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2.6.6E: Exercises for Quadric Surfaces

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For exercises 1 - 6, sketch and describe the cylindrical surface of the given equation.

1) [T] 𝑥2 +𝑧2 =1

Answer

The surface is a cylinder with the rulings parallel to the 𝑦-axis.

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_219.jfif

2) [T] 𝑥2 +𝑦2 =9

3) [T] 𝑧 =cos(𝜋2+𝑥)

Answer

The surface is a cylinder with rulings parallel to the 𝑦-axis.

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_202.jfif

4) [T] 𝑧 =𝑒𝑥

5) [T] 𝑧 =9 𝑦2

Answer

The surface is a cylinder with rulings parallel to the 𝑥-axis.

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_207.jfif

6) [T] 𝑧 =ln𝑥

For exercises 7 - 10, the graph of a quadric surface is given.

a. Specify the name of the quadric surface.

b. Determine the axis of symmetry of the quadric surface.

7)

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_215.jfif

Answer
a. Cylinder; b. The 𝑥-axis

8)

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_214.jpg

9)

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_221.jpg

Answer
a. Hyperboloid of two sheets; b. The 𝑥-axis

10)

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_222.jpg

For exercises 11 - 16, match the given quadric surface with its corresponding equation in standard form.

a. 𝑥24 +𝑦29 𝑧212 =1

b. 𝑥24 𝑦29 𝑧212 =1

c. 𝑥24 +𝑦29 +𝑧212 =1

d. 𝑧 =4𝑥2 +3𝑦2

e. 𝑧 =4𝑥2 𝑦2

f. 4𝑥2 +𝑦2 𝑧2 =0

11) Hyperboloid of two sheets

Answer
b.

12) Ellipsoid

13) Elliptic paraboloid

Answer
d.

14) Hyperbolic paraboloid

15) Hyperboloid of one sheet

Answer
a.

16) Elliptic cone

For exercises 17 - 28, rewrite the given equation of the quadric surface in standard form. Identify the surface.

17) 𝑥2 +36𝑦2 +36𝑧2 =9

Answer
𝑥29 +𝑦214 +𝑧214 =1, hyperboloid of one sheet with the 𝑥-axis as its axis of symmetry

18) 4𝑥2 +25𝑦2 +𝑧2 =100

19) 3𝑥2 +5𝑦2 𝑧2 =10

Answer
𝑥2103 +𝑦22 𝑧210 =1, hyperboloid of two sheets with the 𝑦-axis as its axis of symmetry

20) 3𝑥2 𝑦2 6𝑧2 =18

21) 5𝑦 =𝑥2 𝑧2

Answer
𝑦 =𝑧25 +𝑥25, hyperbolic paraboloid with the 𝑦-axis as its axis of symmetry

22) 8𝑥2 5𝑦2 10𝑧 =0

23) 𝑥2 +5𝑦2 +3𝑧2 15 =0

Answer
𝑥215 +𝑦23 +𝑧25 =1, ellipsoid

24) 63𝑥2 +7𝑦2 +9𝑧2 63 =0

25) 𝑥2 +5𝑦2 8𝑧2 =0

Answer
𝑥240 +𝑦28 𝑧25 =0, elliptic cone with the 𝑧-axis as its axis of symmetry

26) 5𝑥2 4𝑦2 +20𝑧2 =0

27) 6𝑥 =3𝑦2 +2𝑧2

Answer
𝑥 =𝑦22 +𝑧23, elliptic paraboloid with the 𝑥-axis as its axis of symmetry

28) 49𝑦 =𝑥2 +7𝑧2

For exercises 29 - 34, find the trace of the given quadric surface in the specified plane of coordinates and sketch it.

29) [T] 𝑥2 +𝑧2 +4𝑦 =0, 𝑧 =0

Answer

Parabola 𝑦 =𝑥24,

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_223.jpg

30) [T] 𝑥2 +𝑧2 +4𝑦 =0, 𝑥 =0

31) [T] 4𝑥2 +25𝑦2 +𝑧2 =100, 𝑥 =0

Answer

Ellipse 𝑦24 +𝑧2100 =1,

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_206.jpg

32) [T] 4𝑥2 +25𝑦2 +𝑧2 =100, 𝑦 =0

33) [T] 𝑥2 +𝑦24 +𝑧2100 =1, 𝑥 =0

Answer

Ellipse 𝑦24 +𝑧2100 =1,

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_209.jpg

34) [T] 𝑥2 𝑦 𝑧2 =1, 𝑦 =0

35) Use the graph of the given quadric surface to answer the questions.

