h and k with 0 would yield the case where the vertex is
the origin. For instance, this replacement applied to (x h)2 = 4c(y k) (parabola opening upward) would
yield x2 = 4cy, the first standard equation we encountered (parabola opening upward, vertex at the
origin).
• If the x-part is squared, the parabola is “vertical”; if the y-part is squared, the parabola is “horizontal.”
In a horizontal parabola, the focus is on the left or right of the vertex, and the directrix is vertical.
• If the coefficient of the linear (non-squared) part is positive, the parabola opens upward or to the right;
if negative, downward or to the left.

Example 2.4. Figure 1.20 shows the graph of parabola, with only its focus and vertex indicated. Find its
standard equation. What are its directrix and its axis of symmetry?
 Solution. The vertex is V (5, −4) and the focus is F(3, −4). From these, we deduce the following: h = 5,
k = −4, c = 2 (the distance of the focus from the vertex). Since the parabola opens to the left, we use the
template (y − k)2 =−4c(x − h). Our equation is
(y + 4)2 = −8(x − 5).
Its directrix is c = 2 units to the right of V , which is x = 7. Its axis is the horizontal line through V : y =
−4.

The standard equation from the preceding example can be rewritten as y 2 + 8x + 8y

24 = 0, an equation of the parabola in general form.
If the equation is given in the general form Ax2 + Cx + Dy + E = 0 (A and C are nonzero) or By 2 + Cx+ Dy +
E = 0 (B and C are nonzero), we can determine the standard form by completing the square in both variables.

Example 2.5. Determine the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of the parabola with the given
equation. Sketch the parabola, and include these points and lines.
(1) y2 − 5x + 12y = −16 (2) 5x2 + 30x + 24y = 51
Solution.
(1) We complete the square on y, and move x to the other side.
y2 + 12y = 5x − 16
y + 12y + 36 = 5x − 16 + 36 = 5x + 20
2

(y + 6)2 = 5(x + 4)
The parabola opens to the right. It has vertex V (−4, −6). From 4c = 5, we get c = 5 = 1.25. The focus is c =
1.25 units to the right of V: F(−2.75, −6). The (vertical) directrix is c = 1.25 units to the left of V: x = −5.25. The
(horizontal) axis is through V: y = −6.

(2) We complete the square on x, and move y to the other side.

In the last line, we divided by 5 for the squared part not to

have any coefficient. The parabola opens downward. It has vertex
V(-3,4). From 4c = , we get c = 6 = 1.2. The focus is c = 1.2 units
below V:F(−3, 2.8).
The (horizontal) mdirectrix is c = 1.2 units above V: y = 5.2. The
(vertical) axis is through V : x = −3.
 Example 2.6 A parabola has focus F(7, 9) and directrix y = 3. Find its standard equation.

Solution. The directrix is horizontal, and the focus is above it. The parabola then opens upward and its
standard equation has the form (x - h)2 = 4c(y-k). Since the distance from the focus to the directrix is 2c = 9-3
= 6, then c = 3. Thus, the vertex is V (7, 6), the point 3 units below F. The standard equation is then (x − 7)
= 12(y − 6).

What’s More
Activity 2.1: Let Me try!
Let us find out if you really understood the discussed concept by answering these follow-up exercises.

1. Convert the following general form to standard form of a parabola.

a. c.
b. d.

2. Convert the following standard form to general form of a parabola.

a. c.
b.

3. Determine the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of the parabola with the given equation.
Sketch the parabola, and include these points and lines

a. y2 = 20x c. x2 − 6x − 2y + 9 = 0

b. 3x2 = −12y

4. A parabola has focus F( 11, 8) and directrix x = -17. Find its standard equation
 5. Find the equation of a parabola with vertex at the origin whose properties are given below.
a. length of latus rectum is 10 and parabola opens downward
b. equation of directrix is y=8
c. focus at (0,4)
d. diretcrix is x=7

6. Determine the standard equation of the parabola in Figure below given only its vertex and directrix.
Then determine its focus and axis of symmetry

7. Determine the standard equation of the parabola in the figure given only its focus and vertex.
Determine its directrix and axis of symmetry.

8. Find an equation of the parabola with vertex at (-1,4) and y=5 as the line of directrix. Draw the
general appearance of this graph.

What I Have Learned

Let me check your knowledge by filling the blanks with a correct symbols/letter or terms in order to complete
the statement/s.
1.A parabola is the set of all points in the plane that are equidistant from a fixed point called the _________
and fixed line called the __________ of the parabola.
2. The graph of the equation is a parabola with focus F(__,__) and directrix y=____. So the graph
of is a parabola with focus F(__,__) and directrix y=_____.
3. The graph of the equation is a parabola with focus F(__,__) and directrix x=_____. So the graph
of is a parabola with focus F(__,__) and directrix x= ___.
4. Label the focus, directrix and vertices on the graphs given for the parabolas below.
a. of

What I Can Do
Performance Task: Let’s do this!
Materials: Flashlight, ball and ring
1. Get a flashlight and perform the task in the picture. A
flashlight is held to form a lighted area on the ground, as
shown in the figure. Is it possible to angle the flashlight in
such a way that the boundary of the lighted area is a
parabola? Explain your answer.
 2. In a basketball game, it is crucial to be able to execute a throw which creates a parabola that can
deliver the ball through a hoop with ease. Shooting at a 90 degree is optimal yet impractical as in order to
shoot to this degree, one must be directly under the rim. This is where a parabola is used to complete the
objective of shooting the ball to acquire points.

Go to the basketball court (if available or accessible, if not innovate) and perform the following.
a. Standing and facing on one of the posts, move your feet backward 3 times and then perform
shooting the ball. Repeat the process of moving your feet 7 times, 10 times, 12, times 15 times and
20 times and then shoot the ball.
b.
3. While doing the activity of shooting the ball in different distances, what can you say on the following?
a. Does shooting the ball create parabolic arc? Explain
b. Do you think the parabolic arcs formed are of the same measurement? Explain
c. Are the parabolic arcs formed in shooting the ball are dependent on the distance of a person throwing
the ball? Or are they related? Explain
d. Do you think that a player or famous player studied the shooting style in order to get the perfect shoot?

CREDITS TO:
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION