Conic Sections (Parabola, Ellipse, Hyperbola)

1. Key Concepts & Formulas

A conic section is the locus of a point P such that its distance from a fixed point (focus) bears a constant ratio
(eccentricity, e) to its distance from a fixed line (directrix). Based on e, we classify: circle (e = 0), parabola (e =
1), ellipse (0 < e < 1), hyperbola (e > 1).

General equation of a conic: ax^2 + 2hxy + by^2 + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0 represents a conic. Nature is
determined by Delta = abc + 2fgh - af^2 - bg^2 - ch^2 (nondegenerate if Delta != 0), and by h^2 - ab: if h^2 =
ab it is a parabola, h^2 < ab an ellipse, h^2 > ab a hyperbola (when Delta != 0).

Parabola
Standard form: y^2 = 4ax (a > 0), opening rightward.

• Vertex: (0,0); Focus: (a, 0); Directrix: x = -a; Axis: y = 0.

• Latus rectum (LR) = 4a; endpoints of LR: (a, 2a) and (a, -2a).

• Focal distance of point (x1,y1) on parabola = x1 + a.

• Parametric form: x = at^2, y = 2at.

• Other standard forms: y^2 = -4ax (opens left, focus (-a,0)), x^2 = 4ay (opens up, focus (0,a)), x^2 = -4ay
(opens down, focus (0,-a)).

• Tangent at (x1,y1): yy1 = 2a(x + x1). Tangent at parameter t: ty = x + at^2, slope = 1/t.

• Tangent in slope form (slope m): y = mx + a/m (m != 0).

• Normal at (x1,y1): y - y1 = -(y1/2a)(x - x1). Normal at parameter t: y + tx = 2at + at^3.

• Normal in slope form: y = mx - 2am - am^3.

• Point of intersection of tangents at t1 and t2: (at1t2, a(t1+t2)).

• Condition for line y = mx + c to touch parabola y^2 = 4ax: c = a/m.

• Chord joining t1, t2 has equation: y(t1+t2) = 2x + 2at1t2. It is a focal chord if t1t2 = -1.

• Semi-latus rectum is the harmonic mean of segments of a focal chord.

Ellipse
Standard form: x^2/a^2 + y^2/b^2 = 1, a > b > 0 (major axis along x-axis).

• Vertices: (+/-a, 0); Foci: (+/-ae, 0); Center: (0,0).

• b^2 = a^2(1 - e^2), so e = sqrt(1 - b^2/a^2).

• Directrices: x = +/-a/e.

• Length of major axis = 2a, minor axis = 2b.

• Latus rectum = 2b^2/a; endpoints (+/-ae, +/-b^2/a).

• Focal distances of (x1,y1): a - ex1 and a + ex1.

• Parametric form: x = a cos(theta), y = b sin(theta), theta is eccentric angle.

• If a < b, major axis is along y-axis; e = sqrt(1 - a^2/b^2), foci (0, +/-be).

• Auxiliary circle: x^2 + y^2 = a^2.

• Tangent at (x1,y1): xx1/a^2 + yy1/b^2 = 1.

• Tangent at theta: (x/a)cos(theta) + (y/b)sin(theta) = 1.

• Condition for y = mx + c to be tangent: c^2 = a^2m^2 + b^2. Tangent in slope form: y = mx +/-
sqrt(a^2m^2+b^2).

• Normal at (x1,y1): a^2x/x1 - b^2y/y1 = a^2 - b^2.

• Normal at theta: ax sec(theta) - by cosec(theta) = a^2 - b^2.

• Director circle: x^2 + y^2 = a^2 + b^2 (locus of intersection of perpendicular tangents).

• Chord of contact from external point (x1,y1): xx1/a^2 + yy1/b^2 = 1.

• Area of ellipse = pi*a*b.

Hyperbola
Standard form: x^2/a^2 - y^2/b^2 = 1.

• Vertices: (+/-a, 0); Foci: (+/-ae, 0); Center: (0,0).

