Where can I find good resources explaining conic sections?

Question

I'm looking for something that explains them simply or something that has a lot of examples. The online course I'm taking doesn't explain them in much detail and I haven't managed to find something that explains it better. Mainly parabolas and hyperbolas. For parabolas, my course uses the formula $(x-h)^2 = 4p(y-k)$, so while I did find a useful video on KhanAcademy, on the subject, he uses a different formula and that just left me more confused.

Apostol's Calculus has a very nice section on conics. – Pedro Aug 10 '13 at 00:23 — Pedro, Aug 10 '13 at 00:23

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 09 '13 at 23:49

1

I think the following book could be a good reference:

Calculus With Analytic Geometry by R.A.Silverman

Although it is an old one but it works yet. See the chapter $8$. You will see:

Parabolas
Ellipses and their equations
More about Ellipses
Hyperbolas and their equations

answered Aug 09 '13 at 23:49

Mikasa

67,374

$\ddot\smile +$ – amWhy Aug 10 '13 at 00:23
@amWhy: I have done nothing Amy up to this moment. :..( – Mikasa Aug 10 '13 at 00:25
But that's not true, Babak. You have done a lot at Math.SE...and you will continue to be a vital contributor ;-) – amWhy Aug 10 '13 at 00:32
@amWhy: Thanks. I mean yesterday. :-) – Mikasa Aug 10 '13 at 00:35

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 09 '13 at 23:37

0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzDsAudvBao&list=PL0G-Nd0V5ZMocqOkonFCUrazXO8I1EwwY This person gives a lot of examples in video.

answered Aug 09 '13 at 23:37

Gowtham

308

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 10 '13 at 00:20

0

A good source which is a little more advanced is Companion to Concrete Mathematics by Melzak, first chapter.

answered Aug 10 '13 at 00:20

Eric Auld

28,127

Where can I find good resources explaining conic sections?

3 Answers3