How can you determine whether or not a graph, equation, or table of points is a conic section? Explain how to identify a conic section in each of these cases by giving examples.

Answer 1

a conic section will have both x^2 and y^2 terms.
except for a parabola, which has either x^2 or y^2, but not both.

Now just consult your text on the standard forms for
parabola, ellipse, hyperbola.