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INTRODUCTION
An ellipse is one of the conic sections that most students have not encountered
formally before, unlike circles and parabolas. Its shape is a bounded curve which looks
like a flattened circle. The orbits of the planets in our solar system around the sun
happen to be elliptical in shape. Also, just like parabolas, ellipses have reflective
properties that have been used in the construction of certain structures (shown in some
of the practice problems). We will see some properties and applications of ellipses in this
section.
There are other points P such as PF1 PF2 5 5 10 . the collection of all such points
1 |PRE CALCULUS SAC2020
forms a shape called ellipse.
Let F1 and F2 be two distinct points. The set of all points P , whose distances
from F1 and from F2 add up to certain constant, is called an ellipse. the points
F1 and F2 are called foci of the ellipse.
Given are two points on the x-axis, F1 (c,0) and
F2 (c,0) , the foci, both c units away from their
PF1 2a PF2
( x c ) 2 y 2 2a ( x c ) 2 y 2
x 2 2cx c 2 y 2 4a 2 4a ( x c) 2 y 2 x 2 2cx c 2 y 2
a ( x c) 2 y 2 a 2 cx
a 2 x 2 2cx c 2 y 2 a 4 2a 2 cx c 2 x 2
a 2 2
2 2 2
c x a y a 4 a 2c 2 a 2 a 2 c 2
By letting b a c , so a b
2
2
b 2 x 2 a 2 y 2 a 2b 2
x2 y2
1
a2 b2
The segment V1V2 is called the major axis. Its length is 2a. It divides the ellipse
into two congruent parts.
The minor axis W1W2 is 2b units long. Since a b , the major axis is longer than
the minor axis.
Example:
1. Give the coordinates of the foci, vertices, and covertices of the ellipse with equation
x2 y2
1
25 9 . Sketch the graph, and include these points.
Solution.
2. Give the standard equation of the ellipse whose foci are F1 (3,0) and F2 (3,0) , such
that for any point on it, the sum of its distances from the foci is 10.
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Solution.
We have 2a 10 and c 3 , so a 5
and b a c 4 . the equation is
2 2
x2 y2
1
25 16
Some ellipses have their foci aligned vertically, and some have centers not at the origin.
Their standard equations and properties are given in the box. The derivations are more
involved, but are similar to the one above, and so are not shown anymore.
( x 3) 2 ( y 5) 2
1
1. 24 49
2. x 16 y 126 x 64 y 71
2 2
Solution.
Center: (3,5)
9( x 2 14 x ) 16( y 2 4 y ) 71
9( x 2 14 x 49) 16( y 2 4 y 4) 71 9(49) 16(4)
9( x 7) 2 16( y 2) 2 576
( x 7 ) 2 ( y 2) 2
1
64 36
Center: (7,2)
F2 (7 2 7 ,2) (12.3,2)
18
n 10 2 14.14 ft
2. The orbit of a planet has the shape of an ellipse, and on one of the foci is the star
around which it revolves. The planet is closest to the star when it is at one vertex. It is
farthest from the star when it is at the other vertex. Suppose the closest and farthest
distances of the planet from this star, are 420 million kilometers and 580 million
kilometers, respectively. Find the equation of the ellipse, in standard form, with center at
the origin and the star at the x-axis. Assume all units are in millions of kilometers.
Solution.
In the figure, the orbit is drawn as a horizontal ellipse
with center at the origin. From the planet’s distances
from the star, at its closest and farthest points, it
follows that the major axis is 2a 420 580 1000
(million kilometers), so a 500 . If we place the star
at the positive x-axis, then it is c 500 420 80 units
away from the center. Therefore, we get
x2 y2
1
250000 243600 . the star could been placed on
the negative x-axis, and the answer would still be the same.
STANDARDS
(1) define an ellipse;
(2) determine the standard form of equation of an ellipse;
(3) graph an ellipse in a rectangular coordinate system; and
(4) solve situational problems involving conic sections (ellipses).
TRANSFER
At the end of Learning module nos. 1-4, students are expected to model situations
appropriately and solve problems accurately using conic sections.
ACTIVITIES
1. Give the coordinates of the foci, vertices, and covertices of the ellipse with equation
x2 y2
1
169 25 . Sketch the graph, and include these points.
2. Find the standard equation of the ellipse whose foci are F1 (8,0) and F2 (8,0) , such
that for any point on it, the sum of its distances from foci is 20.
1. Give the coordinates of the center, foci, vertices, and covertices of the ellipse with the
given equation 41x 16 y 246 x 192 y 289 0 . Sketch the graph, and include these
2 2
points.
2. A ellipse has vertices ( 10,4) and (6,4) , and covertices ( 2,9) and (2,1) . find the
standard equation and its foci.
1. The arch of a bridge is in the shape of a semiellipse, with its major axis at the water
level. Suppose the arch is 20 ft high in the middle, and 120 ft across its major axis. How
high above the water level is the arch, at a point 20 ft from the center (horizontally)?
Round off to 2 decimal places. Refer to Example
SUMMARY
a 2 is always largest c2 a2 b2
Orientation: Vertical Horizontal
2 2
Equation in Standard form x y x2 y2
1 1
Centered at the Origin b2 a 2 a2 b2
Hyperbolas centered at (h, k):
( x h) 2 ( y k ) 2 ( x h) 2 ( y k ) 2
Equation Standard Form 1 1
b2 a2 a2 b2
Foci ( h, k c ) ( h c, k )
EVALUATION (answer the given task in separate sheet of letter sized bond paper)
1. Give the coordinates of the center, foci, vertices, and covertices of the ellipse with the
given equation. Sketch the graph, and include these points.
( x 7) 2 ( y 4) 2
1
a. 16 25
2. Find the standard equation of the ellipse which satisfies the given conditions.
c. Center (5,3) , horizontal major axis of length 20, minor axis of length 16
3. A big room is constructed so that the ceiling is a dome that is semielliptical in shape.
If a person stands at one focus and speaks, the sound that is made bounces o ff the ceiling
and gets reflected to the other focus. Thus, if two people stand at the foci (ignoring their
heights), they will be able to hear each other. If the room is 34 m long and 8 m high, how
far from the center should each of two people stand if they would like to whisper back
and forth and hear each other?
REFLECTION (answer the given task in a separate sheet of letter sized bond paper)
Suppose two people are in the room with an elliptical dome shaped ceiling. If they
want to hold a conversation so that they will be able to hear each other, but others in the
same room will have a more difficult time eavesdropping, where should they stand?
Sketch a picture and label the points where the two people should stand.
REFERENCES
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[1] R.N. Aufmann, V.C. Barker, and R.D. Nation, College Trigonometry, Houghton
Mifflin Company, 2008.
[2] E.A. Cabral, M.L.A.N. De Las Peñ as, E.P. De Lara-Tuprio, F.F. Francisco,
I.J.L. Garces, R.M. Marcelo, and J.F. Sarmiento, Precalculus, Ateneo de
Manila University Press, 2010.
[3] R. Larson, Precalculus with Limits, Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, 2014.
[4] L. Leithold, College Algebra and Trigonometry, Addison Wesley Longman
Inc., 1989, reprinted by Pearson Education Asia Pte. Ltd., 2002.
[5] M.L. Lial, J. Hornsby, and D.I. Schneider, College Algebra and Trigonometry
and Precalculus, Addison-Wesley Educational Publisher, Inc., 2001.
[6] J. Stewart, L. Redlin, and S. Watson, Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus,
Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, 2012.
[7] M. Sullivan, Algebra & Trigonometry, Pearson Education, Inc., 2012.
[8] C. Young, Algebra and Trigonometry, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2013.