Solving Hyperbola Problem with F(-5,0) and D(5,0) | PF - PD = \pm6

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In summary, a hyperbola is a type of conic section defined by the equation (x-h)^2/a^2 - (y-k)^2/b^2 = 1. It is formed by the intersection of a plane and a double cone. The distance between the focus and directrix is represented by the equation PF - PD = ±6, and the ± sign indicates the potential positive or negative orientation of the hyperbola. To solve a hyperbola problem using specific focus and directrix points, you can plot them on a coordinate plane, draw a line through them to find the transverse axis, and use the distance between them to determine the values of a, h, and k in the general equation. The
  • #1
threetheoreom
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when there is enough block ... here is my problem.

a hyperbola having F(-5,0) and D(5,0) and difference of focal radii 6.

We can use |PF - PD|= 6 or PF - PF = [tex]\pm[/tex]6.

I apply the distance formula ..eleminate radicals and simplify.

I get

16X^2 -9y^2=144

Divinding both sides by 144 I get

The hyperbolic equation

(x^2/9)-(y^2/16) = 1

analysing to graph ( herein lie the problems )

First determining the intercepts ..it is easy to see the intercepts on the x-axis are 3 and -3 ( verified by makeing y 0 in the above equ.) and that making x 0 we can aslo varify that there arn't any y intercepts (-y^2/16)

( that I understand)

The book goes on to say to determine the extent of the graph

making for y we get y=[tex]\pm[/tex]4/3 [square root] of x^2 -9 and
x = [tex]\pm[/tex] 3/4 [squre root] of y^2 + 16

y is real if and only if |x| >= 3 thus no part of the graph lies between -3 and 3 ... in the second x is real for all y variables [tex]\Leftarrow[/tex] someone explain that please.

this part is killing me, they said notice that y = [tex]\pm[/tex]4/3 [square root] x^2 - 9 = [tex]\pm[/tex]4/3x [square root] 1-9/x^2 . [tex]\Leftarrow[/tex] I don't get this I'm thinking they factored it and i should be able to see that of course i tried ..but i can't see how . [ block]:confused:

they the go on to say that as the absolute value of x gets larger the square root of 1- 9/x^2 get closer to 1 and therefore |x| gets larger the graphapproaches the lines y [tex]\approx[/tex][tex]\pm[/tex] 4/3x. thus as
|x| becomes larger the graph approaches the lines y= 4/3x and -3/4x. :grumpy:



Thanks guys
Orson

p.s sorry for the bad tex
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
threetheoreom said:
when there is enough block ... here is my problem.

a hyperbola having F(-5,0) and D(5,0) and difference of focal radii 6.

We can use |PF - PD|= 6 or PF - PF = [tex]\pm[/tex]6.

I apply the distance formula ..eleminate radicals and simplify.

I get

16X^2 -9y^2=144

Divinding both sides by 144 I get

The hyperbolic equation

(x^2/9)-(y^2/16) = 1

analysing to graph ( herein lie the problems )

First determining the intercepts ..it is easy to see the intercepts on the x-axis are 3 and -3 ( verified by makeing y 0 in the above equ.) and that making x 0 we can aslo varify that there arn't any y intercepts (-y^2/16)

( that I understand)

The book goes on to say to determine the extent of the graph

making for y we get y=[tex]\pm[/tex]4/3 [square root] of x^2 -9 and
x = [tex]\pm[/tex] 3/4 [squre root] of y^2 + 16

y is real if and only if |x| >= 3 thus no part of the graph lies between -3 and 3 ... in the second x is real for all y variables [tex]\Leftarrow[/tex] someone explain that please.
Solve for x: Adding [itex]y^2/16[/itex] to both sides, [itex]x^2/9= 1+ y^2/16= (1/16)(16+ y^2)[/itex]. Now multiply both sides by 9 to get [itex]x^2= (9/16)(16+ y^2)[/itex]. Finally, take the square root of both sides: [itex]x= \pm (3/4)\sqrt{16+ y^2}[/itex]. Since a square is never negative, [itex]16+ y^2[/itex] is never less than 16 and so [itex]\sqrt{16+ y^2}[/itex] is never less than 4. Then x cannot be between -(3/4)(4)= -3 and (3/4)(4)= 3.

