Rotation of Axes

For a discussion of conic sections, see

Appendix B.

In precalculus or calculus you may have studied conic sections with equations of the form
Ax 2
Cy 2
Dx
Ey
F
0
Here we show that the general second-degree equation
Ax 2
Bxy
Cy 2
Dx
Ey
F
0

can be analyzed by rotating the axes so as to eliminate the term Bxy.

In Figure 1 the x and y axes have been rotated about the origin through an acute angle
 to produce the X and Y axes. Thus, a given point P has coordinates
x, y in the first coordinate system and
X, Y in the new coordinate system. To see how X and Y are related to
x and y we observe from Figure 2 that

X
r cos 

Y
r sin 

x
r cos



y
r sin



P(x,y)
P(X,Y)

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

The addition formula for the cosine function then gives

x
r cos


r
cos  cos   sin  sin 


r cos  cos  
r sin  sin 
 cos   Y sin 
A similar computation gives y in terms of X and Y and so we have the following
formulas:
2

x
X cos   Y sin 

y
X sin 
Y cos 

By solving Equations 2 for X and Y we obtain

3

X
x cos 
y sin 

Y
x sin 
y cos 

EXAMPLE 1 If the axes are rotated through 60, find the XY -coordinates of the point

whose xy-coordinates are
2, 6.

SOLUTION Using Equations 3 with x
2, y
6, and


60, we have

X
2 cos 60
6 sin 60
1
3s3

Y
2 sin 60
6 cos 60
s3
3
The XY -coordinates are (1
3s3, 3  s3 ).
1

2 ROTATION OF AXES

Now lets try to determine an angle  such that the term Bxy in Equation 1 disappears
when the axes are rotated through the angle . If we substitute from Equations 2 in
Equation 1, we get
A
X cos   Y sin 2
B
X cos   Y sin 
 sin 
Y cos 

C
X sin 
Y cos 2
D
X cos   Y sin 

E
X sin 
Y cos 
F
0
Expanding and collecting terms, we obtain an equation of the form
A
X 2
B
XY
C
Y 2
D
X
E
Y
F
0

where the coefficient B

of XY is
B

2
C  A sin  cos 
B
cos2  sin2


C  A sin 2
B cos 2
To eliminate the XY term we choose  so that B

0, that is,

A  C sin 2
cos 2
or
cot 2

AC
B

EXAMPLE 2 Show that the graph of the equation xy
1 is a hyperbola.

SOLUTION Notice that the equation xy
1 is in the form of Equation 1 where A
0,

B
1, and C
0. According to Equation 5, the xy term will be eliminated if we choose

 so that
cot 2

xy=1 or

This will be true if 2
2, that is, 
4. Then cos 
sin 
1s2 and Equations 2 become

X@ Y @
- =1
2
2

x

FIGURE 3

X
Y

s2
s2

y

X
Y


s2
s2

Substituting these expressions into the original equation gives

AC

0
B

X
Y

s2
s2



X
Y


s2
s2

1

or

X2
Y2


1
2
2

We recognize this as a hyperbola with vertices (s2, 0) in the XY -coordinate system.

The asymptotes are Y
X in the XY -system, which correspond to the coordinate axes
in the xy-system (see Figure 3).

ROTATION OF AXES 3

EXAMPLE 3 Identify and sketch the curve

73x 2
72xy
52y 2
30x  40y  75
0

SOLUTION This equation is in the form of Equation 1 with A
73, B
72, and C
52.

Thus
cot 2

AC
73  52
7




B
72
24

From the triangle in Figure 4 we see that

cos 2
257
25

The values of cos  and sin  can then be computed from the half-angle formulas:

24

cos 

2
7
FIGURE 4

sin 




1
cos 2


2
1  cos 2


2




1
257
4


2
5
1  257
3


2
5

The rotation equations (2) become

x
45 X  35 Y

y
35 X
45 Y

Substituting into the given equation, we have

73( 45 X  35 Y)
72( 45 X  35 Y)( 35 X
45 Y)
52( 35 X
45 Y)
2

30( 45 X  35 Y)  40( 35 X
45 Y)  75
0
4X 2
Y 2  2Y
3

which simplifies to
Completing the square gives

4X 2

Y  12
4

or

X2

Y  12

1
4

and we recognize this as being an ellipse whose center is
0, 1 in XY -coordinates.

