Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Hyperbola Definition
A hyperbola is a type of conic section formed by the intersection of a plane and a double cone. It consists of two separate curves called branches, which are mirror images of each other. The standard form of a hyperbola's equation can be expressed as (x-h)²/a² - (y-k)²/b² = 1 for horizontal hyperbolas, where (h, k) is the center, and 'a' and 'b' are distances related to the vertices and foci.
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Foci and Vertices
In the context of hyperbolas, the foci are two fixed points located along the transverse axis, which is the line segment that connects the vertices. The vertices are the points where the hyperbola intersects its transverse axis. The distance between the center and each vertex is denoted as 'a', while the distance from the center to each focus is denoted as 'c'. The relationship between 'a', 'b', and 'c' is given by the equation c² = a² + b².
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Standard Form of Hyperbola Equation
The standard form of a hyperbola's equation provides a way to represent its geometric properties algebraically. For a hyperbola centered at the origin with a horizontal transverse axis, the equation is (x²/a²) - (y²/b²) = 1. To derive this equation, one must identify the values of 'a' and 'b' based on the given foci and vertices, which allows for the complete characterization of the hyperbola's shape and orientation.
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