this part is killing me, they said notice that y = [tex]\pm[/tex]4/3 [square root] x^2 - 9 = [tex]\pm[/tex]4/3x [square root] 1-9/x^2 . [tex]\Leftarrow[/tex] I don't get this I'm thinking they factored it and i should be able to see that of course i tried ..but i can't see how . [ block]:confused:
No factoring involved. Solve for y, just as we solved for x above. Adding [itex]y^2/16[/itex] to both sides and subtracting 1 from both sides, we get [itex]y^2/16= x^2/9- 1= (1/9)(x^2- 9)[/itex]. Multiply both sides of the equation by 16 to get [itex]y^2= (16/9)(x^2- 9)[/itex]. Now take the square root of both sides to get [itex]y= \pm (4/3)\sqrt{x^2- 9}[/itex]. Finally, factor that "x2" out of the square root. [itex](x^2- 9)= x^2(1- 9/x^2)[/itex] and [itex]\sqrt{x^2}= \pm x[/itex]. We have [itex]y= \pm (4/3)x\sqrt{1- 9/x^2}[/itex].

they the go on to say that as the absolute value of x gets larger the square root of 1- 9/x^2 get closer to 1 and therefore |x| gets larger the graphapproaches the lines y [tex]\approx[/tex][tex]\pm[/tex] 4/3x. thus as
|x| becomes larger the graph approaches the lines y= 4/3x and -3/4x. :grumpy:
No need to be grumpy! Yes, for very large x, [itex]9/x^2[/itex] will be very close to 9 (and getting closer as x gets larger) so [itex]\sqrt{1- 9/x^2}[/itex] will be very close to 1 (and getting closer as x gets larger and larger). That means that [itex]y= \pm (4/3)x\sqrt{1- 9/x^2}[/itex] will be very close to [itex]y= \pm (4/3)x[/itex]. The two straight lines, y= (4/3)x and y= (-4/3)x are the "asymptotes" of this hyperbola- the hyperbola gets closer and closer to those straight lines as x gots to plus or minus infinity.

A good way of sketching this hyperbola is: Mark the vertices (-3,0) and (3,0) on the graph. Draw the rectangle with horizontal sides from (-3,4) to (3,4), (-3,-4) to (3,-4) and vertical sides from (-3,-4) to (-3, 4), (3,-4) to (3, 4). How draw the diagonals of that rectangle, extending them as far as you please outside the rectanle. Those are the asymptotes y= (4/3)x and y= (-4/3)x. Finally, starting from (3, 0), draw a smooth curve upward and to the right getting closer and closer to the asymptote y= (4/3)x. Draw a smooth curve starting at (3,0) downward and to the right getting closer and closer to the asymptote y= (-4/3)x. That give you the right half of the hyperbola. Starting from (-3,0) draw a smooth curve upward and to the left getting closer and closer to the asymptote y= (-4/3)x and a smooth curve from (-3,0) to the left and downward getting closer and closer to the asymptote y= (4/3)x. That gives you the left half of the hyperbola.



Thanks guys
Orson

p.s sorry for the bad tex
Suggestion- use "itex" rather than "tex" for things you want in a line with other text. Keep "tex" for formulas on a separate line. Also, put whole formulas in tex, not just individual symbols.
 
  • #3
Thanks hallofIvy great explanation. Yeah the computations were getting caught in the explanation n the book and in my head, that also interseting method for sketching .. i can also plug some appropriate values for x in in the equation for y.

Thanks again
 
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1. What is a hyperbola?

A hyperbola is a type of conic section, which is a curve formed by the intersection of a plane and a double cone. It is defined by the equation (x-h)^2/a^2 - (y-k)^2/b^2 = 1, where (h,k) is the center of the hyperbola and a and b are the distances from the center to the vertices.

2. What is the PF - PD = ±6 equation in a hyperbola problem?

The equation PF - PD = ±6 is a representation of the distance between the focus (F) and directrix (D) of a hyperbola. The distance between the focus and directrix is always constant and is equal to 2a, where a is the distance from the center to the vertices of the hyperbola.

3. How do I solve a hyperbola problem using F(-5,0) and D(5,0)?

To solve a hyperbola problem using F(-5,0) and D(5,0), you can follow these steps:

  • Plot the points F(-5,0) and D(5,0) on a coordinate plane.
  • Draw a line through the focus and directrix, which will be the transverse axis of the hyperbola.
  • Find the distance between the focus and directrix, which is equal to 2a.
  • Use this distance to find the value of a.
  • Plug in the values of a, h, and k into the general equation of a hyperbola to find the specific equation for this hyperbola.

4. What does the ±6 in the equation represent?

The ±6 in the equation represents the distance between the focus and directrix, which is equal to 2a. The ± sign indicates that the distance can be either positive or negative, depending on the orientation of the hyperbola.

5. What are the key features of a hyperbola?

The key features of a hyperbola include its center, which is the point (h,k) that defines the origin of the hyperbola; its vertices, which are the points on the transverse axis that are a distance a away from the center; its foci, which are the points inside the hyperbola that are a distance c away from the center, where c^2 = a^2 + b^2; and its asymptotes, which are the lines that the hyperbola approaches but never touches.

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