About Hyperbolas

Date: 8/7/96 at 6:43:41
From: Anonymous
Subject: About Hyperbolas

I was wondering if you had any information regarding the following 
question on a Hyperbola.

Q) Find the graph and the equation of a hyperbola.

Date: 9/1/96 at 17:30:35
From: Doctor Jerry
Subject: Re: About Hyperbolas

Your question does not have a single answer.  There are many possible 
graphs of equations of hyperbolas.  

I'll make two comments and then invite you to ask your question again, 
giving more information as to which hyperbola you mean.

First, as you probably know, hyperbolas are one of the conic sections.  
If a right circular cone (both nappes) is cut by a plane parallel to 
the axis of the cone, the curve is a hyperbola.  Hyperbolas have two 
non-connected pieces, one on the upper nappe and one on the lower 
nappe of the cone.

Secondly, the hyperbola with simplest equation is y=1/x.  The graph of 
this equation is a hyperbola.

-Doctor Jerry,  The Math Forum
 Check out our web site!  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/