|  | 
| 
 
 
| Question 1209661:  Find the conic section represented by the equation
 3x^2 + y^2 + 9x - 5y - 20 = 8x^2 + 6x + 47
 
 
 Answer by CPhill(1987)
      (Show Source): 
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Here's how to identify the conic section: 1. **Rearrange the equation:**  Move all terms to one side:
 3x² + y² + 9x - 5y - 20 - 8x² - 6x - 47 = 0
 -5x² + 3x + y² - 5y - 67 = 0
 2. **Multiply by -1 (optional, but makes some calculations easier):**
 5x² - 3x - y² + 5y + 67 = 0
 3. **Complete the square for both x and y:**
 5(x² - (3/5)x) - (y² - 5y) + 67 = 0
 5(x² - (3/5)x + (3/10)²) - 5(3/10)² - (y² - 5y + (5/2)²) + (5/2)² + 67 = 0
 5(x - 3/10)² - 5(9/100) - (y - 5/2)² + 25/4 + 67 = 0
 5(x - 3/10)² - 9/20 - (y - 5/2)² + 25/4 + 67 = 0
 5(x - 3/10)² - (y - 5/2)² + 67 - 9/20 + 125/20 = 0
 5(x - 3/10)² - (y - 5/2)² + 67 + 116/20 = 0
 5(x - 3/10)² - (y - 5/2)² + 67 + 5.8 = 0
 5(x - 3/10)² - (y - 5/2)² + 72.8 = 0
 5(x - 3/10)² - (y - 5/2)² = -72.8
 4. **Divide by -72.8:**
 [5(x - 3/10)²] / -72.8 - [(y - 5/2)²] / -72.8 = 1
 [(x - 3/10)²] / (-72.8/5) - [(y - 5/2)²] / -72.8 = 1
 [(x - 3/10)²] / -14.56 - [(y - 5/2)²] / -72.8 = 1
 5. **Analyze the equation:**
 The equation is in the form:
 (x²/a²) - (y²/b²) = 1  (Hyperbola)
 OR
 -(x²/a²) + (y²/b²) = 1 (Hyperbola)
 Since both the x² and y² terms are present and have *opposite* signs, the equation represents a **hyperbola**.  The negative signs simply determine the orientation of the hyperbola (whether it opens horizontally or vertically). Since the x^2 term is negative, this is a hyperbola that opens up and down.
 
 | 
  
 | 
 |  |  |