ARML Power Contest February 2010

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1
Drawing Ellipses

The Background

The study of conic sections, curves formed by the intersection of a plane with a cone,
began about 200 B.C. by Apollonius of Perga, the last of the great mathematicians of the Golden
Age of Greek mathematics. In his eight-volume treatise called Conics, he gave names to the
various curves (parabola, hyperbola, and ellipse) and developed most of the geometric properties
of the curves. But conics remained pure mathematics for almost 2000 years until 1609 when
Johannes Kepler revolutionized astronomy by declaring that the planets revolved around the sun
in elliptic paths with the sun as a focus. As an ellipse is a circle stretched horizontally and/or
vertically, ellipses share some similar formulas with circles. For example, the area of a circle is
! " r " r while the area of an ellipse is ! " a " b. However, while the circumference of a circle is
2 ! " ! r = "(r + r) , the circumference of an ellipse is not !(a + b) and cannot even be expressed
in a closed form. I find it amazing that both a cone and a cylinder cut diagonally by a plane
produce an ellipse, and that if you wrap a strip of paper around a cylinder, slice the cylinder
diagonally, and then unwrap the paper, the edge of the paper formed by the circumference of the
ellipse is a sine wave! There is much to explore in this old topic of mathematics!

Definitions for an ellipse:
1. The curve formed when a plane intersects a right circular cone
at an angle to its axis of symmetry less than 90 but greater than the slant
angle of the cone.

2. The set of all points in a plane the sum of whose distances from
two given points (called the foci) is always constant.

3. The set of all points whose ratio of its distance from a fixed
point (called the focus) to its distance from a fixed line (called the
directrix) is constant and between 0 and 1.

4. The graph formed by the general second-degree equation
Ax
2
+ Bxy +Cy
2
+ Dx + Ey + F = 0 where 4AC ! B
2
> 0 .

5. The curve formed when a cylinder is intersected by a plane not parallel to the axis of
symmetry of the cylinder.

Other vocabulary:
A segment connecting two points of an ellipse is called a chord. A chord through the
center of an ellipse is called a diameter. The longest diameter of an ellipse is called the major
axis. The foci will always be on the major axis. The shortest diameter of an ellipse is called the
minor axis. It will always be perpendicular to the major axis. The focal length is the distance
between the two foci. The eccentricity of an ellipse, a number between 0 and 1, refers to the
roundness of the ellipse. The closer the eccentricity is to 0, the closer the ellipse is to a circle.

ARML Power Contest February 2010
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2
Equations of an ellipse:

1. General equation: Ax
2
+ Bxy +Cy
2
+ Dx + Ey + F = 0 where 4AC ! B
2
> 0 . If the
ellipse is centered at the origin, then D = E = 0. If the major and minor axes of the ellipse are
parallel with the coordinate axes, then B = 0.

2. Standard form:
x
2
a
2
+
y
2
b
2
=1. The length of the major axis is 2a and the length of the
minor axis is 2b . The focal length is 2c , where c
2
= a
2
! b
2
. The eccentricity e is
c
a
. If the
ellipse is translated so that x = ! x + h and y = ! y + k , where ( ! x , ! y ) is the point on the translated
coordinate axes, it is now centered at (h, k) and the equation becomes
(x ! h)
2
a
2
+
(y ! k)
2
b
2
=1. If
the ellipse is rotated an angle of ! , then x = ! x cos" # ! y sin" and y = ! x sin" + ! y cos" and the
general equation must now be used to describe the curve.

3. Parametric equations:
x = acos(!)
y = bsin(!)
"
#
$
%
&
'
.

4. Polar equation: r =
ep
1! ecos"
with directrix x = p or r =
ep
1! esin"
with directrix
y = p . One focus is at the pole and 0 < e < 1 is the eccentricity of the ellipse.

Through various algebraic techniques these equations can be shown to be equivalent.

The problems in this contest deal with methods that are used by artists, engineers, draftsmen,
astronomers, and mathematicians for drawing ellipses. In several problems you are given the
method of construction and must prove that the curve formed is an ellipse. This can be done by
showing that points on the curve satisfy one of the above equations or that the curve has one of
the properties that defines an ellipse. Most of the problems are independent of one another and
therefore can be solved in any order.

ARML Power Contest February 2010
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3
The Problems

1. An ellipse can easily be drawn using two push-pins and a
loop of string as shown at the right. By keeping the triangular
loop of the string taut as you move the pencil, a smooth
curve can be drawn.


a) How do you know the curve formed is an ellipse?

b) If you want to draw an ellipse with a major axis of
length 12 and a minor axis of length 8, how far apart
should the push-pins be placed and what should be
the length (or circumference) of the loop of string?












