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Degenerate Conics

Point, line, or pair of lines formed when some coefficients of a conic equal zero.

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Practice Degenerate Conics
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Estimated16 minsto complete
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Degenerate Conics

The general equation of a conic is .  This form is so general that it encompasses all regular lines, singular points and degenerate hyperbolas that look like an X.  This is because there are a few special cases of how a plane can intersect a two sided cone.  How are these degenerate shapes formed?

Graphing Degenerate Conics

A degenerate conic is a conic that does not have the usual properties of a conic. Degenerate conic equations simply cannot be written in graphing form.  There are three types of degenerate conics:

1. A singular point, which is of the form: . You can think of a singular point as a circle or an ellipse with an infinitely small radius.
2. A line, which has coefficients  in the general equation of a conic.  The remaining portion of the equation is , which is a line.
3. A degenerate hyperbola, which is of the form:  .  The result is two intersecting lines that make an “X” shape.  The slopes of the intersecting lines forming the X are . This is because  goes with the  portion of the equation and is the rise, while  goes with the  portion of the equation and is the run.

Examples

Example 1

Earlier, you were asked how degenerate conics are formed. When you intersect a plane with a two sided cone where the two cones touch, the intersection is a single point.  When you intersect a plane with a two sided cone so that the plane touches the edge of one cone, passes through the central point and continues touching the edge of the other conic, this produces a line.  When you intersect a plane with a two sided cone so that the plane passes vertically through the central point of the two cones, it produces a degenerate hyperbola.

Example 2

Transform the conic equation into standard form and sketch.

This is the line .

Example 3

Transform the conic equation into standard form and sketch.

The point (2, 1) is the result of this degenerate conic.

Example 4

Transform the conic equation into standard form and sketch.

This is a degenerate hyperbola.

Example 5

1. Create a conic that describes just the point (4, 7).

Review

1. What are the three degenerate conics?

Change each equation into graphing form and state what type of conic or degenerate conic it is.

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Sketch each conic or degenerate conic.

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To see the Review answers, open this PDF file and look for section 9.6.

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Vocabulary Language: English

Conic

Conic sections are those curves that can be created by the intersection of a double cone and a plane. They include circles, ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas.

degenerate conic

A degenerate conic is a conic that does not have the usual properties of a conic section. Since some of the coefficients of the general conic equation are zero, the basic shape of the conic is merely a point, a line or a pair of intersecting lines.

degenerate hyperbola

A degenerate hyperbola is an example of a degenerate conic. Its equation takes the form $\frac{(x-h)^2}{a}-\frac{(y-k)^2}{b}=0$. It looks like two intersecting lines that make an “X” shape.