Cutting Up With Conics

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

Mathematics

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

This learning activity will be used at the beginning of a unit on graphing conic sections to help engage the student. The student will create graphs of conic sections, including parabolas, hyperbolas, ellipses, and circles.

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

Phase

Before/Engage
Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 09-12 - Precalculus

MA19.PRE.31

Graph conic sections from second-degree equations, extending from circles and parabolas to ellipses and hyperbolas, using technology to discover patterns.

UP:MA19.PRE.31

Vocabulary

  • Hyperbola
  • Ellipse
  • Degenerate conic
  • Focus (foci)
  • Latus rectum (focal distance)
  • Major axis (transverse axis)
  • Minor axis (conjugate axis)
  • Eccentricity
  • Asymptote
  • Directrix
  • Locus

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Vertex form of a parabola.
  • Standard form of a circle.
  • Vertex and axis of symmetry of a parabola.
  • Completing the square.
  • Factoring a quadratic function.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Graph equations of parabolas.
  • Graph equations of circles.
  • Graph equations of ellipses.
  • Calculate eccentricities of ellipses.
  • Graph equations of hyperbolas.
  • Classify a conic section using its general equation and/or its discriminant.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • A conic section is a graph of an equation of the form Ax2 + Bxy + Cy2 +Dx +Ey + F = 0.
  • The only conic sections that are functions are parabolas that open upward or downward, previously learned as quadratic functions and hyperbolas that are written in the form of a rational function.
  • Using algebra to manipulate the equation of a conic section, particularly the method of "completing the square"" can be used to determine the parts and properties of its graph

Learning Objectives

I can create graphs of conic sections, including parabolas, hyperbolas, ellipses, and circles.

Activity Details

This activity will be used at the beginning of a unit on graphing conic sections. Students will complete the activity Cutting up With Conics. Students will complete this activity in groups of three. After completion of this activity, the teacher will conduct a discussion on the graphs of conic sections.

Assessment Strategies

Each student's completed activity Cutting up With Conics can be used to assess the student's ability to graph conic sections including hyperbolas, parabolas, circles, and ellipses.

Variation Tips

The learning activity Cutting up With Conics can be extended to include graphs of conic sections that are not centered about the origin. Students can be required to use the activity to write the equations of the graphs of conic sections not centered about the origin, including hyperbolas, parabolas, circles, and ellipses. The student can be required to take pictures of real-life examples of conic sections and include those pictures with the activity. 

Background / Preparation

The teacher will need to copy the activity Cutting up With Conics. Each group will need one copy. The teacher can add the activity to Google Classroom for the students to view.  The teacher will use a projector to display the activity during student completion. 

The teacher will need to gather the following materials per group (recommended group size is three):  1 box of dental floss, 2-4 paper cone cups, and 1 container of Playdough.

 

Total Duration

16 to 30 Minutes
ALSDE LOGO