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_226.jpg

a. Specify the name of the quadric surface.

b. Which of the equations—16𝑥2 +9𝑦2 +36𝑧2 =3600, 9𝑥2 +36𝑦2 +16𝑧2 =3600, or 36𝑥2 +9𝑦2 +16𝑧2 =3600 —corresponds to the graph?

c. Use b. to write the equation of the quadric surface in standard form.

Answer
a. Ellipsoid
b. The third equation
c. 𝑥2100 +𝑦2400 +𝑧2225 =1

36) Use the graph of the given quadric surface to answer the questions.

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_227.jpg

a. Specify the name of the quadric surface.

b. Which of the equations—36𝑧 =9𝑥2 +𝑦2, 9𝑥2 +4𝑦2 =36𝑧, or 36𝑧 =81𝑥2 +4𝑦2 —corresponds to the graph above?

c. Use b. to write the equation of the quadric surface in standard form.

For exercises 37 - 42, the equation of a quadric surface is given.

a. Use the method of completing the square to write the equation in standard form.

b. Identify the surface.

37) 𝑥2 +2𝑧2 +6𝑥 8𝑧 +1 =0

Answer
a. (𝑥+3)216 +(𝑧2)28 =1
b. Cylinder centered at (3,2) with rulings parallel to the 𝑦-axis

38) 4𝑥2 𝑦2 +𝑧2 8𝑥 +2𝑦 +2𝑧 +3 =0

39) 𝑥2 +4𝑦2 4𝑧2 6𝑥 16𝑦 16𝑧 +5 =0

Answer
a. (𝑥3)24 +(𝑦2)2 (𝑧+2)2 =1
b. Hyperboloid of one sheet centered at (3,2,2), with the 𝑧-axis as its axis of symmetry

40) 𝑥2 +𝑧2 4𝑦 +4 =0

41) 𝑥2 +𝑦24 𝑧23 +6𝑥 +9 =0

Answer
a. (𝑥+3)2 +𝑦24 𝑧23 =0
b. Elliptic cone centered at (3,0,0), with the 𝑧-axis as its axis of symmetry

42) 𝑥2 𝑦2 +𝑧2 12𝑧 +2𝑥 +37 =0

43) Write the standard form of the equation of the ellipsoid centered at the origin that passes through points 𝐴(2,0,0), 𝐵(0,0,1), and 𝐶(12,11,12).

Answer
𝑥24 +𝑦216 +𝑧2 =1

44) Write the standard form of the equation of the ellipsoid centered at point 𝑃(1,1,0) that passes through points 𝐴(6,1,0), 𝐵(4,2,0) and 𝐶(1,2,1).

45) Determine the intersection points of elliptic cone 𝑥2 𝑦2 𝑧2 =0 with the line of symmetric equations 𝑥12 =𝑦+13 =𝑧.

Answer
(1,1,0) and (133,4,53)

46) Determine the intersection points of parabolic hyperboloid 𝑧 =3𝑥2 2𝑦2 with the line of parametric equations 𝑥 =3𝑡, 𝑦 =2𝑡, 𝑧 =19𝑡, where 𝑡 𝑅.

47) Find the equation of the quadric surface with points 𝑃(𝑥,𝑦,𝑧) that are equidistant from point 𝑄(0,1,0) and plane of equation 𝑦 =1. Identify the surface.

Answer
𝑥2 +𝑧2 +4𝑦 =0, elliptic paraboloid

48) Find the equation of the quadric surface with points 𝑃(𝑥,𝑦,𝑧) that are equidistant from point 𝑄(0,2,0) and plane of equation 𝑦 =2. Identify the surface.

49) If the surface of a parabolic reflector is described by equation 400𝑧 =𝑥2 +𝑦2, find the focal point of the reflector.

Answer
(0,0,100)

50) Consider the parabolic reflector described by equation 𝑧 =20𝑥2 +20𝑦2. Find its focal point.

51) Show that quadric surface 𝑥2 +𝑦2 +𝑧2 +2𝑥𝑦 +2𝑥𝑧 +2𝑦𝑧 +𝑥 +𝑦 +𝑧 =0 reduces to two parallel planes.

52) Show that quadric surface 𝑥2 +𝑦2 +𝑧2 2𝑥𝑦 2𝑥𝑧 +2𝑦𝑧 1 =0 reduces to two parallel planes passing.

53) [T] The intersection between cylinder (𝑥1)2 +𝑦2 =1 and sphere 𝑥2 +𝑦2 +𝑧2 =4 is called a Viviani curve.

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_228.jpg

a. Solve the system consisting of the equations of the surfaces to find the equation of the intersection curve. (Hint: Find 𝑥 and 𝑦 in terms of 𝑧.)

b. Use a computer algebra system (CAS) or CalcPlot3D to visualize the intersection curve on sphere 𝑥2 +𝑦2 +𝑧2 =4.