4
Since 
cos1( 5 )  37, we can sketch the graph in Figure 5.
X

y
Y

(0,1)

37
0

FIGURE 5

73+72xy+52+30x-40y-75=0
or
4X @+(Y-1)@=4

4 ROTATION OF AXES

Exercises
A Click here for answers.

(c) Find an equation of the directrix in the xy-coordinate

system.

Click here for solutions.

14. (a) Use rotation of axes to show that the equation

1 4

Find the XY -coordinates of the given point if the axes are

rotated through the specified angle.
1.
1, 4, 30

2.
4, 3, 45

3.
2, 4, 60

4.
1, 1, 15

512

2x 2  72xy
23y 2  80x  60y
125

Use rotation of axes to identify and sketch the curve.

5. x  2xy
y 2  x  y
0
2

6. x 2  xy
y 2
1

represents a hyperbola.
(b) Find the XY -coordinates of the foci. Then find the
xy-coordinates of the foci.
(c) Find the xy-coordinates of the vertices.
(d) Find the equations of the asymptotes in the
xy-coordinate system.
(e) Find the eccentricity of the hyperbola.
15. Suppose that a rotation changes Equation 1 into Equation 4.

7. x 2
xy
y 2
1

Show that

8. s3 xy
y
1

A

C

A
C

9. 97x
192xy
153y
225

2

16. Suppose that a rotation changes Equation 1 into Equation 4.

10. 3x 2  12s5 xy
6y 2
9
0

Show that

11. 2s3 xy  2y  s3 x  y
0

B
2  4A
C

B 2  4AC

12. 16x 2  8s2 xy
2y 2
(8s2  3) x  (6s2
4) y
7

13. (a) Use rotation of axes to show that the equation

36x 2
96xy
64y 2
20x  15y
25
0

represents a parabola.
(b) Find the XY -coordinates of the focus. Then find the
xy-coordinates of the focus.

17. Use Exercise 16 to show that Equation 1 represents (a) a

parabola if B 2  4AC
0, (b) an ellipse if B 2  4AC  0,

and (c) a hyperbola if B 2  4AC  0, except in degenerate
cases when it reduces to a point, a line, a pair of lines, or no
graph at all.
18. Use Exercise 17 to determine the type of curve in

Exercises 912.

ROTATION OF AXES 5

Answers
S
1.

9. X 2
Y 2
9
1, ellipse

Click here for solutions.

((s3
4)
2, (4s3  1)
2)

X
Y

3. (2s3  1, s3
2)

sin! 5

5. X
s2 Y , parabola
2

11. X  12  3Y 2
1, hyperbola

1

1
x

Y
X

7. 3X 2
Y 2
2, ellipse

y
X

17
17 51
(b) (0, 16 ), ( 20 , 80 )
(c) 64x  48y
75
0

13. (a) Y  1
4X 2

6 ROTATION OF AXES

Solutions: Rotation of Axes

1. X = 1 cos 30 + 4 sin 30 = 2 +

Y = 1 sin 30 + 4 cos 30 = 2

3
,
2

3. X = 2 cos 60 + 4 sin 60 = 1 + 2 3, Y = 2 sin 60 + 4 cos 60 =

AC
= 0 2 =
B

5. cot 2 =

x=

3 12 .

3 + 2.

