Conic Sections
An Internet Tour -- by J. P.
Updated 3/20/01

Conic Sections are very useful, powerful, and interesting. Conic sections include circles, ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas. There are many sites on the Internet on conic sections so I have tried to pick the best out of them so you can maximize your learning. I have provided an Internet tour to help you understand more about conic sections. I have tried to put the links in order so it will be easier to understand but you do not have to look at the links in order.

1. Boxer Math Tuitorials
   When you get to the site click on Intermediate Algebra link under "Samples of our Tuitorials". This site gives you a pretty basic introduction on what conic sections are and it gives you an appelet on making conic sections. A good site for a person that is just beginning to learn about conic sections.
   
   
   
2. Circle
   A very simple website on circles. It has a definition, the formulas, and a problem that you can answer about circles. It is very simple and is for beginners only.
   
   
   
3. Parabola
   A very simple website on parabolas. It is by the same maker as the circle website and has the same principles of the circle website.
   
   
   
4. Ellipse
   It is by the same maker as the circle and parabola websites and has the same layout. Very simple tuitorial.
   
   
   
5. Hyperbola
   Same thing as the other three websites but it is for hyperbolas. Very simple.
   
   
   
6. Circles and other Conic Sections
   A pretty detailed website on conic sections. It is almost as in depth of conic sections as the Glencoe Algebra2 book and would be useful if you want to get a head start on the chapter of conic sections. It provides a few diagrams and it shows a few examples and formulas for each conic section. It also provides information on the degenerate forms of conic sections and it has a few links to exercises that you can try out to review yourself. A pretty good website on conic sections.
   
   
   
7. An Introduction to Conic Sections
   An excellent webpage on conic sections for an intermediate. It gives the history, geometric definitions, algebraic defintions, examples of each conic section, and exercises of conic sections that you can solve to assess yourself. It also has applications of conic sections (where they are used) and it provides a small review at the end. This website is own of my personal favorites and it could be very useful for someone learning conic sections in algebra2.
   
   
   
8. PRIME -- Conic Sections
   A well detailed lesson for the Algebra2 student that teaches you a little more than the book does but it is a little boring if you read it straight through. It has a good amount of pictures and diagrams to help you understand and it makes it a little more exciting. I recommend it for the Algebra2 student that has time on their hands and wants to learn a little bit more about conic sections than what the book teaches.
   
   
   
9. Conic Sections
   I think this is one of the best applets on the Internet. It is 3-D, you can move it any way you want, it is very detailed, it loads fast, and you can do whatever you want with it. The applet has a 3-D cone that you can move around and then fool with the x, y, and z coordinates. You can change the equation of the conic section and see what it looks like on a cone from all different angles. It would be extremely useful in some homework problems. It also has a few questions that you can answer by using the applet. It takes a little bit to understand though but once you get the hang of it it is really cool. It is my favorite school-related website out of all the ones that I have ever visited.
   
   
   
10. Instructional Unit on Conic Sections by June Jones
    This is a very detailed site about the four conic sections that comes from a Professor at the University of Georgia. It is a site that goes hand in hand with Geometer's SketchPad for the computer. It has questions that you can answer to help assess yourself but is made for really advanced students.
    
    
    
11. Xah:Special Plane Curves: Conic Sections
    Again this is a very detailed site for more advanced students in the higher highschool and the college levels. It gives the history, descriptions, formulas, and properties of conic sections. It also has many diagrams and pictures to help you understand the conic sections better. It provides many links all over the web page.

It's the end of the tour! Thanks for visiting! I hope you have learned a lot about conic sections!!!!!