GROUP Number:____________ Score:_______________

Directions: Solve the following problems. Write your answer on the space provided for.
____________1. Your town decides to build an arena for rodeos. The arena is to be elliptical, with external dimensions
of 600 feet by 450 feet. Assume that the center of the arena is the origin. Write an equation that models the shape of
the arena.
____________2. A receptionist’s table is designed to be elliptical, with dimensions of 10 feet by 4 feet. Assume that the
center of the table is the origin. Write an equation that models the shape of the arena.
____________3. The orbit of Mercury around the Sun can be modeled by an ellipse, with the Sun at one of the foci. The
Sun is approximately 11.93 million kilometers from the center of the ellipse. At its closest, 45.97 million kilometers from
the Sun. The minimum distance from Mercury to the center of the ellipse is approximately 56.65 million kilometers.
Write an equation for the model.
____________4. An architectural design for the bank president’s office calls for it to be an elliptical – shaped oval office
with a major axis of 40 feet and a minor axis of 30 feet. Write an equation that models the shape of the office.
____________5. The design for the princess palace will include a ballroom with an elliptical shape. The major axis of the
ellipse will be 120 feet long and the minor axis will be 80 feet wide. Write the equation that models the shape of the
ballroom.
____________6. The Oval Office in the White House is an ellipse with the long axis measuring 35.83 feet and the short
axis measuring 29 feet. Assuming the center of the office is the origin, write an equation for the ellipse that can be used
to represent the shape of the Oval Office.
____________7. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago has a whispering gallery. The ellipse has dimensions of
13.5 feet by 40.6 feet. Write an equation that models the shape of the gallery.

GROUP Number:____________ Score:_______________

Directions: Solve the following problems. Write your answer on the space provided for.
____________1. Your town decides to build an arena for rodeos. The arena is to be elliptical, with external dimensions
of 600 feet by 450 feet. Assume that the center of the arena is the origin. Write an equation that models the shape of
the arena.
____________2. A receptionist’s table is designed to be elliptical, with dimensions of 10 feet by 4 feet. Assume that the
center of the table is the origin. Write an equation that models the shape of the arena.
____________3. The orbit of Mercury around the Sun can be modeled by an ellipse, with the Sun at one of the foci. The
Sun is approximately 11.93 million kilometers from the center of the ellipse. At its closest, 45.97 million kilometers from
the Sun. The minimum distance from Mercury to the center of the ellipse is approximately 56.65 million kilometers.
Write an equation for the model.
____________4. An architectural design for the bank president’s office calls for it to be an elliptical – shaped oval office
with a major axis of 40 feet and a minor axis of 30 feet. Write an equation that models the shape of the office.
____________5. The design for the princess palace will include a ballroom with an elliptical shape. The major axis of the
ellipse will be 120 feet long and the minor axis will be 80 feet wide. Write the equation that models the shape of the
ballroom.
____________6. The Oval Office in the White House is an ellipse with the long axis measuring 35.83 feet and the short
axis measuring 29 feet. Assuming the center of the office is the origin, write an equation for the ellipse that can be used
to represent the shape of the Oval Office.
____________7. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago has a whispering gallery. The ellipse has dimensions of
13.5 feet by 40.6 feet. Write an equation that models the shape of the gallery.