[by Equations 2]

X Y
X +Y

and y = . Substituting these into the curve equation

2
2

X
2X or Y 2 = .
2
 
   
[Parabola, vertex (0, 0), directrix X = 1/ 4 2 , focus 1/ 4 2 , 0 ].

gives 0 = (x y)2 (x + y) = 2Y 2

AC
= 0 2 =
B

7. cot 2 =

Equations 2] x =

[by

X Y
X +Y

and y = . Substituting these into the

2
2

curve equation gives

1=

X2 Y 2
X 2 + 2XY + Y 2
X 2 2XY + Y 2
+
+
2
2
2

Y2
X2
+
= 1. [An ellipse, center (0, 0), foci on
2/3
2

Y -axis with a = 2, b = 6/3, c = 2 3/3.]

3X 2 + Y 2 = 2

9. cot 2 =

7
97 153
=
192
24

and cos 2 =

7
25

tan 2 = 24
7
<<

,
2

cos = 35 , sin =

x = X cos Y sin =

3X 4Y
and
5

y = X sin + Y cos =

4X + 3Y
. Substituting, we get
5

97
(3X
25

4Y )2 +

192
(3X
25

which simplifies to X 2 +

4Y )(4X + 3Y ) +

153
(4X
25

< 2 <

4
5

+ 3Y )2 = 225,

Y2
= 1 (an ellipse with foci on Y-axis, centered
9

at origin, a = 3, b = 1).

1
AC

3X Y
=
x=
,
=
B
6
2
3

X + 3Y
. Substituting into the curve equation and simplifying gives
y=
2

11. cot 2 =

4X 2 12Y 2 8X = 0 (X 1)2 3Y 2 = 1 [a hyperbola with foci

on X-axis, centered at (1, 0), a = 1, b = 1/ 3, c = 2/ 3 ].

ROTATION OF AXES 7

7
3X 4Y
4X + 3Y
AC
=
so, as in Exercise 9, x =
and y =
.
B
24
5
5
2
2
Substituting and simplifying we get 100X 25Y + 25 = 0 4X = Y 1, which is a parabola.


1
(b) The vertex is (0, 1) and p = 16
, and the xy-coordinates are
, so the XY -coordinates of the focus are 0, 17
16
 17  4 
 17  3  51
03
17
04
x = 5 16 5 = 20 and y = 5 + 16 5 = 80 .

13. (a) cot 2 =

(c) The directrix is Y =

15
16 ,

so x

4
5

+y

3
5

15
16

64x 48y + 75 = 0.

15. A rotation through changes Equation 1 to

A(X cos Y sin )2 + B(X cos Y sin )(X sin + Y cos ) + C(X sin + Y cos )2 + D(X cos Y sin )
+ E(X sin + Y cos ) + F = 0.
Comparing this to Equation 4, we see that A0 + C 0 = A(cos2 + sin2 ) + C(sin2 + cos2 ) = A + C.
17. Choose so that B 0 = 0. Then B 2 4AC = (B 0 )2 4A0 C 0 = 4A0 C 0 . But A0 C 0 will be 0 for a parabola, negative for a

hyperbola (where the X 2 and Y 2 coefficients are of opposite sign), and positive for an ellipse (same sign for X 2 and Y 2
coefficients). So :
B 2 4AC = 0 for a parabola,

B 2 4AC > 0 for a hyperbola,

B 2 4AC < 0 for an ellipse.

Note that the transformed equation takes the form A0 X 2 + C 0 Y 2 + D0 X + E 0 Y + F = 0, or by completing the square
(assuming A0 C 0 6= 0), A0 (X 0 )2 + C 0 (Y 0 )2 = F 0 , so that if F 0 = 0, the graph is either a pair of intersecting lines or a point,
depending on the signs of A0 and C 0 . If F 0 6= 0 and A0 C 0 > 0, then the graph is either an ellipse, a point, or nothing, and if

A0 C 0 < 0, the graph is a hyperbola. If A0 or C 0 is 0, we cannot complete the square, so we get A0 (X 0 )2 + E 0 Y + F = 0 or

C 0 (Y 0 )2 + D0 X + F 0 = 0. This is a parabola, a straight line (if only the second-degree coefficient is nonzero), a pair of
parallel lines (if the first-degree coefficient is zero and the other two have opposite signs), or an empty graph (if the first-degree
coefficient is zero and the other two have the same sign).