2. An ellipse can made by drawing a large circle on a piece of wax paper and marking a point F
somewhere inside the circle but not at the center. Fold the paper so that some point P on the
circle coincides with F and crease the paper on this fold. Unfold the paper and repeat the process
using another point P on the circle. Continue repeating the process.


a) Using the diagram at the right, prove
that the points Q determined by this
technique trace out an ellipse.




b) If circle O, centered at the origin, has a
radius of 10 units and F is 8 units from the
center, determine an equation for the
ellipse formed by this technique.

O
F
P
1
Q
1
l
1
ARML Power Contest February 2010
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4
3. On a set of coordinate axes, draw a circle C
1
centered at the origin and having a radius equal
to a, and a second circle C
2
centered at the origin and having a radius equal to b, where a > b .
Draw a line through the origin (at an angle of ! ), intersecting C
1
and C
2
at points M and N,
respectively. Draw a line parallel to the vertical axis through M and another line parallel to the
horizontal axis through N. Label the intersection of these two lines P. Repeat the process above
for different values of ! , determining a locus of points P. Connect all the points P to form an
ellipse.




a) If P = (x, y) , show that it lies on the curve
defined by
x
2
a
2
+
y
2
b
2
=1.

b) If the area between the two circles (called
an annulus) is equal to the area of the ellipse,
what is the ratio of
a
b
?




4. The Dutch mathematician Franz Van Schooten came up with the following simple device for
drawing ellipses. Points A and B are stationary, with AB > 4 ! CD. CD = DE and points C and
D are hinges with C anchored at the midpoint between A and B and D is free to move as point E
slides in the groove between A and B. At point P is a pen which traces out a curve as E moves
from A to B.
a) Let CD = a and DP = b. If C is the origin and if this curve is an ellipse, what would
be its equation?
b) Let P = (x, y) and E = (t, 0) . Prove P(x, y) satisfies the equation above for any value
of t in the interval [-2a, 2a].

N
M
P
!
C
2
C
1
P
E
D
C
B A
ARML Power Contest February 2010
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5
5. Using a Spirograph, a circular disk can be rolled inside of a fixed circular ring without
slipping, producing a figure called a trochoid. A point P on the disk marks the position of a pen
which traces out a curve as the disk is rolled. If the inner radius of the fixed circular ring is R,
the radius of the circular disk is r, and d is the distance from P to the center of the disk, the
coordinates of P are (x, y) , where x = (R ! r)sin
r
R
"
#
$
%
&
'
(
+ dsin
r ! R
R
#
$
%
&
'
(
"
#
$
%
&
'
(
and
y = (R ! r)cos
r
R
"
#
$
%
&
'
(
+ d cos
r ! R
R
#
$
%
&
'
(
"
#
$
%
&
'
(
. (For a nice derivation of these formulas see
html:/the-robinson-family.org/Nigel/spiro.htm.) The figure below shows four trochoids and the
ratio r:R that produced them.

If R =2r, prove the trochoid is an ellipse.








ARML Power Contest February 2010
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6
X
Y Z
6. Let O be the origin, A = (a, 0) ,
B = (0, b) , C = (0, !b) , and D = (a, b) .
Divide segments OA and AD into n
congruent segments using n 1 points. On
AD, starting at A, label these points
D
1
, D
2
, D
3
, ... , D
k
, ... , D
n!1
. On OA,
starting at A, label the points
A
1
, A
2
, A
3
, ... , A
k
, ... , A
n!1
. Let (x, y) be
coordinates of point P
k
, the intersection of
lines

CA
k
! " ###
and

BD
k
! " ###
.
Prove P
k
is on ellipse
x
2
a
2
+
y
2
b
2
=1. (Hint:
One method might be to find the equations
of lines

CA
k
! " ###
and

BD
k
! " ###
by first expressing
the coordinates of D
k
and A
k
in terms of a,
b, n, and k.)

7. Take any triangle XYZ and position it on a coordinate axes so that X is on the x-axis and Y is
on the y-axis. Mark the location of point Z. Reposition the triangle so that again X is on the x-
axis and Y is on the y-axis and plot point Z. Repeat several times. The locus of all such points Z
will be an ellipse, whose axes are not parallel with the coordinate axes.

















a) If XYZ is an equilateral triangle with sides of length 2, what is the equation of the
ellipse formed? (Hint: Determine the exact coordinates of some points on the ellipse and
determine the general equation.)

b) If XYZ is a 30-60-90 triangle with angle Z = 30 and hypotenuse XZ of length 2, what
is the equation of the ellipse formed?
O
A
B
C
D
P
1
P
2
P
3
D
3
A
3
D
1
A
1
A
2
D
2
Construction with
n = 4
ARML Power Contest February 2010
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7
8. Given a line D (called the directrix) and a point F (called the focus). Let P be any point (x, y).
If PF is the distance from the point to the focus and PD is the distance from the point to the
directrix, then an ellipse is the set of all points P where the ratio of PF to PD is a constant less
than 1. The ratio PF/PD is called the eccentricity of the ellipse.
a) Use the graph below to accurately plot at least 10 points of the ellipse with an
eccentricity of
2
3
. (Hint:
2
3
=
4
6
=
3
4.5
= ... ) (Use Special Answer Sheet #1 to record your
answers to 8a and 8b.)


b) If F is the origin and D is the line y = !3, what is the equation of this ellipse?








