Table of Contents:

Topics
Study Guidelines
Unit Written Assignment
Unit Pretest and Exam Description
Checklist

Topics

This unit begins our study of the conic sections: parabolas, ellipses, and hyperbolas.

In this unit, we will only consider conics in standard position (parabolas with vertex at the origin, ellipses and hyperbolas with center at the origin), and in standard orientation. We will study translated conics and rotated conics in Unit 9. Therefore, certain portions of Sections 10.2-4 (detailed below in the Study Guidelines) will not be covered in this unit.

• Parabolas (11.2)
  • definition
  • focus, vertex, axis, directrix
  • graphing a parabola
  • finding the equation of a parbola
  • applications
• Ellipses (11.3)
  • definition
  • foci, major and minor axes, vertices, center, x and y intercepts
  • graphing an ellipse
  • finding the equation of an ellipse
  • applications
• Hyperbolas (11.4)
  • definition
  • foci, transverse and conjugate axes, vertices, center, x and y intercepts, asymptotes
  • graphing a hyperbola
  • finding the equation of a hyperbola
  • applications

Study guidelines for the 6th edition of Sullivan's Algebra and Trigonometry

These reading and problem assignments are designed to help you learn the course material. You should complete all of these problems, check your answers in the back of the textbook, and get help with the problems that you missed. Most of the problems are odd-numbered, so you can check the solutions in the Solutions Manual.

The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics, so while these problems will not be collected or graded, you will probably not do well in the course if you do not complete these and check your work as described above. After completing these problems, go on to the Unit Exam Description below and follow directions.

• Section 11.1: Conics
  • Reading: section 11.1
    
    
• Section 11.2: Parabolas
  • Reading: section 11.2
    Read objectives 1-3 and objective 5 (Reflecting Property).
    Read and work through examples 1-5 and example 8 and their matched problems.
  • The parabolas applet illustrates the various types of parabolas which have vertex at (0,0).
  • Objective 4 (Vertex at (h,k)) will be covered in Unit 9. However, you should be able to find the equation of any parabola using the definition on pages 733-734.
    • Additional examples.
  • Practice Problems: 11.2 #1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 19, 25, 27, 51-61 odd
    
    
• Section 11.3: Ellipses
  • Reading: section 11.3
    Read objectives 1-3 and objective 5 (Applications).
    Read and work through examples 1-4 and example 7 and their matched problems.
  • The ellipses applet illustrates the various types of ellipses which have center at (0,0).
  • Objective 4 (Center at (h,k)) will be covered in Unit 9.
  • Practice Problems: 11.3 #1-4, 5-23 odd, 51-67 odd
    
    
• Section 11.4: Hyperbolas
  • Reading: section 11.4
    Read objectives 1-4 and objective 6 (Applications).
    Read and work through examples 1-6 and example 9 and their matched problems.
  • The hyperbolas applet illustrates the various types of hyperbolas which have center at (0,0).
  • Objective 5 (Center at (h,k)) will be covered in Unit 9.
  • Practice Problems: 11.4 #1-4, 5-25 odd, 49-55 odd
    
    
• Supplementary material (optional):
  • Student Solutions Manual
  • Algebra Review booklet
  • CD lecture series (step-by-step video examples on CD)
    • Section numbering on the CD's corresponds to the 7th edition of the textbook. Use the section correlation guide to find the corresponding sections for the 6th edition.
  • Video lectures are available on reserve in the CR library.
    • Section numbering on the video lectures corresponds to the 6th edition of the textbook.
  • For tutoring help, visit the Prentice Hall Math Tutor Center. Tutors can be contacted by phone, fax, or e-mail. To register, you will need to first obtain an access code from me.
  • Graphing Calculator Help

Unit 8 Written Assignment

Be sure to read and follow the 'General Guidelines' (look in Blackboard).