Answer

a. 𝑥 =2 𝑧22, 𝑦 =±𝑧24𝑧2, where 𝑧 [2,2];

b.

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_229.jpg

54) Hyperboloid of one sheet 25𝑥2 +25𝑦2 𝑧2 =25 and elliptic cone 25𝑥2 +75𝑦2 +𝑧2 =0 are represented in the following figure along with their intersection curves. Identify the intersection curves and find their equations (Hint: Find y from the system consisting of the equations of the surfaces.)

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_230.jpg

55) [T] Use a CAS or CalcPlot3D to create the intersection between cylinder 9𝑥2 +4𝑦2 =18 and ellipsoid 36𝑥2 +16𝑦2 +9𝑧2 =144, and find the equations of the intersection curves.

Answer

two ellipses of equations 𝑥22 +𝑦292 =1 in planes 𝑧 =±22

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_231.jpg

56) [T] A spheroid is an ellipsoid with two equal semiaxes. For instance, the equation of a spheroid with the z-axis as its axis of symmetry is given by 𝑥2𝑎2 +𝑦2𝑎2 +𝑧2𝑐2 =1, where 𝑎 and 𝑐 are positive real numbers. The spheroid is called oblate if 𝑐 <𝑎, and prolate for 𝑐 >𝑎.

a. The eye cornea is approximated as a prolate spheroid with an axis that is the eye, where 𝑎 =8.7𝑚𝑚 and 𝑐 =9.6𝑚𝑚.Write the equation of the spheroid that models the cornea and sketch the surface.

b. Give two examples of objects with prolate spheroid shapes.

57) [T] In cartography, Earth is approximated by an oblate spheroid rather than a sphere. The radii at the equator and poles are approximately 3963mi and 3950mi, respectively.

a. Write the equation in standard form of the ellipsoid that represents the shape of Earth. Assume the center of Earth is at the origin and that the trace formed by plane 𝑧 =0 corresponds to the equator.

b. Sketch the graph.

c. Find the equation of the intersection curve of the surface with plane 𝑧 =1000 that is parallel to the 𝑥𝑦-plane. The intersection curve is called a parallel.

d. Find the equation of the intersection curve of the surface with plane 𝑥 +𝑦 =0 that passes through the 𝑧-axis. The intersection curve is called a meridian.

Answer

a. 𝑥239632 +𝑦239632 +𝑧239502 =1

b.

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_233.jpg

c. The intersection curve is the ellipse of equation 𝑥239632 +𝑦239632 =(2950)(4950)39502, and the intersection is an ellipse.
d. The intersection curve is the ellipse of equation 2𝑦239632 +𝑧239502 =1.

58) [T] A set of buzzing stunt magnets (or “rattlesnake eggs”) includes two sparkling, polished, superstrong spheroid-shaped magnets well-known for children’s entertainment. Each magnet is 1.625 in. long and 0.5 in. wide at the middle. While tossing them into the air, they create a buzzing sound as they attract each other.

a. Write the equation of the prolate spheroid centered at the origin that describes the shape of one of the magnets.

b. Write the equations of the prolate spheroids that model the shape of the buzzing stunt magnets. Use a CAS or CalcPlot3D to create the graphs.

59) [T] A heart-shaped surface is given by equation (𝑥2+94𝑦2+𝑧21)3 𝑥2𝑧3 980𝑦2𝑧3 =0.

a. Use a CAS or CalcPlot3D to graph the surface that models this shape.

b. Determine and sketch the trace of the heart-shaped surface on the 𝑥𝑧-plane.

Answer

a.

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_237.jpg

b. The intersection curve is (𝑥2+𝑧21)3 𝑥2𝑧3 =0.

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_238.jpg

60) [T] The ring torus symmetric about the 𝑧-axis is a special type of surface in topology and its equation is given by (𝑥2+𝑦2+𝑧2+𝑅2𝑟2)2 =4𝑅2(𝑥2 +𝑦2), where 𝑅 >𝑟 >0. The numbers 𝑅 and 𝑟 are called are the major and minor radii, respectively, of the surface. The following figure shows a ring torus for which 𝑅 =2 and 𝑟 =1.

CNX_Calc_Figure_12_06_239.jpg

a. Write the equation of the ring torus with 𝑅 =2 and 𝑟 =1, and use a CAS or CalcPlot3D to graph the surface. Compare the graph with the figure given.

b. Determine the equation and sketch the trace of the ring torus from a. on the 𝑥𝑦-plane.

c. Give two examples of objects with ring torus shapes.

Contributors

Gilbert Strang (MIT) and Edwin “Jed” Herman (Harvey Mudd) with many contributing authors. This content by OpenStax is licensed with a CC-BY-SA-NC 4.0 license. Download for free at http://cnx.org.

 


2.6.6E: Exercises for Quadric Surfaces is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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