• b^2 = a^2(e^2 - 1), so e = sqrt(1 + b^2/a^2).

• Directrices: x = +/-a/e.

• Transverse axis length = 2a, conjugate axis length = 2b.

• Latus rectum = 2b^2/a.

• |Difference of focal distances| from any point on hyperbola = 2a (defining property).

• Parametric form: x = a sec(theta), y = b tan(theta).

• Asymptotes: y = +/-(b/a)x, i.e., x^2/a^2 - y^2/b^2 = 0.

• Conjugate hyperbola: x^2/a^2 - y^2/b^2 = -1 (foci on y-axis; if e1, e2 are eccentricities of a hyperbola and
its conjugate, 1/e1^2 + 1/e2^2 = 1).

• Rectangular hyperbola: a = b, eccentricity = sqrt(2); equation x^2 - y^2 = a^2; in rotated form xy = c^2
with parametric point (ct, c/t).

• Tangent at (x1,y1): xx1/a^2 - yy1/b^2 = 1.

• Tangent at theta: (x/a)sec(theta) - (y/b)tan(theta) = 1.

• Condition for y = mx + c to be tangent: c^2 = a^2m^2 - b^2 (requires a^2m^2 > b^2).

• Normal at (x1,y1): a^2x/x1 + b^2y/y1 = a^2 + b^2.

• Director circle: x^2 + y^2 = a^2 - b^2 (exists only if a > b).

• For xy = c^2: tangent at (ct, c/t) is x/t + yt = 2c; normal is xt^3 - yt - ct^4 + c = 0.
General notes
• Focal chord: chord passing through a focus. Semi-latus rectum = harmonic mean of segments of a focal
chord (true for all conics).

• Pole-polar: the chord of contact/polar of point (x1,y1) w.r.t. any conic follows the same substitution
pattern (x -> xx1, y -> yy1, etc.) as the tangent equation, replacing x^2 -> xx1, y^2 -> yy1, 2x -> x+x1, 2y ->
y+y1, xy -> (xy1+x1y)/2, constant unchanged.

• Reflection property: parabola reflects rays parallel to axis through focus; ellipse reflects rays from one
focus to the other; hyperbola reflects rays directed at one focus away from the other focus.

• Number of normals from a point to a parabola/ellipse: at most 3; to a hyperbola: at most 4 (conjugate).

2. Worked Examples

Example 1. Find the equation of the parabola with vertex at origin, axis along x-axis, and passing through (2,
-4).

Solution: Since axis is x-axis and it passes through a point with negative y, use y^2 = 4ax (opens right,
symmetric about x-axis handles both signs). Substitute: (-4)^2 = 4a(2) => 16 = 8a => a = 2. Equation: y^2 =
8x.

Example 2. If the parabola y^2 = 4ax passes through (3,2), find the length of latus rectum and the coordinates
of the focus.

Solution: 4 = 4a(3) => a = 1/3. Latus rectum = 4a = 4/3. Focus = (a, 0) = (1/3, 0).

Example 3. Find the equation of the tangent to the parabola y^2 = 12x which is parallel to the line x + y = 1,
and find the point of contact.

Solution: y^2 = 12x means 4a = 12, a = 3. Slope of given line: y = -x + 1, so m = -1. For y^2 = 4ax, tangent y =
mx + a/m touches the curve at (a/m^2, 2a/m). Here a = 3, m = -1, so point of contact = (3/1, 2(3)/(-1)) = (3, -6).
Tangent line: y = -x + 3/(-1) = -x - 3, i.e., x + y + 3 = 0. Check: point (3,-6) satisfies both y^2=12x (36=36) and
the line (3-6+3=0). So tangent: x + y + 3 = 0, point of contact (3, -6).
Example 4. Find the eccentricity, foci, and latus rectum of the ellipse 9x^2 + 16y^2 = 144.

