CONIC SECTION Definition & Meaning

conic section

noun

Geometry.

a curve formed by the intersection of a plane with a right circular cone; an ellipse, a circle, a parabola, or a hyperbola.

conic section

noun

one of a group of curves formed by the intersection of a plane and a right circular cone. It is either a circle, ellipse, parabola, or hyperbola, depending on the eccentricity, e , which is constant for a particular curve e = 0 for a circle; e <1 for an ellipse; e = 1 for a parabola; e>1 for a hyperbola Often shortened toconic

conic section

A curve formed by the intersection of a plane with a cone. Conic sections can appear as circles, ellipses, hyperbolas, or parabolas, depending on the angle of the intersecting plane relative to the cone's base.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of conic section¹

First recorded in 1655–65

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

For centuries the Greeks had been fascinated with conic sections.

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It’s a somewhat sad development in a subject that began in Euclid’s day with the splendidly visual concepts of points, lines, triangles, circles, conic sections and the like.

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Excluding the general group itself, every one of these leaves either a point, a line, or a conic section unaltered.

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At this time, or in speaking of the preliminary definitions, reference should be made to the conic sections.

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The comprehensive scheme of study included mathematics also, in which he advanced as far as the conic sections in the treatise of L’H�pital.

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