Course: Vector Calculus
Instructor: Adnan Aslam
October 16, 2020
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 1 / 20
Quadric Surfaces
Quadric Surfaces
A quadric surface is the graph, in space, of a second-degree equation in
x, y , and z. We first focus on quadric surfaces given by the equation
Ax 2 + By 2 + Cz 2 + Dz = E ,
where A, B, C , D, and E are constants.
The basic quadric surfaces are ellipsoids, paraboloids, elliptical cones,
and hyperboloids.
Spheres are special cases of ellipsoids.
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 2 / 20
General Quadric Surfaces
• The quadric surfaces we have considered have symmetries relative to
the x-, y -, or z-axes.
• These surfaces are the three-dimensional analogues of ellipses,
parabolas, and hyperbolas.
• The general equation of second degree in three variables x, y , z is
Ax 2 + By 2 + Cz 2 + Dxy + Exz + Fyz + Gz + Hy + Iz + J = 0,
where A, B, C , D, E , F , G , H, I , and J are constants.
• However, this equation can be simplified by translation and rotation,
as in the two-dimensional case.
• The basic quadric surfaces are ellipsoids, paraboloids, elliptical
cones, and hyperboloids.
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 3 / 20
EXAMPLE 2
• The ellipsoid
x2 y2 z2
+ 2 + 2 =1
a2 b c
• cuts the coordinate axes at (±a, 0, 0), (0, ±b, 0), and (0, 0, ±c).
• It lies within the rectangular box defined by the inequalities
|x| ≤ a, |y | ≤ b, and |z| ≤ c.
• The surface is symmetric with respect to each of the coordinate
planes because each variable in the defining equation is squared.
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 4 / 20
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 5 / 20
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 6 / 20
EXAMPLE 3 Paraboloids
• The elliptical paraboloid
x2 y2 z
2
+ 2 =
a b c
is symmetric with respect to the planes x = 0 and y = 0.
• The only intercept on the axes is the origin. Except for this point, the
surface lies above (if c > 0) or entirely below (if c < 0) the xy -plane,
depending on the sign of c. The sections cut by the coordinate planes
c 2
x =0 the parabola z = y
b2
c 2
y =0 the parabola z = x
c2
z =0 the point (0, 0, 0).
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 7 / 20
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 8 / 20
EXAMPLE 4 Cones
• The elliptical cone
x2 y2 z2
+ =
a2 b2 c2
is symmetric with respect to the three coordinate planes. The
sections cut by the coordinate planes are
c
x =0 the lines z =± y
b
c
y =0 the lines z =± x
a
z =0 the point (0, 0, 0).
• The sections cut by planes z = z◦ above and below the xy -plane are
ellipses whose centers lie on the z-axis and whose vertices lie on the
lines given above.
• If a = b the cone is a right circular cone.
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 9 / 20
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 10 / 20
EXAMPLE 5 Hyperboloids
• The hyperboloid of one sheet
x2 y2 z2
+ 2 − 2 =1
a2 b c
is symmetric with respect to each of the three coordinate planes.
• The sections cut out by the coordinate planes are
y2 z2
x =0 the hyperbola − =1
b2 c 2
x2 z2
y =0 the hyperbola − 2 =1
a2 c
x2 y2
z =0 the ellipse + 2 = 1.
a2 b
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EXAMPLE 5 Hyperboloids
• The plane z = z◦ cuts the surface in an ellipse with center on the
z-axis and vertices on one of the hyperbolic sections above.
• The surface is connected, meaning that it is possible to travel from
one point on it to any other without leaving the surface.
• For this reason, it is said to have one sheet, in contrast to the
hyperboloid in the next example, which has two sheets.
• If a = b the hyperboloid is a surface of revolution.
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 12 / 20
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 13 / 20
EXAMPLE 6 Hyperboloids
• The hyperboloid of two sheets
z2 x2 y2
− 2 − 2 =1
c2 a b
is symmetric with respect to the three coordinate planes.
• The plane z = 0 does not intersect the surface; in fact, for a
horizontal plane to intersect the surface, we must have |z| ≥ c. The
hyperbolic sections
z2 y2 z2 x2
x =0: − = 1, y =0: − 2 =1
c 2 b2 c2 a
have their vertices and foci on the z-axis.
• The surface is separated into two portions, one above the plane z = c
and the other below the plane z = −c. This accounts for its name.
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Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 15 / 20
EXAMPLE
• The hyperbolic paraboloid
y2 x2 z
2
− 2 = , c >0
b a c
has symmetry with respect to the planes x = 0 and y = 0.
• The cross-sections in these planes are
c 2
x =0: the parabola z= y (1)
b2
c 2
y =0: the parabola xz =− (2)
a2
• In the plane x = 0, the parabola opens upward from the origin.
• The parabola in the plane y = 0 opens downward.
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 16 / 20
Adnan Aslam Course: Vector Calculus October 16, 2020 17 / 20
EXAMPLE 3
• If we cut the surface by a plane z = z◦ > 0, the cross-section is a
hyperbola,
y2 x2 z◦
2
− 2 = ,
b a c
with its focal axis parallel to the y -axis and its vertices on the
parabola in Equation (1).
• If z◦ is negative, the focal axis is parallel to the x-axis and the vertices
lie on the parabola in Equation (2).
• Near the origin, the surface is shaped like a saddle or mountain pass.
• To a person traveling along the surface in the yz-plane the origin
looks like a minimum.
• To a person traveling the xz-plane the origin looks like a maximum.
• Such a point is called a saddle point of a surface.
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Example
Identify the surface given by the equation
x 2 + y 2 + 4z 2 − 2x + 4y + 1 = 0.
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Exercise 12.6 Questions 1-12, 45-76.
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