10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1
F
D
1 2 3 4 5 6
ARML Power Contest February 2010
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8
9. Logan Graphics Products Inc. makes an Oval
Mat Cutter used in picture framing. I was
curious whether the oval it produced was an
ellipse or not. Pictures of the tool did not reveal
how it worked but designer Curt Logan was
gracious enough to send me a free mat cutter to
examine for myself. Although the cutting head
is a patented part, inside the oval base I
discovered that its mechanism was similar to a
trammel for drawing ellipses designed by
Archimedes!


As point P is rotated around the origin, point Q
moves back and forth in a horizontal (x-axis)
channel while point R moves up and down in a
vertical (y-axis) channel. If RQ = a, QP = b,
Q = (t, 0) , and P = (x, y) , show that the locus
of all possible points P determine an ellipse by
determining the equation of the ellipse.

























Type set using MathType 5.0, donated by Design Science, an ARML supporter.
P
Q
R
ARML Power Contest February 2010
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9
The Solutions

1a. Let L = the length of the loop of string.
L = F
1
P + F
2
P + F
1
F
2
L ! F
1
F
2
= F
1
P + F
2
P
constant = F
1
P + F
2
P

Therefore, P is on an ellipse.

1b.





2a. For any point P
1
on the circle, P
1
is folded onto F forming l
1
, the perpendicular bisector of
segment FP
1
. Therefore, Q
1
F = Q
1
P . Since OP
1
is the radius of the circle and
OP
1
= OQ
1
+ Q
1
P
1
, OQ
1
+ Q
1
P
1
is constant and therefore, OQ
1
+ Q
1
F
1
is constant. Therefore, Q is
a point on an ellipse with foci at O and F
1
.

b. 2a = 10 and 2c = 8 . Therefore, a = 5 and c = 4 and since a
2
! b
2
= c
2
, b = 3. Assume F is
(8,0), then the center is at (4,0). Therefore, the equation of the ellipse
is
x ! 4 ( )
2
25
+
y
2
9
= 1.

3a. cos(!) =
x
a
" cos
2
(!) =
x
2
a
2
and sin(!) =
y
b
"sin
2
(!) =
y
2
b
2
.
Adding these two equations produces 1 =
x
2
a
2
+
y
2
b
2
.



3b. The area of the ellipse = ab! and the area of the annulus = a
2
! " b
2
! . Therefore,
ab = a
2
! b
2
ab
b
2
=
a
2
b
2
!
b
2
b
2
a
b
=
a
2
b
2
!1
0 =
a
b
"
#
$
%
&
'
2
!
a
b
"
#
$
%
&
'
!1
a
b
=
1+ 5
2
, the Golden Ratio!

L = F
1
P + F
2
P + F
1
F
2
= 2a + 2c
= 12 + 2c
a
2
! b
2
= c
2
36 !16 = c
2
2 5 = c
F
1
F
2
= 2c = 4 5 ! 8.94
L = 12 + 4 5 ! 20.94
!
ARML Power Contest February 2010
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10

4a. When CD is horizontal CP = a + b and when CD is vertical CP = a ! b. Therefore,
x
2
a + b ( )
2
+
y
2
a ! b ( )
2
= 1.



4b. From similar right triangles,
b
x !
t
2
=
a ! b
t ! x
"t =
2ax
a + b
and from the Pythagorean
Theorem, t ! x ( )
2
+ y
2
= a ! b ( )
2
. Substituting, results
in
2ax
a + b
! x
"
#
$
%
&
'
2
+ y
2
= a ! b ( )
2
. And so
2ax
a + b
!
x(a + b)
a + b
"
#
$
%
&
'
2
+ y
2
= a ! b ( )
2
(
x(a ! b)
a + b
"
#
$
%
&
'
2
+ y
2
= a ! b ( )
2
(. Resulting in
x
2
(a ! b)
2
a + b ( )
2
+ y
2
= (a ! b)
2
"
x
2
a + b ( )
2
+
y
2
(a ! b)
2
= 1.

