Date: Feb 20, 1995 12:00 AM
Author: Diana M Thompson
I have been teaching my Algebra 3/4 students conic section equation writing by
starting with a graph and then finding the focus (or foci) and then using the
definition to write the equation of the circle, ellipse, parabola, or
hyperbola. My Question:
I was delighted to work out how to find the focus of the parabola by
construction, but am a little stumped by how to find the asymptotes of the
hyperbola (without advance knowledge of the equation, and other than simply
"eyeballing" the asymptote).
Is it possible? Or does someone out there have a better way?
Montebello Unified School District