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The line perpendicular to the directrix and passing through the focus (that is, the line that splits the parabola through the middle) is called the "axis of symmetry". The point where the parabola intersects its axis of symmetry is called the "vertex" and is the point where the parabola is most sharply curved. The distance between the vertex ...
It is also possible to describe all conic sections in terms of a single focus and a single directrix, which is a given line not containing the focus. A conic is defined as the locus of points for each of which the distance to the focus divided by the distance to the directrix is a fixed positive constant, called the eccentricity e.
Hyperbola: directrix property Hyperbola: definition with directrix property The two lines at distance d = a 2 c {\textstyle d={\frac {a^{2}}{c}}} from the center and parallel to the minor axis are called directrices of the hyperbola (see diagram).
Alternatively, one can define a conic section purely in terms of plane geometry: it is the locus of all points P whose distance to a fixed point F (called the focus) is a constant multiple e (called the eccentricity) of the distance from P to a fixed line L (called the directrix).
Any conic section can be defined as the locus of points whose distances to a point (the focus) and a line (the directrix) are in a constant ratio. That ratio is called the eccentricity, commonly denoted as e. The eccentricity can also be defined in terms of the intersection of a plane and a double-napped cone associated with the conic section.
In an ellipse, the semi-major axis is the geometric mean of the distance from the center to either focus and the distance from the center to either directrix. The semi-minor axis of an ellipse runs from the center of the ellipse (a point halfway between and on the line running between the foci) to the edge of the ellipse. The semi-minor axis is ...
The directrix is often taken as a plane curve, in a plane not containing the apex, but this is not a requirement. [1] In general, a conical surface consists of two congruent unbounded halves joined by the apex. Each half is called a nappe, and is the union of all the rays that start at the apex and pass through a point of some fixed space curve ...
In mathematics, a directrix is a curve associated with a process generating a geometric object, such as: Directrix (conic section) Directrix (generatrix)