5. If R = 2r then x = r sin
!
2
"
#
$
%
&
'
+ dsin
(!
2
"
#
$
%
&
'
and y = r cos
!
2
"
#
$
%
&
'
+ d cos
(!
2
"
#
$
%
&
'
. This simplifies to
x = r ! d ( )sin
"
2
#
$
%
&
'
(
and y = r + d ( )cos
!
2
"
#
$
%
&
'
. Squaring, results in x
2
= r ! d ( )
2
sin
2
"
2
#
$
%
&
'
(

and y
2
= r + d ( )
2
cos
2
!
2
"
#
$
%
&
'
, and dividing, produces
x
2
r ! d ( )
2
= sin
2
"
2
#
$
%
&
'
(
and
y
2
r + d ( )
2
= cos
2
!
2
"
#
$
%
&
'
. Summing, results in
x
2
r ! d ( )
2
+
y
2
r + d ( )
2
= 1.
6. First, find the coordinates of A
k
and D
k
.
A
k
= 1!
k
n
"
#
$
%
&
'
a, 0
"
#
$
%
&
'
and D
k
= a,
k
n
!
"
#
$
%
&
b
!
"
#
$
%
&
.
Second, find the equations of

CA
k
! " ###
and

BD
k
! " ###
.


CA
k
! " ###
: nbx + (k ! n)ay = ab(n ! k) and

BD
k
! " ###
: n ! k ( )bx + any = abn .
Square each: n
2
b
2
x
2
+ 2nbx(k ! n)ay + (k ! n)
2
a
2
y
2
= a
2
b
2
(n ! k)
2
and
n ! k ( )
2
b
2
x
2
+ 2(n ! k)bxany + a
2
n
2
y
2
= a
2
b
2
n
2
.
Add them, producing: n
2
+ n ! k ( )
2
( )
b
2
x
2
+ n
2
+ (k ! n)
2
( )
a
2
y
2
= a
2
b
2
(n ! k)
2
+ n
2
( )
.
Divide by a
2
b
2
(n ! k)
2
+ n
2
( )
, resulting in:
x
2
a
2
+
y
2
b
2
= 1 (N.B. (n ! k)
2
= (k ! n)
2
.)
C
D
E
a
t
x
y
a-b
b
t-x
x !
t
2
P=(x,y)
ARML Power Contest February 2010
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11
7. Let the equation of the ellipse be: Ax
2
+ Bxy + Cy
2
+ Dx + Ey + F = 0. Since it is centered at
the origin, D = E = 0 . To avoid answers that are just multiples of each other, let A = 1.
Three points are necessary to solve the equation x
2
+ Bxy + Cy
2
+ F = 0. Positioning
!XYZ as in the diagrams produces these three points:




Solving this system of equations,
1+ B 3
( )
+ C(3) + F = 0
3+ B 3
( )
+ C(1) + F = 0
4 + B 2 3
( )
+ C(3) + F = 0
!
"
#
#
$
#
#
%
&
#
#
'
#
#
, results in
x
2
! 3xy + y
2
!1 = 0 as the equation of the ellipse.

7b. As in solution 7a, three points are needed to satisfy the equation x
2
+ Bxy + Cy
2
+ F = 0.
Positioning !XYZ as in the diagrams produces these three points:








Solving this system of equations,
0 + B 0 ( ) + C(3) + F = 0
3+ B 3
( )
+ C(1) + F = 0
9
4
+ B 0 ( ) + C(0) + F = 0
!
"
#
$
#
%
&
#
'
#
, results in
x
2
!
3
2
xy +
3
4
y
2
!
9
4
= 0 or 4x
2
! 2 3xy + 3y
2
! 9 = 0 as the equation of the ellipse.
8a. (Drawing follows solution to problem #9.)

8b. The length of the major axis is 6 + 1.2 = 7.2 and so b = 3.6, the center is (0, 2.4), and c = 2.4.
Since a
2
= b
2
! c
2
, a
2
= 7.2. Therefore, the equation of the ellipse
is
x
2
7.2
+
y ! 2.4 ( )
2
12.96
= 1.

X
Z= 0, 3
( )
Y
Z= 3,1
( )
Y
X
Z= 1.5, 0 ( )
Y
X
Z = 1, 3
( )
Z = 3, 1
( )
Z = 2, 3
( )
ARML Power Contest February 2010
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12
9. From the diagram below, x ! t ( )
2
+ y
y
= b
2
and
a
t
=
b
x ! t
"t =
ax
a + b
. Substituting,
x !
ax
a + b
"
#
$
%
&
'
2
+ y
2
= b
2

!
x(a + b) " ax
a + b
#
$
%
&
'
(
2
+ y
2
= b
2

!
bx
a + b
"
#
$
%
&
'
2
+ y
2
= b
2

!
b
2
x
2
a + b ( )
2
+ y
2
= b
2

!
x
2
a + b ( )
2
+
y
2
b
2
= 1




8a.

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1
F
D
1 2 3 4 5 6

P=(x,y)
Q=(t,0)
a
y
x - t
t
O=(0,0)
b