Conic Sections

A double cone is geometric figure made up of two cones that are opposite each other with their vertices at the same point. When a plane intersects a double cone, the resulting cross section is called a conic section. The type of conic section depends on the angle of the plane relative to the double cone. The general form of the equation of a conic section is: The values of the coefficients determine which type of conic section is defined.