Intermediate 2nd Year Maths 2B Ellipse Important Questions

Question 1.
Find the value of k if 4x + y + k = 0 is a tangent to the ellipse x 2 + 3y2 = 3. [AP Mar. 16, 15]
Solution:
Equation of the ellipse is
x2 + 3y2 = 3
x23 + y21 = 1
a2 =, 3, b2 = 1
Equation of the line is 4x + y + k = 0
y = -4x – k .
m = -4c = -k.
Condition for tangency is c2 = a2m2 + b2
(-k)2 = 3 (4)2 + 1 ,
k2 = 48 + 1 = 49
k = ±7.

Question 2.
Find the equation of tangents to the ellipse 2x 2 + y2 = 8 which are
i) Parallel to x – 2y – 4 = 0 [May. 05, Mar. 06] [T.S. Mar. 17]
Solution:
Slope will be : 12
Equation of tangent y = mx ± a2m2+b2−−−−−−−−√
y = 12x ± a2(12)2+b2−−−−−−−−−−√

x24 + y28 = 1
y = 12x ± 4×14+8−−−−−−−−√

y = 12x ± 3
2y – x ± 6 = 0 required equation of tangents.
x – 2y ± 6 = 0.
Question 3.
Find the equation of the ellipse in the standard form whose distance between foci is 2 and the length of latus rectum
is 12. [T.S. Mar. 15]
Solution:
Latus rectum = 152
distance between foci = 2
2b2a = 152 ; 2ae = 2
ae = 1
⇒ b2 = a2 – a2 e2
⇒ b2 = a2 – 1
⇒ 154a = a2 – 1 .
⇒ 4a2 – 15a – 4 = 0
a = 4 or a = –14
b2 = a2 – 1
= 16 – 1
Equation of the ellipse is x216 + y215 = 1

Question 4.
Find the equation of the ellipse in the standard form such that distance between foci is 8 and distance between
directrices is 32. [Mar. 06, May. 07]
Solution:
Distance between foci = 8.
Distance between directrices = 32
2ae = 8
ae = 4
2ae = 32
ae = 16
(ae) (ae) = 64
a2 = 64
b2 = a2 – a2 e2
= 64 – 16 = 48
Equation of the ellipse is
∴ x264 + y248 = 1
Question 5.
Find the condition for the line x cos α + y sin α = p to be a tangent to the ellipse x2a2 + y2b2 = 1. [Mar. 14]
Solution:
Equation of the ellipse is

Question 6.
Find the equation of the ellipse with focus at (1, -1) e = 23 and directrix as x + y + 2 = 0. [Mar. 05] [T.S. Mar. 19]
Solution:
P(x1, y1) is any point on the ellipse. Equation of the directrix is
x+y+2=0
Draw PM perpendicular to ZM, Join SP
By Definition of ellipse SP = e. PM
SP2 = e2 . PM2
(x1 – 1)2 + (y1 + 1)2 (23)2[latex]\frac{x_{1}+y_{1}+2}{\sqrt{1+1}}[/latex] 2
(x1 – 1)2 + (y1+ 1)2 = 49(x1+y1+2)22
9[(x1 – 1)2 + (y1 + 1)2] = 2 (x1 + y1 + 2]2
9[x12 – 2x1 + 1 + y12 + 2y1 + 1] = 2[x12 + y12 + 4 + 2x1y1 + 4x1 + 4y1]
9x12 + 9y12 – 18x1 + 18y1 + 18 = 2x12 + 2y12 + 4x1y1 + 8x1 + 8y1 + 8
7x12 – 4x1y1 + 7y12 – 26x1 + 10y1 + 10 = 0
focus of P (x1, y1) is 7x2 – 4xy + 7y2 – 26x + 10y + 10 = 0
This is the equation of the required Ellipse.
Question 7.
L Find tle length of major axis, minor axis, latus rectum, eccentricity, co-ordinates of centre, foci and the equations of
directrices of the following ellipse. [TS Mar. 16; Mar. 14]
i) 9x2 + 16y2 = 144
ii) 4x2 + y2 – 8x + 2y + 1 = 0
iii) x2 + 2y2 – 4x + 12y + 14 = 0 [Mar. 11, May 07]
Solution:
Given equation is 9x2 + 16y2 = 144
x216 + y29 = 1
∴ a = 4, b = 3
Length of major axis = 2a = 2 . 4 = 8
Length of minor axis = 2b = 2 . 3 = 6
Length of latus rectum = 2b2a = 2.94 = 92
Eccentricity = a2−b2a2−−−−√=16−916−−−−√=7√4

Centre is C (0, 0)
Foci are (± ae, 0) = ( ± 7–√, 0)
Equations of the directrices are x = ± ae
x = ± 4 . 47√ = ± 167√
7–√x = ± 16
(ii) Given equation is 4x2 + y2 – 8x + 2y + 1 = 0
4(x2 – 2x) + (y2 + 2y) = – 1
4(x – 1)2 + (y + 1)2 = 4 + 1 – 1 = 4
(x−1)21 + (y+1)24 = 1
Hence a < b ⇒ y – axis is major axis
a = 1, b = 2
Length of major axis = 2b = 4
Length of minor axis = 2a = 2
Length of lattis rectum = 2a2b = 22 = 1
Eccentricity = b2−a2b2−−−−√=4−14−−−√=3√2

