PRE CALCULUS
Notes by graceconquers Senior High School Notes (STEM)
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The Pythagorean Theorem applies to
LECTURE COVERAGE right-angled triangles (a triangle with
one 90° angle).
1 The Distance, Midpoint, and Slope of a Pg. 1
Line
It describes the relationship between
2 Conic Section Pg. 3 the lengths of the three sides
3 Circle Pg. 5
Where:
4 Parabola - a and 𝑏 = the legs (shorter
sides) of the triangle
5 Ellipse - c = the hypotenuse (the side
opposite the right angle — and
always the longest side)
THE DISTANCE, MIDPOINT, AND SLOPE OF A
LINE
Concept Formula
Distance 2 2
d= (𝑥2 − 𝑥1) + (𝑥2 − 𝑦1)
Finds the length of a line segment/
distance between two points in a
coordinate plane
Midpoint (𝑥1 −𝑥2) (𝑦1 −𝑦2)
2
' 2
Finds the center point of a segment
Slope (𝑦2 −𝑦1)
(𝑥2 −𝑥1)
Measures the steepness of a line
x = run
y = rise
CONIC SECTION
Pythagorean 2 2 2
Theorem 𝑎 +𝑏 = 𝑐
1 - What, like it's hard?
PRE CALCULUS
Notes by graceconquers Senior High School Notes (STEM)
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● Conic sections are the curves obtained by
1A DEGENERATE CONICS
slicing a right circular cone with a plane at
different angles.
● Degenerate conics are special cases of conic
● Conic sections are two-dimensional curves
sections where the curve does not form the
formed when a plane intersects a right circular
usual shapes (circle, ellipse, parabola, or
cone.
hyperbola) but instead reduces to simpler
● They include:
geometric objects, such as:
○ Circle — when the plane cuts
○ A point
perpendicular to the cone’s axis.
○ A line
○ Ellipse — when the plane cuts at an
○ Two intersecting lines
angle, but not parallel to the side of the
● They happen when the plane intersects the
cone and not perpendicular.
cone in a way that barely "touches" or intersects
○ Parabola — when the plane is parallel
the cone at specific positions, causing the conic
to the slant side of the cone.
section to collapse or split.
○ Hyperbola — when the plane cuts both
nappes (the upper and lower parts) of
the cone. Degenerate Description Visual
Type
Point The plane just touches Single
the cone's tip point
Line The plane is tangent to Single
the cone along one line straight
line
Two Lines The plane intersects Two
the cone through its crossing
vertex, creating two lines
intersecting lines
Conic Type Typical Shape Degenerate Form
Circle / Closed curve Point or no real
Ellipse curve
Parabola U-shaped Line (tangent case)
curve
Hyperbola Two open Two intersecting
curves lines
2 - What, like it's hard?
PRE CALCULUS
Notes by graceconquers Senior High School Notes (STEM)
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2 2
2. Write the equation a circle 3𝑥 - 6x + 3𝑦 + 4y - 4
CIRCLE = 0 in standard form and determine its center
and radius
● A circle is the set of all points in a plane that are
Step 1: Group x and y terms and move constant
equidistant from a fixed point called the center
to the right:
● Parts of a Circle
2 2
○ Center (O): The fixed point. 3𝑥 - 6x + 3𝑦 + 4y = 4
○ Radius (r): The distance from the center
to any point on the circle. Step 2: Factor out 3 from x and y terms
2 2
○ Diameter (d): A chord passing through 3 (𝑥 - 2x + 𝑦 +
4
y) = 4
3
the center; 𝑑 = 2𝑟
Divide both side by 3:
○ Chord: A segment connecting any two 2
3 (𝑥 − 2𝑥 + 𝑦 +
2 4
𝑦) 4
points on the circle. 3
3
= 3
○ Circumference: The perimeter or 2 2 4 4
𝑥 - 2x + 𝑦 + 3
y= 3
distance around the circle.
Step 3: Complete the square for x and y
● Properties
2 2
○ Every radius is the same length. (𝑥 − 1) + (𝑦 +
2
) =
4
+1+
4
3 3 9
○ The diameter is the longest chord.
○ The circle is symmetrical about its
Step 4: Simplify: 1 = square root
center. 2
2 2 of the half of 2
(𝑥 − 1) + (𝑦 + )
3 in x side
25
Standard Equation = 9
4
= square
9
root of the half
4
2 2 2 of in y side
(𝑥 − ℎ) + (𝑦 − 𝑘) = 𝑟 3
If the center is at the origin ( 0 , 0 ), the equation 2. Has a diameter whose
simplifies to: endpoints are A = (3,4) ; B = (-3, 12)
2 2 2
𝑥 + 𝑦 = 𝑟
Step 1: Find the Length of the Diameter
2 2
d= (− 3 − 3) + (12 − 4)
Example
2 2
d = (− 6) + (8)
d = 36 + 64
1. Circle centered at (3,−2) with radius 5 d = 100
d =10
2 2 2
(𝑥 − 3) + (𝑦 + 2) = 5
Step 2: Find the Center of the Circle
2 2
(𝑥 − 3) + (𝑦 + 2) = 25 Midpoint = (h, k)
3 + (−3) (4 + 12)
=( 2
' 2
) = (0,8)
3 - What, like it's hard?