Solution: Divide by 144: x^2/16 + y^2/9 = 1. a^2 = 16, b^2 = 9, a=4, b=3. e = sqrt(1 - 9/16) = sqrt(7/16) =
sqrt(7)/4. Foci = (+/-ae, 0) = (+/-sqrt(7), 0). Latus rectum = 2b^2/a = 2(9)/4 = 9/2.

Example 5. A tangent to the ellipse x^2/4 + y^2/1 = 1 makes equal intercepts on the axes. Find its equation.

Solution: Equal intercepts means slope m = -1. Tangent condition: c^2 = a^2m^2 + b^2 = 4(1) + 1 = 5, so c =
+/-sqrt(5). Tangent: y = -x +/- sqrt(5), i.e., x + y = +/-sqrt(5).

Example 6. Find the equation of the hyperbola whose foci are (+/-5,0) and transverse axis length is 8.

Solution: ae = 5, 2a = 8 => a = 4, e = 5/4. b^2 = a^2(e^2-1) = 16(25/16 - 1) = 16(9/16) = 9. Equation: x^2/16 -

Example 7. Find the locus of the point of intersection of perpendicular tangents to the ellipse x^2/9 + y^2/4 =
1.
Solution: This is the director circle: x^2 + y^2 = a^2 + b^2 = 9 + 4 = 13.

Example 8. For the parabola y^2 = 4ax, if the normal at the point with parameter t1 meets the parabola again
at the point with parameter t2, prove that t2 = -t1 - 2/t1, and use this to find the coordinates of the point where
the normal at (a, 2a) (i.e. t1 = 1) meets the parabola again, taking a = 1.

Solution: The normal at parameter t1 is y + t1x = 2at1 + at1^3. This is a standard cubic-in-slope result; the
identity t2 = -t1 - 2/t1 is quoted directly as a known JEE result for normal chords of the parabola. With t1 = 1:
t2 = -1 - 2/1 = -3. So the second point is (at2^2, 2at2) = (1(9), 2(1)(-3)) = (9, -6). This matches direct
substitution: normal at t1=1, a=1: y + x = 2 + 1 = 3, i.e., y = -x + 3. On parabola y^2 = 4x, substitute x = 3 - y:
y^2 = 4(3-y) => y^2 + 4y - 12 = 0 => (y+6)(y-2) = 0 => y = 2 (original point) or y = -6. So second point (9, -6),
confirming t2 = -3 since y = 2at2 = 2t2 = -6.

These examples illustrate the systematic use of standard forms, tangent/normal conditions, and locus
techniques that are central to JEE Main problems on conics.

3. Practice Questions

1. The equation of the parabola with vertex (0,0) and focus (0,-3) is:

(a) x^2 = 12y (b) x^2 = -12y (c) y^2 = -12x (d) y^2 = 12x

2. The length of the latus rectum of the parabola x^2 = -8y is:

(a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 8 (d) 16

3. The focal distance of the point (4,4) on the parabola y^2 = 4x is:

(a) 4 (b) 5 (c) 6 (d) 8

4. The equation of the tangent to y^2 = 8x having slope 2 is:

(a) y = 2x + 1 (b) y = 2x + 2 (c) y = 2x - 1 (d) y = 2x - 2

5. The eccentricity of the ellipse 4x^2 + 9y^2 = 36 is:

6. The distance between the foci of the ellipse x^2/25 + y^2/9 = 1 is:

(a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 8 (d) 10

7. If the eccentricity of an ellipse is 1/2 and its foci are (+/-2,0), the equation of the ellipse is:

(a) x^2/16 + y^2/12 = 1 (b) x^2/12 + y^2/16 = 1 (c) x^2/16 + y^2/8 = 1 (d) x^2/8 + y^2/16 = 1

8. The length of latus rectum of the ellipse 3x^2 + y^2 = 12 is:

(a) sqrt(3) (b) 2sqrt(3) (c) 4/sqrt(3) (d) 4sqrt(3)/3

9. The line y = mx + c is a tangent to x^2/a^2 + y^2/b^2 = 1 if:

(a) c^2 = a^2m^2 - b^2 (b) c^2 = a^2m^2 + b^2 (c) c^2 = a^2 + b^2m^2 (d) c^2 = a^2 - b^2m^2

