Split the mixed quadratic terms evenly across a real symmetric matrix:Its characteristic polynomial isso . Choose the orthonormal eigenvectorsThe orthogonal transformation givesIndeed and ; preserving is precisely the length-preserving property of an orthogonal matrix.
The requested plane has normal . An orthonormal basis within it isWrite a point of that plane as . Restricting the quadratic form gives , so its section with isIt is an ellipse centred at the origin, with semi-axes along and along . Normalizing the in-plane basis is essential: coefficients in nonorthonormal coordinates would not directly give physical lengths.
The complete surface is the one-sheet hyperboloidIt is connected, extends indefinitely in both directions along its axis , and has an elliptical waist at with semi-axes and . At larger its transverse sections widen; its asymptotic cone is . The specified plane is oblique to that axis, rather than the waist plane.
One-sheet hyperboloid in principal coordinates and its oblique elliptical section, with the intrinsic semi-axis lengths
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