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Question 1

The line over which a parabola is symmetric.

Answer 1

Axis

Question 2

The term for each of the two distinct sections of the graph of a hyperbola.

Answer 2

Branch

Question 3

For an ellipse and hyperbola, the midpoint between the foci. For a circle, the fixed point from which all points on the circle are equidistant.

Answer 3

Center

Question 4

The set of all points equidistant from a given fixed point.

Answer 4

Circle

Question 5

The intersection of a plane and a right circular cone.

Answer 5

Conic

Question 6

The line segment related to a hyperbola of length 2b whose midpoint is the center.

Answer 6

Conjugate Axis

Question 7

A conic which is not a parabola, ellipse, circle, or hyperbola. These include lines, intersecting lines, and points.

Answer 7

Degenerate Conic

Question 8

A line segment that contains the center of a circle whose endpoints are both on the circle, or sometimes, the length of that segment.

Answer 8

Diameter

Question 8

For a parabola, it is the line whose distance from any point on the parabola is the same as the distance from that point to the focus. For a conic defined in polar terms, it is the line whose distance from any point on the conic makes a constant ratio with the distance between that point and the focus.

Answer 8

Directrix

Question 9

The ratio in an ellipse or hyperbola. Under the polar definition of conics, e is the constant ratio of the distance from a point to the focus and the distance from that point to the directrix.

Answer 9

Eccentricity

Question 10

The set of all points such that the sum of the distances from the point to each of two fixed points is constant.

Answer 10

Ellipse

Question 11

For a parabola, the point whose distance from any point on the parabola is the same as the distance between that point and the directrix. For an ellipse, one of two points–the sum of whose distances to a point on the ellipse is constant. For a hyperbola, one of two points–the difference of whose distances to a point on the hyperbola is constant. Under the polar definition of a conic, it is the point whose distance from a point on the conic makes a constant ratio with the distance between that point and the directrix.

Answer 11

Focus

Question 12

The set of all points such that the difference of the distances between each of two fixed points and any point on the hyperbola is constant.

Answer 12

Hyperbola

Question 13

The line segment containing the foci of an ellipse whose endpoints are the vertices whose length is 2a.

Answer 13

Major Axis

Question 14

The line segment containing the center of an ellipse perpendicular to the major axis whose length is 2b.

Answer 14

Minor Axis

Question 15

The set of all points such that the distance between a point on the parabola and a fixed line is the same as the distance between a point on the parabola and a fixed point.

Answer 15

Parabola

Question 16

A segment between the center of a circle and a point on the circle, or sometimes, the length of that segment.

Answer 16

Radius

Question 17

The line segment that contains the center and whose endpoints are the two vertices of a hyperbola.

Answer 17

Transverse Axis

Question 18

For a parabola, the point halfway between the focus and the directrix. For an ellipse, one of two points where the line that contains the foci intersects the ellipse. For a hyperbola, one of two points at which the line containing the foci intersects the hyperbola.

Answer 18

Vertex

Question 19

A round conic defined by an eccentricity of 0. Also, a favorite shape for the terminally lost.

Answer 19

Circle

Question 20

The curves that can be formed by slicing up a double-cone—because who wouldn’t want to slice up a double-cone.

Answer 20

Conic section

Question 21

A line perpendicular to the line of symmetry of a conic. Like the focus, the directrix is used in defining the conic section. The function and the directrix don’t get along, and so the graph will always curve away from the directrix.

Answer 21

Directrix

Question 22

A measure of how weird a conic is, by taking the ratio of the focal distance to the distance to one of the vertices e=f/a.

Answer 22

Eccentricity

Question 23

Conic section with two foci within a closed curve. Defined by eccentricities greater than 0, but less than 1. Where would the Universe and especially NASCAR be without them?

Answer 23

Ellipse

Question 24

Not just what we lack at the end of the school year, it is a point related to the curve of a conic section.

Answer 24

Focus

Question 25

Conic section with two foci, like the ellipse, but it’s not a closed curve. Defined by eccentricities greater than 1. The hyperbola is also bounded by asymptotes.

Answer 25

Hyperbola

Question 26

Conic section with one focus. It’s defined by an eccentricity equal to 1. Often known by the names “happy and frowny face graphs.”

Answer 26

Parabola

Question 27

The point where the conic meets the transverse axis or line of symmetry, or the major and minor axes for an ellipse.

Answer 27

Vertex