10. The eccentricity of the hyperbola x^2/16 - y^2/9 = 1 is:

(a) 5/4 (b) 4/5 (c) 3/4 (d) 4/3

(a) x^2/4 - y^2/12 = 1 (b) x^2/4 - y^2/8 = 1 (c) x^2/2 - y^2/4 = 1 (d) x^2/12 - y^2/4 = 1

12. The asymptotes of the hyperbola x^2/9 - y^2/16 = 1 are:

(a) y = +/-(3/4)x (b) y = +/-(4/3)x (c) y = +/-(9/16)x (d) y = +/-(16/9)x

13. For the rectangular hyperbola xy = 16, the point (4,4) lies on it. The tangent at this point is:

(a) x + y = 8 (b) x - y = 8 (c) x + y = 4 (d) 2x + y = 8

14. The point(s) on the parabola y^2 = 18x for which the ordinate is thrice the abscissa is/are:

(a) (2,6) (b) (0,0) and (2,6) (c) (0,0) and (18,6) (d) (2,6) and (18,6)

15. If the parabola y^2 = 4ax passes through (4,-6), the value of a is:

(a) 9/4 (b) 4/9 (c) 3/2 (d) 2/3

16. The number of common tangents to the parabola y^2 = 4x and the circle x^2+y^2 = 1 is:

(a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 3

17. The condition that the line lx + my + n = 0 is a normal to y^2 = 4ax is:

(a) al^3 + 2alm^2 = m^2n (b) al^3 = m^2n (c) am^3 = l^2n (d) am^3 + 2aml^2 = l^2n

18. Eccentricity of the conjugate hyperbola of x^2/9 - y^2/16 = 1 is:

(a) 5/3 (b) 5/4 (c) 4/3 (d) 3/4

19. The locus of the point of intersection of perpendicular tangents to the parabola y^2 = 4ax is:

(a) x = a (b) x = -a, i.e., the directrix (c) y = a (d) y = -a

20. If the chord joining points with parameters t1 and t2 on y^2 = 4ax is a focal chord, then t1t2 equals:

(a) 1 (b) -1 (c) 0 (d) 2

21. The eccentricity of an ellipse whose latus rectum is equal to half of its minor axis is:

(a) sqrt(3)/2 (b) 1/2 (c) sqrt(2)/3 (d) 1/sqrt(2)

22. The equation x^2 - 4x + 4y + 8 = 0 represents:

(a) an ellipse (b) a hyperbola (c) a parabola (d) a circle

4. Answer Key

1. (b) 2. (c) 3. (b) 4. (c) 5. (a) 6. (c) 7. (a) 8. (c) 9. (b) 10. (a) 11. (a)
12. (b) 13. (a) 14. (c) 15. (a) 16. (a) 17. (a) 18. (a) 19. (b) 20. (b) 21. (a)
22. (c)

Hints for hardest questions: Q15: Substitute point (4,-6) into y^2=4ax to get a
directly: 36 = 16a, a = 9/4. Q16: Compare the parabola's region (opening right
from origin) with the unit circle centered at origin; check tangency/intersection
geometry to see no real common tangent exists since the circle lies entirely to
the left of the parabola's "inside" boundary near the vertex. Q17: Use the normal
equation y = mx - 2am - am^3, write it as mx - y - 2am - am^3 = 0, match ratios
with lx+my+n=0 and eliminate m. Q21: Set latus rectum 2b^2/a = (1/2)(2b) = b,
giving 2b^2 = ab i.e. b = a/2, then use b^2=a^2(1-e^2). Q22: Rearranging
x^2-4x+4y+8=0 gives (x-2)^2 = -4y-4 = -4(y+1), a single squared variable confirms
a parabola with vertex (2,-1).