Centre is C (-1, 1)
be = 2 . 3√2 = 3–√
Foci are (-1, 1 ± 3–√)
Equations of the directrices are y + 1 = ± be
= ± 43√
3–√ y + 3–√ = ± 4
3–√ y + 3–√ ± 4 = 0
iii) Given equation is x2 + 2y2 – 4x + 12y + 14 = 0
x2 – 4x + 2 (y2 + 6y) = 14
⇒ (x2 – 4x + 4) + 2(y2 + 6y + 9) = 4 + 18 – 14
⇒ (x – 2)2 + 2(y + 3)2 = 8
⇒ (x−2)28 + (y+3)24 = 1
⇒ (x−2)2(22√)2 + (y+3)222 = 1
a = 22–√, b = 2, h = 2, k = -3
Length of major axis = 2a = 2(2 2–√) = 4 2–√
Length of minor axis = 2b = 2(2) = 4
Length of latus rectum
= 2 b2a = 2(4)22√ = 22–√
Eccentricity = 1−b2a2−−−−−√=1−48−−−−−√=12√

Centre = (h, k) = (2,-3)

Foci = (h ± ae, k) = (2 ± 2, -3)
= (4, -3), (0, -3)
Equations of the directrices are x – h = ± ae
x – 2 = 22√(12√)
x–2=±4
i.e., x = 6, x = -2.
Question 8.
Find the equations of tangent and normal to the ellipse 2x 2 + 3y2 = 11 at the point whose ordinate is 1. [T.S. Mar. 16]
Solution:
Equation of the ellipse is 2x2 + 3y2 = 11
Given y = 1
2x2 + 3 = 11
⇒ 2x2 = 8
x2 = 4
x = ±2
Points on the ellipse are P (2, 1) and Q(-2, 1)
Case i) P (2, 1)
Equation of the tangent is 2x . 2 + 3y . 1 = 11
4x + 3y = 11
The normal is perpendicular to the tangent Equation of the normal at P can be taken as
3x – 4y = k
The normal passes through p (2, 1)
6–4=k⇒k=2
Equation of the normal at P is 3x – 4y = 2.
Case ii) Q (-2, 1)
Equation of the tangent at Q is
2x(-2) + 3y . 1 = 11
-4x + 3y =1 1
4x – 3y + 11 = 0
Equation of the normal can be taken as
3x + 4y = k
The normal passes through Q (-2, 1)
-6 + 4 = k ⇒ k = -2
Equation of the normal at Q is 3x + 4y = -2
or 3x + 4y + 2 = 0.

Question 9.
Find the eccentricity, co-ordinates of foci. Length of latus rectum and equations of directrices of the following ellipses.
i) 9x2 + 16y2 – 36x + 32y – 92 = 0,
ii) 3x2 + y2 – 6x – 2y – 5 = 0 [T.S. Mar. 15]
Solution:
i) Given ellipse is
9x2 + 16y2 – 36x + 32y – 92 = 0
9(x2 – 4x + 4) + 16 (y2 + 2y + 1)
= 92 + 36 + 16
9(x – 2)2 + 16(y + 1)2 = 144
comparing with (x−2)216 + (y+1)29 = 1,
we get
a2 = 16, b2 = 9 ⇒ a = 4, b = 3.
Equations of the directrices are x = h ± ae
x = 2 ± 4×47√
7x−−√ = 27–√ ± 16

ii) 3x2 + y2 – 6x – 2y – 5 = 0
Solution:
3(x2 – 2x) + (y2 – 2y) = 5
⇒ 3(x2 – 2x + 1) + (y2 – 2y + 1) = 9
⇒ 3(x – 1)2 + (y – 1)2 = 9
comparing with ⇒ (x−1)23 + (y−1)29 = 1,
we get
a < b ⇒ Y – axis is the major axis
a2 = 3, b2 = 9
a = 3–√, b = 3, h = 1, k = 1
Length of major axis = 2b = 2(3) = 6
Length of minor axis = 2a = 23–√

Question 10.
Find the equation of the tangent and normal to the ellipse 9x 2 + 16y2 = 144 at the end of the latus rectum in the first
quadrant. [A.P. Mar. 15, Mar. 07]
Solution:
Given ellipse is 9x2 + 16y2 = 144
Equation of the normal at P is

Question 11.
Show that the points of intersection of the perpendicular tangents to an ellipse lie on a circle. [A.P. Mar. 16]
Solution:
Let the equation of the ellipse x2a2 + y2b2 = 1
(a > b). Any tangent to it in the slope-intercept form is y = mx ± a2m2+b2−−−−−−−−√ …………………. (1)
Let the perpendicular tangents intersect at P(x 1, y1).
∴ P lies on (1) for some real m, i.e.,
y1 = mx1 ± a2m2+b2−−−−−−−−√
∴ (y1 – mx1)2 = a2m2 + b2.
or .
(x12 – a2) m2 – 2x1y1m + (y12 – b2) = 0 being a
quadratic equation in ‘m’ has two roots say m 1 and m2 then m1, m2 are the slopes of tangents from P to the ellipse
∴ m1m2 = (y21−b2x21−a2)
∴ -1 = (y21−b2x21−a2)

[∵ The tangents are perpendicular to each

other so that m1m2 = -1]
i.e., x12 + y12 = a2 + b2,
If, however, one of the perpendicular tangents is vertical, then such pair of perpendicular tangents intersect at one of the
points (± a, ± b) and any of these points satisfies x 2 + y2 = a2 + b2.
∴ The point of intersection of perpendicular tangents to the ellipse S = O lies on the circle x 2 + y2 = a2 + b2.