Subject Code Math 5 Differential Calculus

Module Code 1.0 Conic Sections

Lesson Code 1.2.1 Ellipse (Session 1 of 3)
Time Frame 30 minutes

Component Tasks TAa ATAb

Target By the end of this module, the students should be able to 1
1. Define an ellipse; min
2. Derive an equation of an ellipse whose center is at the origin;
3. Enumerate the different parts and features (foci, center,
vertices, co-vertices, major axis, minor axis and principal
axis) of an ellipse.

Hook Ellipses can be found in nature. Johannes Kepler discovered 1

and stated in his First Law of Planetary Motion that the orbits of min
planets take the shape of an ellipse. Apart from appearing in
nature, ellipses have a number of practical uses. The geometric
properties of ellipses are maximized in design supporting arches in
bridges and hallways, and whispering galleries. You will learn
about these practical applications in Lesson 6.
In this lesson, we will define ellipse, derive an equation for it
and study is parts and features. This lesson is divided into 3
sessions that will build up the concepts and skills related to
ellipses that you need to acquire.
Ignite 10
Definition An ellipse is a set of points on a plane whose sum of mins
distances from two fixed points is a constant. Each fixed point
is called a focus. The midpoint of the foci is called the center
of the ellipse.

We will first derive an equation of an ellipse whose foci are on

the 𝑥 −axis and whose center is the origin. Refer to Figure 1
below. If 𝑐 is the positive number so that the distance between the
foci is 2𝑐 units, then the foci, 𝐹! and 𝐹" will have coordinates
(−𝑐, 0) and (𝑐, 0). Let 𝑃(𝑥, 𝑦) be an arbitrary point on the ellipse.
If 𝑎 is the positive number so that the constant sum mentioned in
the definition is 2𝑎, then 𝑑! + 𝑑" = 2𝑎.

Figure 1

Applying the distance formula, we have

2𝑎 = 1(𝑥 + 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " + 1(𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 "

Math 5 | Page 1 of 6
 (At this point, you may want to challenge yourself to simplify the
equation on your own by eliminating the radicals and performing
algebraic manipulations. Look at the following discussion only
#! %!
when necessary. The goal is to eventually get + $! &' ! = 1.)
$!

2𝑎 − 1(𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " = 1(𝑥 + 𝑐)" + 𝑦 "

Squaring both sides to eliminate some of the radicals, we get
4𝑎" − 4𝑎1(𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " + (𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " = (𝑥 + 𝑐)" + 𝑦 "
After a series of algebraic manipulations (this is left for you as an
exercise), you get
𝑎1(𝑥 + 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " = 𝑎" − 𝑐𝑥
A second squaring of both sides will finally eliminate the
remaining radical, giving us
𝑎" [(𝑥 + 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " ] = (𝑎" )" − 2𝑎" 𝑐𝑥 + 𝑐 " 𝑥 "
After removing the grouping symbol and collecting terms with 𝑥
and 𝑦 on one side, (again, a number of intermediate step is left for
you as an exercises) we get
(𝑎" − 𝑐 " )𝑥 " + 𝑎" 𝑦 " = 𝑎" (𝑎" − 𝑐 " )
This can further be simplified by dividing both sides by
𝑎" (𝑎" − 𝑐 " ) giving us
𝑥" 𝑦"
+ =1
𝑎" 𝑎" − 𝑐 "
Finally, letting 𝑏" = 𝑎" − 𝑐 " gives us
𝑥" 𝑦"
+ = 1.
𝑎" 𝑏 "

Theorem If 2𝑎 is the constant sum referred to in the definition

of an ellipse, if the foci are (−𝑐, 0) and (𝑐, 0), and if 𝑏" =
𝑎" − 𝑐 " , then an equation of the ellipse is

𝑥" 𝑦"
+ =1
𝑎" 𝑏 "

Navigate Exercise 1 5
mins
1. Supply the missing steps in the derivation of an equation of
the ellipse whose foci are (−𝑐, 0) and (𝑐, 0) and so that 2𝑎 is
the constant sum in the definition.

