Conic Sections: Ellipses

Properties and Graphical illustrations

Prof. Mostafa Zahri

Analytical Geometry 1440151

Fall 2023-24

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 1 / 18

Table of Contents

The following lectures cover the sections 2.4.1, 2.4.2 and 2.4.3 (according to the syllabus)

1 Conic Section: Ellipses

Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 2 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone
Conic Section: Ellipse as intersection plane-cone

Figure 1

Conic Section: Prof.

EllipseMostafa Zahri plane-cone
as intersection Analytic Geometry 3 / 18
Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

Recall that an Ellipses look similar to circles, but there are a few differences between these
shapes. Ellipses have both an 𝑥-radius and a 𝑦-radius, while circles have only one radius.
Definition 1
If the Length of the major axis is 2ℎ and the Length of the minor axis is 2𝑘, then the
Standard form of the equation of an Ellipse is

(𝑥 − 𝑎) 2 (𝑦 − 𝑏) 2
Horizontal major axis : + = 1,
ℎ2 𝑘2
(𝑥 − 𝑎) 2 (𝑦 − 𝑏) 2
Vertical major axis : + =1
𝑘2 ℎ2

where (𝑎, 𝑏) is the center of the ellipse, and ℎ > 𝑘.

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 4 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

To find the locations of the two foci (plural of focus), you will need to find the focal length
represented as c using the following relationship:

|ℎ2 − 𝑘 2 | = 𝑐2 .

In case ℎ > 𝑘 > 0, the distance between the centre and the focus is 𝑐, where 𝑐2 = ℎ2 − 𝑘 2 .

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 5 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

There are two foci (left and right to the origin).

Co-Vertex (a, b + k) Co-Vertex (a, b + k)

k semi-minor axis

Vertex (a − h, b) Vertex (a, b + h) Vertex (a − h, b) Vertex (a + h, b)

focus√ focus√
c = h2 − k 2 c = h2 − k 2
h semi-major axis
center (a, b)
center (a, b)
Focus Point (a − c, b) Focus Point (a + c, b)

Co-Vertex (a, b − k) Co-Vertex (a, b − k)

Figure 2

Ellipse parameters: 𝑐 2 = ℎ 2 − 𝑘 2 , ℎ > 𝑘 > 0

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 6 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

Vertex (a, b + h) Vertex (a, b + h)

Focus Point (a, b + c)

h2 − k2
h semi-major axis

√
focus c =
k semi-minor axis
center (a, b) center (a, b)

focus c =
Co-Vertex (a − k, b) Co-Vertex (a + k, b) Co-Vertex (a − k, b) Co-Vertex (a + k, b)

√
h2 − k2
Focus Point (a, b − c)
Vertex (a, b − h) Vertex (a, b − h)

Figure 3

Ellipse parameters: 𝑐 2 = 𝑘 2 − ℎ 2 , 𝑘 > ℎ > 0

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 7 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

Assuming that the axes have not been rotated:

If the major axis of the ellipse is parallel to the 𝑥-axis (and, the minor axis is
parallel to the 𝑦-axis), then the endpoints of the major axis are

(𝑎 − ℎ, 𝑏) and (𝑎 + ℎ, 𝑏)

and the endpoints of the minor axis are

(𝑎, 𝑏 − 𝑘) and (𝑎, 𝑏 + 𝑘).

If the major axis of the ellipse is parallel to the 𝑦-axis (and, the minor axis is
parallel to the 𝑥-axis), the endpoint of the minor axis are

(𝑎 − 𝑘, 𝑏) and (𝑎 + 𝑘, 𝑏)

and the endpoints of the major axis are

(𝑎, 𝑏 − ℎ) and (𝑎, 𝑏 + ℎ).

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 8 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

As summary, we have
An ellipse is the collection of points whose sum of distances from two foci is
constant.
The foci in an ellipse are the two points that the ellipse curves around.
The major axis of an ellipse is its longest diameter: a line segment that runs through
the center and both foci, with ends at the widest points of the perimeter.
The semi-major axis is one half of the major axis. It runs from the center, through a
focus, and to the endpoints. It is the longest radius of an ellipse.
The semi-minor axis is the shortest radius of an ellipse.

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 9 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

The Eccentricity is a measure of how oval or how circular the shape is. Ellipses can
have an eccentricity between 0 and 1, where a number close to 0 is extremely circular,
and a number close to 1 is more elongated or flatter. Eccentricity is calculated by
𝑐
𝑒= .
ℎ

1 1 1

0.8 0.8 0.8

0.6 0.6 0.6

0.4 0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2 0.2

0 e = 0.9 0
e = 0.5 0 e = 0.1
-0.2 -0.2 -0.2

-0.4 -0.4 -0.4

-0.6 -0.6 -0.6

-0.8 -0.8 -0.8

-1 -1 -1
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 10 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

Example 1.1
Find the endpoints of the major axis, foci, and eccentricity of the following ellipse:

