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Solution - Properties of ellipses

Equation in standard form x2533+y252=1
\frac{x^2}{\frac{5}{33}}+\frac{y^2}{\frac{5}{2}}=1
Center (0,0)
(0, 0)
Radius of the major axis 1.581
1.581
Vertex_1 (0,1.581)
(0, 1.581)
Vertex_2 (0,1.581)
(0, -1.581)
Radius of the minor axis 0.389
0.389
Co-vertex_1 (0.389,0)
(0.389, 0)
Co-vertex_2 (0.389,0)
(-0.389, 0)
Focal length 1.532
1.532
Focus_1 (0,1.532)
(0, 1.532)
Focus_2 (0,1.532)
(0, -1.532)
Area 0.615π
0.615π
x-intercepts (0.389,0),(0.389,0)
(0.389, 0), (-0.389, 0)
y-intercepts (0,1.581),(0,1.581)
(0, 1.581), (0, -1.581)
Eccentricity 0.969
0.969

Other Ways to Solve

Properties of ellipses

Step-by-step explanation

1. Find the standard form

To find the standard form of an ellipse, make the right side of the equation equal to 1:

33x2+2y2=5

Divide both sides by 5

33x25+2y25=55

Simplify the expression

335x2+25y2=1

Convert equation to standard form by moving coefficients to denominator, using its reciprocal value.

x2533+y252=1

Because the denominator of y (52) is bigger than the denominator of x (533), it represents the major axis (52=a2), making this a vertical ellipse equation:
(x-h)2b2+(y-k)2a2=1

2. Find the center

h represents the x-offset from the origin.
k represents the y-offset from the origin.
To find the values of h and k, use the vertical ellipse standard form:
(x-h)2b2+(y-k)2a2=1

x2533+y252=1
h=0
k=0
Center: (0,0)

3. Find the radius of the major axis

a represents the longer radius of the ellipse, which is equal to half of the major axis.
This is called the semi-major axis.
To find the value of a, use the vertical ellipse standard form:
(x-h)2b2+(y-k)2a2=1

x2533+y252=1
a2=52
Take the square root of both sides of the equation:
a=1.581

Because a represents a distance, it only has a positive value.

4. Find the vertices

In a vertical ellipse, the major axis runs parallel to the y-axis and passes through the ellipse's vertices. Find the vertices by adding and subtracting a from the y-coordinate (k) of the center.

To find vertex_1, add a to the y-coordinate (k) of the center:
Vertex_1: (h,k+a)
Center: (h,k)=(0,0)
h=0
k=0
a=1.581
Vertex_1: (0,0+1.581)
Vertex_1: (0,1.581)

To find vertex_2, subtract a from the y-coordinate (k) of the center:
Vertex_2: (h,ka)
Center: (h,k)=(0,0)
h=0
k=0
a=1.581
Vertex_2: (0,01.581)
Vertex_2: (0,1.581)

5. Find the radius of the minor axis

b represents the shorter radius of the ellipse, which is equal to half of the minor axis. This is called the semi-minor axis.
To find the value of b, use the vertical ellipse standard form:
(x-h)2b2+(y-k)2a2=1

x2533+y252=1
b2=533
Take the square root of both sides of the equation:
b=0.389
Because b represents a distance, it only has a positive value.

6. Find the co-vertices

In a vertical ellipse, the minor axis runs parallel to the x-axis and passes through the ellipse's co-vertices.
Find the co-vertices by adding and subtracting b from the x-coordinate (h) of the center.

To find co-vertex_1, add b to the x-coordinate (h) of the center:
Co-vertex_1: (h+b,k)
Center: (h,k)=(0,0)
h=0
k=0
b=0.389
Co-vertex_1: (0+0.389,0)
Co-vertex_1: (0.389,0)

To find co-vertex_2, subtract b from the x-coordinate (h) of the center:
Co-vertex_2: (hb,k)
Center: (h,k)=(0,0)
h=0
k=0
b=0.389
Co-vertex_2: (00.389,0)
Co-vertex_2: (0.389,0)

7. Find the focal length

Focal length is the distance from the ellipse's center to each focal point and is usually represented by f.

To find f, use the formula:
f=a2-b2
a2=52
b2=533
Plug a2 and b2 into the formula and simplify:

f=52-533

f=15566

f=1.532

Because f represents a distance, it only has a positive value.

8. Find the foci

In a vertical ellipse, the major axis runs parallel to the y-axis and through the foci.
Find the foci by adding and subtracting f from the y-coordinate (k) of the center.

To find focus_1, add f to the y-coordinate (k) of the center:
Focus_1: (h,k+f)
Center: (h,k)=(0,0)
h=0
k=0
f=1.532
Focus_1: (0,0+1.532)
Focus_1: (0,1.532)

To find focus_2, subtract f from the y-coordinate (k) of the center:
Focus_2: (h,kf)
Center: (h,k)=(0,0)
h=0
k=0
f=1.532
Focus_2: (0,01.532)
Focus_2: (0,1.532)

9. Find the area

Use the formula for the area of an ellipse to find the ellipse's area:
π·a·b
a=1.581
b=0.389
Plug a and b into the formula and simplify:

π·1.581·0.389

π·0.615

The area equals 0.615π

10. Find the x and y-intercepts

To find the x-intercept(s), plug 0 in for y in the ellipse's standard equation and solve the resulting quadratic equation for x.
Click here for a step-by-step explanation of the quadratic equation.

x2533+y252=1

x2533+0252=1

x1=0.389

x2=0.389

To find the y-intercept(s), plug 0 in for x in the ellipse's standard equation and solve the resulting quadratic equation for y.
Click here for a step-by-step explanation of the quadratic equation.

x2533+y252=1

02533+y252=1

y1=1.581

y2=1.581

11. Find the eccentricity

To find the eccentricity use the formula:
a2-b2a
a2=52
b2=533
a=1.581
Plug a2 , b2 and ainto the formula:

52-5331.581

155661.581

1.5321.581

0.969

The eccentricity equals 0.969

12. Graph

Why learn this

If you cut a carrot in half across its grain (like this: =|> ) the resulting cross-section would be circular and, therefore, somewhat easy to measure. But what if you cut the same carrot across the grain at an angle (like this: =/> )? The resulting shape would be more of an ellipse and measuring it would prove to be a bit more difficult than measuring a plain old circle. But why would you need to measure the cross section of a carrot to begin with?
Well... you probably would not, but such occurrences of ellipses in nature are actually quite common, and understanding them from a mathematical perspective can be useful in many different contexts. Fields such as art, design, architecture, engineering, and astronomy all rely at times on ellipses - from painting portraits, to building homes, to measuring the orbit of moons, planets, and comets.

Terms and topics