 Signature transition from an ellipsoid to an elliptic cylinder and a one-sheet hyperboloid

After an orthogonal diagonalization, the sign of the third coefficient classifies the displayed quadric surface. If $C>0$, it is an ellipsoid with semiaxes $A^{-1/2},B^{-1/2},C^{-1/2}$. If $C=0$, it is an elliptic cylinder parallel to the $w$ axis, with elliptical transverse section. If $C<0$, it is a one-sheet hyperboloid with axis $w$ and waist ellipse $A{u}^2+B{v}^2=1$. The continuous limit $C\to 0$ sends the associated axial length scale to infinity. Repeated positive eigenvalues make the corresponding principal-axis choices nonunique within their eigenspace, without changing the surface.