𝑥 2 𝑦2
+ = 1.
25 16
Solution
The center of this ellipse is at (0, 0).
The semi-major axis is horizontal with ℎ = 5.
The semi-minor axis is vertical with 𝑘 = 4.
This means that the endpoints along the 𝑥-axis are at are at (0 + 5, 0) = (5, 0) and
(0 − 5, 0) = (−5, 0).
This means that the endpoints along the 𝑥-axis are at are at (0, 0 + 4) = (0, 4) and
(0, 0 − 4) = (0, −4).
The focal distance is 𝑐 = 3 since 25 − 16 = 32 = 𝑐2 ,
This means that the foci are at (3, 0) and (−3, 0),
𝑐 3
The eccentricity is 𝑒 = = .
ℎ 5
Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 11 / 18
Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

2 k=4
1

0
(a, b) = (0, 0) h=5
-1

-2

-3

-4

-5
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 12 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

Example 1.2
Find the endpoints of the major axis, foci, and eccentricity of the following ellipse:

(𝑥 − 1) 2 (𝑦 − 2) 2
+ = 1.
9 36
Solution
The center of this ellipse is at (1, 2).
The semi-major axis is vertical with ℎ = 6.
The semi-minor axis is horizontal with 𝑘 = 3.
This means that the endpoints along the 𝑥-axis are at are at (1, 2 + 6) = (1, 8) and
(1, 2 − 6) = (1, −4).
This means that the endpoints along the 𝑥-axis are at are at (1 + 3, 2) = (4, 2) and
(1 − 3, 2) = (−2, 2).
√
The focal distance is 𝑐 = 27 since 36 − 9 = 272 = 𝑐2 ,
This means that the foci are at (1, 2 + 𝑐) and (1, 2 − 𝑐),
√
𝑐 27
The eccentricity is 𝑒 = = .
ℎ 6
Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 13 / 18
Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

h=6
4

2
(a, b) = (1, 2) k=3
0

-2

-4
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 14 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

Example 1.3
Complete the square and find the endpoints of the major axis, foci, and eccentricity of the
following ellipse:
25𝑥 2 − 150𝑥 + 36𝑦2 + 72𝑦 − 639 = 0.

25𝑥 2 − 150𝑥 + 36𝑦 2 + 72𝑦 − 639 = 0

25(𝑥 2 − 6𝑥) + 36(𝑦 2 + 2𝑦) = 639
25(𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 9) + 36(𝑦 2 + 2𝑦 + 1) = 639 + 225 + 36
25(𝑥 − 3) 2 + 36(𝑦 + 1) 2 25 = 900
(𝑥 − 3) 2 36(𝑦 + 1) 2 900
+ =
900 900 900
(𝑥 − 3) 2 (𝑦 + 1) 2
+ = 1.
36 25
Ellipse with center (3, −1) and a horizontal semi-major axis with length 6 and the length of
the semi-minor axis 5.
Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 15 / 18
Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

For the following ellipse, we have

(𝑥 − 3) 2 (𝑦 + 1) 2
+ = 1.
36 25

The center of this ellipse is at (3, −1).

The semi-major axis is horizontal with ℎ = 6.
The semi-minor axis is vertical with 𝑘 = 5.
This means that the endpoints along the 𝑥-axis are at (3 + 6, −1) = (9, −1) and
(3 − 6, −1) = (−3, −1).
This means that the endpoints along the 𝑦-axis are at (3, −1 + 5) = (3, 4) and
(3, −1 − 5) = (3, −6).
√ √ √ 2
The focal distance is 𝑐 = 11 since 36 − 25 = 11 = 𝑐2 ,
√ √
This means that the foci are at (−1 + 11, 0) and (−1 − 11, 0),
√
𝑐 11
The eccentricity is 𝑒 = = .
ℎ 6

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 16 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

1 k=5
0

-1
(a, b) = (3, −1) h=6
-2

-3

-4

-5

-2 0 2 4 6 8

Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 17 / 18

Conic Section: Ellipses
Properties of an ellipse as intersection plane-cone

7. 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 4𝑦 2 + 56𝑦 + 197 = 16.

Find the vertices, foci, and eccentricity
8. 𝑥 2 − 8𝑥 + 9𝑦 2 + 18𝑦 + 25 = 9.
for each of the following ellipses:
9. 9𝑥 2 −36𝑥 +4𝑦 2 +16𝑦 +52 = 36.

( 𝑥−1) 2 (𝑦+3) 2
1. 4 + 16 = 1. Find the equation for each ellipse
( 𝑥+1) 2 (𝑦+2) 2 based on the description:
2. 9 + 4 = 1.
( 𝑥−2) 2 (𝑦−1) 2
3. 16 + 4 = 1.
( 𝑥−7) 2 (𝑦+5) 2 10. An ellipse with vertices
4. 4 + 16 = 1.
(4, −2) and (4, 8) and minor
( 𝑥+1) 2 (𝑦+2) 2
5. 9 + 4 = 1. axis of length 6.
( 𝑥−2) 2 (𝑦−1) 2 11. An ellipse with minor axis
6. 25 + 4 = 1.
from (4, −1) to (4, 3) and
major axis of length 12.
Write the following ellipses in the
12. An ellipse with minor axis
standard form:
from (−2, 1) to (−2, 7) and
one focus at(2, 4).
Prof. Mostafa Zahri Analytic Geometry 18 / 18