The Ellipse

𝑎
Consider an ellipse with focus 𝐹(𝑎𝑒, 0) and directrix D: 𝑥 = 𝑒 where 𝑒 is the eccentricity.

𝑃(𝑥, 𝑦) 𝑎
𝑀( , 𝑦)
𝑒

𝑎
𝐹(𝑎𝑒, 0) 𝑥=
𝑒

𝑃𝐹
= 𝑒 ⟹ 𝑃𝐹 = 𝑒𝑃𝑀
𝑃𝑀
𝑎
√(𝑥 − 𝑎𝑒)2 + (𝑦 − 0)2 = 𝑒 ( − 𝑥)
𝑒
(1 − 𝑒 2 )𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 𝑎2 (1 − 𝑒 2

𝑥2 𝑦2
+ =1
𝑎2 𝑎2 (1 − 𝑒 2 )

0 < 𝑒 < 1 ⟹ 𝑎2 (1 − 𝑒 2 ) > 0

Let 𝑏 2 = 𝑎2 (1 − 𝑒 2 )

x2 y 2
 1
a 2 b2 𝒂𝟐 > 𝒃𝟐 and 𝟎 < 𝒆 < 𝟏
b 2  a 2 1  e2 

Parametric Equations

Any point on the ellipse is of the form (𝑎𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃, 𝑏𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃).Thus its parametric equations are:

𝑥 = 𝑎𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃, 𝑦 = 𝑏𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

Properties of an ellipse

https://space.uh.edu/books/1330/TB/ch8/1330_Ch8.pdf

https://www.math.uh.edu/~almus/1330_section8o1.pdf