Conic Sections And Polar Co-Ordinates

Abstract

We shall devote the first part of this chapter to a brief study of some of the properties of a single equation, which is of great importance. The equation concerned is the general equation of the second degree, which is usually written as

$$ a{x^2} + 2hxy + b{y^2} + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0 $$

They was all one to me.

Well, all but two was all one to me. And they,

Strange enough, was two who kept recurring.

Christopher Fry: A Phoenix Too Frequent

This Chapter is included because sometimes one needs to know some of its contents. But wo make no further reference to them in this book, and the chapter can be omitted.