Conics Activity

Conic Activity

Give the standard equation and general equation of the conic described for your cartoon character. If the conditions given to you make it impossible to make a conic section, explain why it is impossible. If you are able to make a conic, tell which one your equation (and the conditions) creates. If there is more than one answer, name at least one possible answer. You may want to use the following interactive programs to check your work. Conic Section Mathlet, Conic Flyer, but be sure you can do the problems without the help of these programs on a test.

Bugs Bunny	major axis endpoints at (5, 2) and (-1, 2) minor axis endpoints at (2, 3) and (2, 1)
Daffy Duck	all points in the x-y plane that are equidistance from the line x=-4 and the point (0, 3)
Elmer Fudd	foci at (2, 6) and (2, -2) difference constant is 4
Foghorn Leghorn	center at (-2, 4) asymptotes: y = ±3(x+2)+4
Henery Hawk	vertex at (4,6) focus at (0, 6) eccentricity = 1.0
Marc Anthony	all points in the x-y plane that are equidistance from the line y= 3 and the point (5, -1)
Marvin the Martian	endpoints of minor axis at (-8, 3) and (0, 3) sum constant is 12
Pepe Le Pew	asymptote: y = 3x/2 + 2 center: (4, 8) vertex: (8, 8)
Petunia Pig	y-intercepts at 2 and 8 directrix at x = 10 eccentricity = 1
Porky Pig	center at (3, -2) one focus at (3, 2) difference constant is 2
Roadrunner	sum or difference constant = 16 foci at (15,5) and (5, 5)
She Devil	sum or difference constant = 16 foci at (5,15) and (5, -5)
Speedy Gonzales	eccentricity = 0 center at (5, -3) point on conic: (1, 0)
Sylvester	tangent line at y = -2 tangent line at y = 4 tangent line at x = 3 tangent line at x = 7
Tazmanian Devil	foci at (4, 2) and (-4, 2) sum constant is 10
Tweety Bird	vertex at (-2, 2) center at (0, 2) eccentricity = 1.3
Wile E. Coyote	vertex at (-2, 2) center at (-2, 0) eccentricity = 0.8
Yosemite Sam	all points in the x, y plane that are equidistance from the point (3, 2) and the line y= 5.
Chip	foci at (4, 2) and (4, -4) difference constant is 2
Dale	only focus is at (-3, 1) directrix at y = 0
Donald	center at (-2, 4) center is the same as the only focal point one of the y-intercepts is at 6
Goofy	center at (-2, 4) eccentricity = 2 one focus at (2, 4)
Mickey	tangent line at: x = 10 tangent line at: x = -2 tangent line at: y = -8 tangent line at: y = 4
Minnie	x - intercepts at 7 and -3 eccentricity = 1 directrix at y = 6
Pluto	major axis endpoints: (4, 10) and (4, 2) minor axis length: 4