Classifying a Conic Section (in Standard Form)
To classify a conical section, remember the standard form of each.

Conic Section can be represented by a cross-section of a plane cutting through a cone.
Related Topics
- Standard Form of a Circle
- How to Write the Equation of Parabola
- Equation of Each Ellipse and Finding the Foci, Vertices, and Co– Vertices of Ellipses
- Hyperbola in Standard Form and Vertices, Co– Vertices, Foci, and Asymptotes of a Hyperbola
Step by Step Guide to Classifying a Conic Section
The formula for four basic conic sections are provided in table below:
Conic section | Standard form of equation |
Parabola | \((x- h)^2= 4p(y-k)\), \((y+k)^2= 4p(x-h)\) |
Circle | \((x- h)^2+( y-k)^2=r^2\) |
Ellipse | \(\frac{(x-h)^2}{a^2}+\frac{(y-k)^2}{b^2}=1\), \(\frac{(x-h)^2}{b^2}+\frac{(y-k)^2}{a^2}=1\) |
Hyperbola | \(\frac{(y-k)^2}{a^2}-\frac{(x-h)^2}{b^2}=1\), \(\frac{(x-h)^2}{a^2}-\frac{(y-k)^2}{b^2}=1\) |
- For identify a conic section Group \(x\) and \(y\) variables together, then convert \(x\) and \(y\) to square form.
Classifying a Conic Section – Example 1:
Write this equation in standard form: \(x^2+y^2+12x=-11\)
Solution:
Group \(x\)-variables and \(y\)-variables together: \((x^2+12x+36)+y^2=-11\)
Convert \(x\) to square form: \((x^2+12x+36)+y^2=-11+36\) → \((x^2+12x+36)+y^2=25\)
Then: \((x+6)^2+y^2=5^2\), its a circle.
Exercises for Classifying a Conic Section
Write teach equation in standard form.
- \(\color{blue}{x^2+y^2+6y=7}\)
- \(\color{blue}{x^2-y^2+2x+10y=124}\)
- \(\color{blue}{x^2+2x-4y=-25}\)

- It’s a circle: \(\color{blue}{x^2+(y+3)^2=16}\)
- It’s a hyperbola: \(\color{blue}{\frac{(x-(-1))^2}{10^2}-\frac{y-5}{10^2}=1}\)
- It’s parabola: \(\color{blue}{(x-(-1))^2=4(y-6)}\)
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