hyperboloid of two sheets


hyperboloid of two sheets

[hī′pər·bə‚lȯid əv ′tü ‚shēts] (mathematics) A surface whose equation in standard form is (x 2/ a 2) - (y 2/ b 2) - (z 2/ c 2) = 1, so that it is in two pieces, and cuts planes perpendicular to the y and z axes in hyperbolas and planes perpendicular to the x axis in ellipses, except for the interval -a <>x <>a, where there is no intersection.