Lesson 4 - Ellipse
Lesson 4 - Ellipse
2) Major axis
• longest segment that runs through the center of
the ellipse.
• Determines the orientation of the ellipse.
• The endpoints of the major axis on the ellipse are
called vertices.
• Notation: a = distance from the center to a vertex.
ELEMENTS OF AN ELLIPSE
3) Minor axis
• segment that runs through the center of the ellipse
and is perpendicular to the major axis
• The endpoints of the minor axis on the ellipse are
called co-vertices.
• Notation: b = distance from the center to a co-
vertex.
ELEMENTS OF AN ELLIPSE
4) Foci
• determine the flatness or roundness of the ellipse.
• To find the focal distance (c):
𝒄= 𝒂 𝟐 − 𝒃𝟐
• NOTATION:
𝑭𝟏&𝟐 (𝒉 ± 𝒄, 𝒌) if major axis is horizontal
𝑭𝟏&𝟐 (𝒉, 𝒌 ± 𝒄) if major axis is vertical
ELEMENTS OF AN ELLIPSE
5) Latera Recta
• chords perpendicular to the major
axis and going through the foci; their
length is 2b2 /a.
• To find the end points of latera recta
in the ellipse, simply add and
subtract b2/a to the foci.
• Notation: L(x,y)
ELEMENTS OF AN ELLIPSE
5) Directrices
• Two parallel fixed lines on the outside of
an ellipse perpendicular to the major axis.
• Notations:
𝑎2
𝑥= ℎ± 𝑐 if major axis is horizontal
𝑎2
𝑦= 𝑘± 𝑐 if major axis is vertical
Standard Forms of the Ellipse
STANDARD FORMS OF ELLIPSE
I. Major axis is Horizontal
𝒙−𝒉 𝟐 𝒚−𝒌 𝟐
𝟐
+ =𝟏
𝒂 𝒃𝟐
II. Major axis is Vertical
𝒚−𝒌 𝟐 𝒙−𝒉 𝟐
𝟐
+ =𝟏
𝒂 𝒃𝟐
Vertices: 𝑽𝟏&𝟐 (𝒉 ± 𝒂, 𝒌)
Co-vertices: 𝑽𝟑&𝟒 (𝒉, 𝒌 ± 𝒃)
𝒚−𝒌 𝟐 𝒙−𝒉 𝟐
FORM: 𝟐 + 𝟐 = 𝟏
𝒂 𝒃
Center: C(h,k) Endpoints of Latera Recta:
𝑏2
Orientation : Vertical 𝐿1&2 ℎ, ± , 𝑘 + 𝑐
𝑎
Length of Mj. Axis : 2a 𝑏2
𝐿3&4 ℎ, ± , 𝑘 − 𝑐
Length of Mn. Axis : 2b 𝑎
𝟐 𝟐 Equations of Directrices:
Focal Distance : 𝒄 = 𝒂 − 𝒃
𝑎2 𝑎2
Foci : F1(h, k+c) and F2(h,k-c) 𝑦1 = 𝑘 + 𝑐 and 𝑦2 = 𝑘 − 𝑐