Light from a Lamp. The light from a lamp forms a lighted area on a wall, as shown in the figure. Why is the boundary of this lighted area a hyperbola? How can one hold a flashlight so that its beam forms a hyperbola on the ground?

College Algebra
7th Edition
ISBN:9781305115545
Author:James Stewart, Lothar Redlin, Saleem Watson
Publisher:James Stewart, Lothar Redlin, Saleem Watson
Chapter7: Conic Sections
Section7.3: Hyperbolas
Problem 60E: DISCUSS: Light from a Lamp The light from a lamp forms a lighted area on a wall, as shown in the...
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Light from a Lamp. The light from a lamp forms a lighted area on a wall, as shown in the figure. Why is the boundary of this lighted area a hyperbola? How can one hold a flashlight so that its beam forms a hyperbola on the ground? 

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