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quadric

quadric

9.9
A curve or surface like an ellipse that has an equation with squared terms
  • noun
  • /ˈkwɒdrɪk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cuádruple
  • The mathematician explained how a parabola is a specific type of quadric curve.

Examples

  • Look at one of the sections through the quadric that are hyperbole.

  • OK, along the asymptote, the radius of the quadric is infinite.

  • To better understand the relationships, we graphed the quadric equations on the coordinate plane.

  • In geometry class, we studied various quadric surfaces, including ellipsoids and hyperboloids.

Compounds

quadric surface
  • Specialized
9.9

A surface in three-dimensional space made by an equation with squared terms in x, y, and z

Surface Forms

quadric singular
quadrics plural

Morphology

quadric = quadratic (semi-transparent) = quadr + ic

The form and meaning closely match 'quadratic' (both denote second-degree notions), so knowing 'quadratic' makes 'quadric' predictable.

Etymology

Quadric is like quadratic, which comes from the Latin quadratus meaning 'square'. That 'square' idea means 'squared', meaning you multiply a number by itself, so a quadric curve or surface is made from 'squared' terms and is a 'second-degree' equation.