2. What are the coordinates of the farthest points 𝐴! and 𝐴" on

the ellipse from the center? What are the coordinates of the
closest points 𝐵! annd 𝐵" on the ellipse from the center? To

Math 5 | Page 2 of 6
 answer these questions, compute the 𝑥 −intercepts and
𝑦 −intercepts of
𝑥" 𝑦"
+ =1
𝑎" 𝑏 "

3. (Level 2) Give an alternative explanation for your answers to

the previous question using the following:

a. Use the right triangle in Figure 2 to figure out how far

𝐵! and 𝐵" are from the center.

Figure 2
b. Let 𝑑! and 𝑑" be the distances of 𝐴! from 𝐹! and 𝐹" ,
respectively. By definition of an ellipse, 𝑑! + 𝑑" = 2𝑎.
Now, what is 𝑑! + 𝑑" in terms of 𝑥 and 𝑐 in Figure 3? The
answer will give an equation that will allow you to find an
expression for 𝑥 + 𝑐, which will help you identify the
distance of 𝐴! and 𝐴" from the center.

Figure 3

Ignite The points 𝐴! and 𝐴" are called vertices of the ellipse. The 5
segment from 𝐴! to 𝐴" is called the major axis of the ellipse. mins
Since the coordinates of 𝐴! are (−𝑎, 0) and the coordinates of 𝐴"
are (𝑎, 0), the length of the major axis is 𝟐𝒂.

The points 𝐵! and 𝐵" are called co-vertices of the ellipse.

The segment from 𝐵! to 𝐵" is called the minor axis of the ellipse.
On the other hand, since 𝐵! are (𝑏, 0) and the coordinates of 𝐵" are
(−𝑏, 0), the length of the major axis is 𝟐𝒃.

Math 5 | Page 3 of 6
 As it turns out, the denominators of the equation
𝑥" 𝑦"
+ =1
𝑎" 𝑏 "
hold a number of information about ellipse. We can therefore
already say a lot about an ellipse by just looking at these
denominators and the relationship 𝑏" = 𝑎" − 𝑐 " .

Finally, the line through the foci is called the principal axis.

Example Determine the foci, vertices, co-vertices, and the length

of the major and minor axes of the ellipse given by the equation
𝑥" 𝑦"
+ =1
25 9
Sketch this ellipse.

Solution Since 𝑎 = 5 and 𝑏 = 3, 𝑐 = 4 . Thus, the foci are

(−4,0) and (4,0), the vertices are (−5,0) and (5,0), the co-
vertices are (0,3) and (0, −3), the major axis is 10 units, and the
minor axis is 6 units.

Navigate Exercises 2 Identify the coordinates of the center, vertices, co- 5

vertices, foci, length of major axis and length of the minor axis of mins
following the ellipses:

!! $!
1.
"#
+ %% = 1
#! %!
2. 𝑥 " = 81 − 81𝑦 " (Hint: Transform to the form $! + (! = 1)

Knot In this lesson, you learned about the definition of an ellipse. 3

You were also able to derive that if 2𝑎 is the constant sum referred mins
to in the definition, if the foci are (−𝑐, 0) and (𝑐, 0), and if 𝑏" =
𝑎" − 𝑐 " , then an equation of the ellipse is

𝑥" 𝑦"
+ =1
𝑎" 𝑏 "
You also learned about the terms center, vertices, co-vertices,
principal axis, major axis, and minor axis.

