Conic Sections

Level 3 conic sections (AS91573) is about the four curves you get by slicing a cone — the circle, parabola, ellipse and hyperbola. You learn each curve's standard equation and key features (centre, radius, foci, directrix, vertices, axes, asymptotes, eccentricity), how to move between the general form and the standard form by completing the square, and how to write a curve in parametric form. You then use these to solve problems: finding where a line meets a conic, testing for tangents and normals, and modelling real New Zealand contexts such as arches, satellite dishes and orbits.