The figure shows a plane slicing through a cone. The plane is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the base of the cone, and the plane does not intersect the base of the cone.
![The figure shows a plane slicing through a cone The plane is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the base of the cone and the plane does not intersect the bas class=](https://us-static.z-dn.net/files/dd3/e73d04899b44d3017da91087b014c758.png)
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Explanation:
Imagine that this plane was a saw blade, or a laser, that cut the cone. We would have two pieces and each piece would have a shape of an ellipse on them. The cutting plane would also have the same ellipse shape.
Or you think of the cutting plane as a flat piece of cloth. If we cut everything around the cone, then we would have an ellipse shaped hole as a result.
The reason why we get an ellipse and not a circle is because the plane is angled like that. It needs to be perfectly parallel to the circular base in order to get a circular cross section.