Lecturer 6: Conic Section

(Cont..)
CE-112 : Engineering Drawing for Civil Engineers

By: Dr. Mohammad Ashraf (engineerashraf@yahoo.com)

Office: CE: B109

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and

Technology, Peshawar

Conic Section
 The sections obtained by the intersection of
a right circular cone by a plane in different
positions relative to the axis
z Circle: When the section plane is
perpendicular to the axis (Section 1-1)
z Ellipse: When the section plane is inclined to
the axis and cuts all the generator on one side
of the apex (Section 2-2)
z Parabola: When the section plane is parallel
to one of the generators (Section 3-3)
z Hyperbola: When the section plane cuts both
the parts of the double cone on one side of
the axis (Section 4-4)

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Conic Section (Cont..)

Conic Section (Cont..)

 Conic Section may be defined as:
The locus of a point moving in a plane in such a way that the ratio
of its distance from a fixed point (focus) and a fixed straight line
(directrix) is always constant. The ratio is called eccentricity (e).
z For Ellipse : e < 1.0
z For parabola : e = 1.0
z For hyperbola : e > 1.0
A line passing through focus and perpendicular to the directrix is
called axis.
The point of intersection of conic with the axis is called vertex.

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Ellipse
F : Focus
V : Vertex PF VF
e= = < 1.0
AB : Directrix PD VC
TP : Tangent

Ellipse in real life (Cont..)

 The ellipse has an important property that is used in the reflection of light
and sound waves. Any light or signal that starts at one focus will be
reflected to the other focus.
 This principle is used in lithotripsy, a medical procedure for treating kidney
stones. The patient is placed in a elliptical tank of water, with the kidney
stone at one focus. High-energy shock waves generated at the other focus
are concentrated on the stone, pulverizing it
 St. Paul's Cathedral in London. If a person whispers near one focus, he can
be heard at the other focus, although he cannot be heard at many places in
between.

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Parabola

F : Focus
V : Vertex
AB : Directrix
TP : Tangent

PF VF
e= = = 1.0
PD VC

Parabola in real life (Cont..)

4
Hyperbola

F : Focus
V : Vertex
AB : Directrix
TP : Tangent

PF VF
e= = > 1.0
PD VC

Hyperbola in real life

 The huge chimney of a nuclear power plant has the shape of a
hyperboloid, as does the architecture of the James S. McDonnell
Planetarium of the St. Louis Science Center.
© Jill Britton, September 25, 2003

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Other Methods: Ellipse
 Ellipse is also defined as a curve traced out by a point moving in a
plane in such a way that the sum of its distances from two fixed
points (foci) is always the same.
F1P+F2P = F1Q+F2Q = F1C+F2C

Other Methods: Ellipse (Cont..)

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Other Methods: Ellipse (Cont..)

Other Methods: Parabola

Rectangle Method Tangent Method

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Other Methods: Rectangular Hyperbola
 A curve traced out by a point moving in such a way that the
product of its distances from two fixed lines at right angle to each
other is a constant.