This lesson will focus on the symmetries that exist in the graph of a conic section.

Get some pieces of patty paper from your teacher, or get some tracing paper or wax paper. It really does not matter as long as you are able to see through the paper.

Copy the four conic sections shown here on to the patty paper. Lightly trace them so that you don't damage the computer screen, then lay the paper flat and trace the sketch darker so that you can see it through the paper.

Now, fold each of those conic sections so that one half fits upon the other half. Open up the paper and in another color, draw a line in the fold. Then, fold again, if possible, so that one half of the conic fits upon the other half. Draw a line in that fold. Continue until you can find no other folds to make one half of the figure a mirror image of the other.

Make a note of how many fold lines the figure has and where they are located with respect to the conic.