Math 5 | Page 4 of 6
Answers

Exercises 1
1.
2𝑎 = 1(𝑥 + 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " + 1(𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 "

2𝑎 − 1(𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " = 1(𝑥 + 𝑐)" + 𝑦 "

4𝑎" − 4𝑎1(𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " + (𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " = (𝑥 + 𝑐)" + 𝑦 "

4𝑎" − 4𝑎1(𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " = 4𝑐𝑥

𝑎" − 𝑎1(𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " = 𝑐𝑥

−𝑎1(𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " = −𝑎" + 𝑐𝑥

𝑎1(𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " = 𝑎" − 𝑐𝑥

𝑎" [(𝑥 − 𝑐)" + 𝑦 " ] = (𝑎" )" − 2𝑐𝑎" 𝑥 + 𝑐 " 𝑥 "
𝑎" [𝑥 " − 2𝑐𝑥 + 𝑐 " + 𝑦 " ] = (𝑎" )" − 2𝑐𝑎" 𝑥 + 𝑐 " 𝑥 "
𝑎" 𝑥 " − 2𝑐𝑎" 𝑥 + 𝑎" 𝑐 " + 𝑎" 𝑦 " = (𝑎" )" − 2𝑐𝑎" 𝑥 + 𝑐 " 𝑥 "
𝑎" 𝑥 " − 𝑐 " 𝑥 " + 𝑎" 𝑦 " = (𝑎" )" − 𝑎" 𝑐 "
(𝑎" − 𝑐 " )𝑥 " 𝑎" 𝑦 " 𝑎" (𝑎" − 𝑐 " )
+ =
𝑎" (𝑎" − 𝑐 " ) 𝑎" (𝑎" − 𝑐 " ) 𝑎" (𝑎" − 𝑐 " )
𝑥" 𝑦"
+ =1
𝑎" 𝑎" − 𝑐 "
2. The 𝑥 −intercepts are ±𝑎 while the 𝑦 −intercepts are ±𝑏.
The farthest points are 𝐴! (−𝑎, 0) and𝐴" (𝑎, 0); while the
closest points are 𝐵! (0, 𝑏) and 𝐵" (0, −𝑏).

3. (Level 2 Only)

a. Note that 𝑑! = 𝑎. By the Pythagorean Theorem, if 𝑦 is

the distance of 𝐵! from the origin, then 𝑦 =
√𝑎" − 𝑐 " = √𝑏" = 𝑏. Thus, 𝑦 = 𝑏 and 𝐵! (0, 𝑏). By
symmetry, 𝐵" (0, −𝑏)

b. Let 𝑑! and 𝑑" be the distances of 𝐴! from 𝐹! and 𝐹" ,

respectively. By definition of an ellipse, 𝑑! + 𝑑" =
2𝑎. Now, 𝑑! + 𝑑" = 𝑥 + (𝑥 + 2𝑐). Thus, 2𝑎 = 𝑥 +
(𝑥 + 2𝑐) = 2𝑥 + 2𝑐. That is 𝑥 + 𝑐 = 𝑎. The
undirected distance of 𝐴! from the center is 𝑥 + 𝑐 = 𝑎.
Therefore the coordinates of 𝐴! are (−𝑎, 0). By
symmetry, the coordinates of 𝐴" are (𝑎, 0).

Exercises 2

1. 𝑎 = 6, 𝑏 = √11, 𝑐 = 5
center: (0,0)
foci: (±5,0)
vertices: (±6, 0)
co-vertices: G0, ±√11H

Math 5 | Page 5 of 6
 major axis: 12 units
minor axis: 2√11 units

#!
2. )!
+ 𝑦 " = 1, 𝑎 = 9, 𝑏 = 1, 𝑐 = 4√5

center: (0,0)
foci: G±4√5, 0H
vertices: (±9, 0)
co-vertices: (0, ±1)
major axis: 18 units
minor axis: 2 units
a
TA – time allocation suggested by the teacher
b
ATA – actual time allocation spent by the student (for the evaluation of learning guide purposes)

References
Leithold, L. (1995) The Calculus 7. HarperCollins College Division
Stewart, J. (2016) Calculus: Early Transcendentals. Cengage Learning

Prepared by: Angela Faith B. Daguman Reviewed by: Clifford Jed A. De Leon
Position: Special Science Teacher (SST) IV Position: Special Science Teacher (SST) III
Campus: PSHS-MC Campus: PSHS-CARC

Math 5 | Page 6 of 6