PRE CALCULUS
Notes by graceconquers Senior High School Notes (STEM)
_________________________________________________________________________
Endpoints (h + 2a), k+ a)
Step 3: Find the Radius
𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 10
Radius =
2
= 2
=5
Step 4: Write the Equation of the Circle
2 2 2
(𝑥 − 0) + (𝑦 − 8) = 5
2 2
𝑥 + (𝑦 − 8) = 25
PARABOLA
● A parabola is the set of all points equidistant
from a fixed point (called the focus) and a fixed
line (called the directrix).
Part Description Vertical Horizonta
Parabola l Parabola
Vertex Turning point (0,0) or (h, k) (h, k) 4A VERTICAL PARABOLA
Focus Point inside (0, a) or (h + p, k) Opens downward or downward
parabola
(h, k + p)
2
Directrix Fixed line 1. 𝑥 + 8𝑥 + 4𝑦 + 36 = 0
y = -a or x = -a or
2
opposite focus
y=k − p x= h − p (𝑥 + 8𝑥) = − 4𝑦 − 36
Focal Distance from p p Take half of 8, which is 4, and square it = 16
length vertex to
Add 16 to both sides:
focus/directrix
2
𝑥 + 8𝑥 + 16 = − 4𝑦 − 36 + 16
Latus Segment (h - 2a, k +a) (h + a, k + 2
(𝑥 + 4) = − 4𝑦 − 20
Rectum through focus,
2a)
length 4p4p
Identify the standard form
Axis Line of x = 0 or x= h y=k (𝑥 + 4)
2
= − 4 (𝑦 − 5)
symmetry
Standard 2 2 Vertex: ( − 4 , − 5 )
𝑥 + 4𝑎𝑦 𝑦 + 4𝑎𝑥
Form Focus: (−4,−6)
Directrix: 𝑦 = − 5 − ( − 1 ) = − 4
General 2 2
𝐴𝑥 + Bx + 𝐴𝑦 + By + Endpoints: (-2, 6), (-6, 6)
Form
Cy + D = 0 Cx + D = 0 Axis of Symmetry: 𝑥 = − 4
4 - What, like it's hard?
PRE CALCULUS
Notes by graceconquers Senior High School Notes (STEM)
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4B HORIZONTAL PARABOLA Co-Vertic Ends of the minor (h, k ± b) (h ± b, k)
es axis (shorter
distance)
Opens either right or left
Major Longest axis; Horizontal; Vertical;
Axis passes through
2
1. 𝐴𝑥 − 10𝑦 − 12𝑥 − 11 length = 2a length = 2a
foci and vertices
2
(𝑦 − 10𝑦) = 12𝑥 + 11
2 Minor Shorter axis; Vertical; Horizontal;
(𝑦 − 5) = 12𝑥 + 36
Axis perpendicular to
length = 2b length = 2b
the major axis
Identify the standard form
2 Principal Another term for Horizontal Vertical
(𝑦 − 5) = 12(𝑥 + 3)
Axis Major Axis
Vertex: ( − 3 , 5 ) Equation Standard form of (𝑥−ℎ)
2
(𝑥−ℎ)
2
+ +
Focus: (h + p, k) Form ellipse 𝑎
2
𝑏
2
(-3 + 3, 5)
2 2
(𝑦−𝑘) (𝑦−𝑘)
2 =1 2 =1
(0, 5) 𝑏 𝑎
Directrix: x = h - a Direction Direction the Left–Right Up–Down
x = -3 - 3 ellipse is
x = -6 "stretched"
Endpoints: (0, 11), (0, -1)
Focal 2 2 Along the Along the
c= 𝑎 −𝑏
Distance
x-axis y-axis
ELLIPSE
● An ellipse is the set of all points where the sum 5A VERTICAL ELLIPSE
of the distances to two fixed points (called foci)
is constant. It looks like a "squashed" circle. 𝑥
2
𝑦
2
1. 36
+ 49
= 1
Find:
Feature Description Horizontal Vertical 2 2
𝑥 𝑦
Ellipse Ellipse 2 + 2 = 1
𝑏 𝑎
2 2
Center Middle point of (h, k) (h, k) 𝑎 = 49 = 𝑎 = 49 = 7
the ellipse 2 2
𝑏 = 36 𝑏 = 36 = 6
Foci Fixed points (h ± c, k) (h, k ± c) c=
2
𝑎 −𝑏 =
2 2 2
7 − 6 - 13
inside the ellipse
Vertices Ends of the major (h ± a, k) (h, k ± a) Vertices: ( 0, 0 ± 7) = (0, 7) (0, -7)
axis (longest Co-vertices: (0 ± 6, 0) = (6, 0) (-6, 0)
distance)
Foci: (0, 0 ± 13) = (0, 13) (0, - 13)
5 - What, like it's hard?
PRE CALCULUS
Notes by graceconquers Senior High School Notes (STEM)
_________________________________________________________________________
5B HORIZONTAL ELLIPSE
2 2
𝑥 𝑦
1. 25
+ 9
= 1
Find:
2 2
𝑥 𝑦
2 + 2 = 1
𝑎 𝑏
2 2
𝑎 = 25 𝑎 = 25 = 5
2 2
𝑏 =9 𝑏 = 9=3
2 2 2 2
c= 𝑎 −𝑏 = 5 −3 =4
Vertices: (0 ± 5, 0) = (5, 0), (-5, 0)
Co-vertices: (0, 0 ± 3) = (0,3) (0, -3)
Foci: (0 ± 4, 0) = (4, 0) (-4
6 - What, like it's hard?
