Ellipse

Non-degenerate
Conic
Given the eccentricity e
Q of a conic section, the
P
conic is
Q2 P2
parabola if e = 1;
Q1 P1
ellipse if 0 < e < 1;
focus
vertex F
hyperbola if e > 1.

directrix
principal axis
 Ellipse
Objectives: At the end of this section
students should be able to:
• give the standard equation of an ellipse;
• identify parts of an ellipse;
• sketch the graph of an ellipse.
 Ellipse
An ellipse is the set of all
points on the plane, the
sum of whose distances
from two fixed points is a
constant.

The fixed points referred

to are called the foci of
the ellipse.
 Ellipse
P(x,y)

Suppose the foci have

coordinates F1(c,0) and
F2(-c,0), 2a is the constant sum F2(-c,0) F1(c,0)
and if P(x,y) is any
point in the ellipse then

___ ___
PF1  PF2  2a
 Ellipse
P(x,y)

F2(-c,0) F1(c,0)
 x  c  y  x  c  y  2 a
2 2 2 2

 x  c  y  2 a  x  c  y
2 2 2 2
___ ___
PF1  PF2  2a

 x  c   y  4 a  4 a x  c   y  x  c   y
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
 Ellipse
P(x,y)
 a  c  x  a y
2 2 2 2 2

 a a  c 
2 2 2
F2(-c,0) F1(c,0)
(READING ASSIGNMENT!!!)

In the triangle PF1F2 ,

___ ___ _____
PF1  PF2  F1F2
 Ellipse
P(x,y)
 2a  2c
ac
2 2
 a c  0 F2(-c,0) F1(c,0)

2 2 2
Let a c  b .
2 2 2 2 2 2
Then b x a y a b .
2 2
x y
 1
2 2
a b
 More
x y
Parts…
2 2
Consider   1.
2 2
a b
 The x-intercepts of the (0,b)
graph are a and –a.
 The y-intercepts of the (-a,0) (a,0)
graph are b and –b.
(0,-b)
 The principal axis is the
x-axis.
 The points (a,0) and (-a,0)
are the vertices of the
ellipse.
 More Parts…
 The line segment joining
the vertices is called the
major axis of the ellipse. (0,b)
 The line segment joining
the points (0,b) and (0,-b) (-a,0) (a,0)
is called the minor axis of
(0,-b)
the ellipse.
 The intersection of the
major axis and the minor
axis of the ellipse is called
its center.
 Some Remarks…
 Since a2 – c2 = b2 , then a > b. Hence, the
major axis of the ellipse is always longer
than its minor axis.

 Since a > c, then (c/a) < 1. This ratio is the

eccentricity of the ellipse while the
directrices of the ellipse are at the lines
a a2
x  .
e c
 Standard
x y
Equation
2 2
The equation   1, where a  b, (horizontally oriented)
a2 b2
is the standard equation of the ellipse with

 center: (0, 0) (0,b)

 principal axis: x-axis
(-a,0) (a,0)
 vertices: (a,0) and (-a,0) (0,-b)
 foci: (c,0) and (-c,0) with c2 = a2 - b2
 endpoints of the minor axis(covertices): (0,b) and (0,-b)
2
a a
 equations of directrices: x    
e c
 Standard
x y
Equation
2 2
The equation   1, where a  b, (horizontally oriented)
a2 b2
is the standard equation of the ellipse with

(0,b)
F(-c,0) F(c,0)
(-a,0) (0,0) (a,0)

(0,-b)
 Standard
y x
Equation
2 2
The equation   1, where a  b, (vertically oriented)
2 2
a b
is the standard equation of the ellipse with
(0,a)
 center: (0, 0)
 principal axis: y-axis
(-b,0) (b,0)
 vertices: (0,a) and (0, -a)
 foci: (0, c) and (0, -c) with c2 = a2 - b2
c  a 2  b2
 endpoints of the minor axis: (b, 0) and (-b, 0)
2 (0,-a)
a a
 equations of directrices: y    
e c
 Standard
y x
Equation
2 2
The equation   1, where a  b, (vertically oriented)
a2 b2
is the standard equation of the ellipse with
(0,a)

(-b,0) (b,0)

(0,-a)
Example 1. Given the ellipse with equation
2 2
x2 2
y x y
 1  1
2 2
9 4 a b
determine the principal axis,
vertices, endpoints of the minor axis, lengths of
the major and minor axes, foci, eccentricity and
equations of directrices. Draw also a sketch of
the ellipse.
 x2 y2 SOLUTION
 1 Y
9 4
2 2
x y
 1
a2 b2
a3 b2 0,2
c  a2  b2
c  94  5
 3,0 3,0
 center: (0,0)
C
 principal axis: x-axis

 vertices: (a,0) and (-a,0)

(3,0) and (-3,0) 0,2

 endpoints of minor
axis: (0,b) and (0,-b)
(0,2) and (0,-2)
SOLUTION
x2 y2
 1
9 4
9 9
x 0,2 x
5
5
 foci: (c,0) and (-c,0)
 5 ,0 
 eccentricity: 5  3,0  5 ,0   5 ,0  3,0
3

 equation of the
directrices:
9
x
5 0,2
a a2
x 
e c
Example 2. Given the ellipse with equation
y2 x2
2 2
x y
 1  1
4 16 2 2
a b
determine the principal axis, vertices,
endpoints of the minor axis, lengths of the major
and minor axes, foci, eccentricity and equations
of directrices. Draw also a sketch of the ellipse.
SOLUTION y2 x2
 1
x2 y2 2 2
 1
a b
4 16 0 ,4 

a4 b2
c a 2  b2
c  16  4  12

2 3  2 ,0  2 ,0 
 center: (0,0)
C
 principal axis: y-axis

 vertices:(0,a) and (0,-a)

(0,4) and (0,-4)
 endpoints of 0 ,4 
minor axis:
(b,0) and (-b,0)
(2,0) and (-2,0)
SOLUTION
x2 y2
 1
4 16
0 ,4 
0 ,2 3 
 foci: (0,c) and (0,-c)
0 ,2 3 
c 3
 2 ,0  2 ,0 
 eccentricity: 
a 2 C

 equation of the
directrices:
a2
16 8
0 ,2 3 
y   0 ,4 
c 2 3 3
Practice 3. Determine the standard equation of
the given ellipse
2 2
25 x  4 y  100
and give the properties as done in the
previous examples.

SOLUTION
25 x 2  4 y 2  100 is equivalent to
2 2
x y 2 2
25 x  4 y  100
  1.
4 25
x2 y2
  1.
4 25