

Last Updated: October 11, 2005

 Ellipse
The set of all co-planar points whose sum
of the distances from two fixed points (foci)
are constant.


Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Ellipse
The set of all points whose sum of the
distances from two fixed points (foci) are
constant.


Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Ellipse
Definition of major and minor axis



Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Ellipse



Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Ellipse
Definition of vertices
and co-vertices



endpoint of
major axis

endpoint of
minor axis
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Ellipse



a2 = b2 + c2
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Ellipse
( x  h) 2 ( y  k)2
2
 2
1
a b



a2 = b2 + c2
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Ellipse

( x  h)2
( y  k)
2

2
 2
1
b a


a2 = b2 + c2

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Ellipse
( x  h) ( y  k)
2 2
The Latus Rectum
2
 2
1 (LR) is a chord
a b
passing through the
focus that is

perpendicular to the
major axis.

2
The length 2b
of the L.R. is
a
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  2) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
25 9
Center: (2, -3)
a = 5 in x direction
b = 3 in y direction


Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  2) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
25 9
a=5 b=3 a2 = b 2 + c 2
52 = 3 2 + c 2
25 = 9 + c2

16 = c2
4=c

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  2) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
25 9 2b 2
LR 
a=5 b=3 c=4 a
2 3
2
Find the Length of the LR. LR 

5
18
LR 
5

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  2) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
25 9
Center: (2, -3)
Major Axis: length = 10 endpoints (-3, -3) & (7, -3)
Minor Axis: length = 6 endpoints (2, 0) & (2, -6)
Foci: (-2, -3) (6, -3) 

Length of LR: 18
5

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( y  5) 2
 1
16 49
x+1=0 y-5=0
x = -1 y=5


Center: (-1, 5)
a = 7 in y direction
b = 4 in x direction

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( y  5) 2
 1
16 49
a=7 b=4 a2 = b 2 + c 2
72 = 4 2 + c 2
49 = 16 + c2

33 = c2
(1, 5  33 ) 33  c
33

33
(1, 5  33 )

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( y  5) 2
 1 Find the
16 49
Length of
a=7 b=4 c= 33
the LR.


2b 2
LR 
a
2 4 
2
LR 
7
32
LR 
7
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( y  5) 2
 1
16 49
Center: (-1, 5)

Major Axis: length = 14


endpoints (-1, -2) & (1, 12)
(1, 5  33 )
Minor Axis: length = 8
endpoints (-5, 5) & (3, 5)

Foci: ( 1, 5  33 )
(1, 5  33 ) 32
Length of LR:
7
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Graph the following Ellipse
4x2 + 8x + 9y2 + 54y + 52 = 3
(4x2 + 8x ) + (9y2 + 54y ) = 3 - 52
4(x2 + 2x + 12) + 9(y2 + 6y + 32) = -49 + 4 + 81
4(x + 1)2 + 9(y + 3)2 = 36


4( x  1) 2 9( y  3) 2
 1
36 36

( x  1) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
9 4
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
9 4
Center: (-1, -3)
a = 3 in x direction
b = 2 in y direction


Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
9 4
a=3 b=2 a2 = b 2 + c 2
32 = 2 2 + c 2
9 = 4 + c2
 5 = c2
5  c

(1  5 ,  3) (1  5 ,  3)

5 5

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
9 4
a=3 b=2 c= 5 2b 2
LR 
a
Find the Length of the LR. 2 2 
2

LR 
3
8
LR 
3

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
9 4
Center: (-1, -3)
Major Axis: length = 6 endpoints (-4, -3) & (2, -3)
Minor Axis: length = 4 endpoints (-1, -1) & (-1, -5)
Foci: ( 1  5 ,  3) 

8
Length of LR:
3
(1  5 ,  3) (1  5 ,  3)

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
9x2 + 36x + 4y2 - 40y - 100 = 88
(9x2 + 36x ) + (4y2 - 40y ) = 88 + 100
9(x2 + 4x + 22) + 4(y2 - 10y + (-5)2) = 188 + 36 + 100
9(x + 2)2 + 4(y - 5)2 = 324


9( x  2) 2 4( y  5) 2
 1
324 324
( x  2) 2 ( y  5) 2
 1
36 81
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  2) 2 ( y  5) 2
 1
36 81
Center: (-2, 5)
a = 9 in y direction
b = 6 in x direction


Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  2) 2 ( y  5) 2
 1
36 81
a=9 b=6 a2 = b 2 + c 2
92 = 6 2 + c 2
81 = 36 + c2
(2, 5  3 5 )
 45 = c2
3 5  c
3 5

3 5

(2, 5  3 5 )
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  2) 2 ( y  5) 2
 1 Find the
36 81
Length of
a=9 b=6 c= 3 5 the LR.


2b 2
LR 
a
2 6 
2
LR 
9
LR  8

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  2) 2 ( y  5) 2
 1
36 81

Center: (-2, 5)

 Major Axis: length = 18

(2, 5  3 5 ) endpoints (-2, 14) & (-2, -4)

Minor Axis: length = 12

endpoints (-8, 5) & (4, 5)
Foci: (2, 5  3 5 )
(2, 5  3 5 )
Length of LR: 8
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Graph the following Ellipse
4x2 - 32x + 25y2 - 150y + 189 = 0
(4x2 – 8x ) + (25y2 - 150y ) = 0 - 189
4(x2 - 8x + (-4)2) + 25(y2 - 6y + (-3)2) = -189 + 64 + 225
4(x - 4)2 + 25(y - 3)2 = 100


4( x  4) 2 25( y  3) 2
 1
100 100

( x  4) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
25 4
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  4) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
25 4
Center: (4, 3)
a = 5 in x direction
b = 2 in y direction


Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  4) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
25 4
a=5 b=2 a2 = b2 + c2
52 = 22 + c2
25 = 4 + c2
 21 = c2
21  c

(4  21, 3) (4  21, 3)

5 5

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  4) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
25 4 2b 2
a=5 b=2 c= 21 LR 
a
2 2 
2
Find the Length of the LR. LR 

5
8
LR 
5

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  4) 2 ( y  3) 2
 1
25 4
Center: (4, 3)
Major Axis: length = 10 endpoints (-1, 3) & (9, 3)
Minor Axis: length = 4 endpoints (4, 5) & (4, 1)
Foci: (4  21, 3) 

Length of LR: 8
5
(4  21, 3) (4  21, 3)

5 5

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Graph the following Ellipse
7x2 + 28x + 5y2 - 2y + 15 = 17
(7x2 + 28x ) + (5y2 - 2y ) = 17 - 15
7(x2 + 4x + 22) + 5(y2 - 2y + (-1)2) = 2 + 28 + 5
7(x + 2)2 + 5(y - 1)2 = 35


7 ( x  2) 2 5( y  1) 2
 1
35 35
( x  1) 2 ( x  2) 2
 1
5 7
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( x  2) 2
 1
5 7
Center: (1, -2)
a = 7 in y direction
1,  2  7  b=

5in x direction

7
1  5 , 2  1  5, 2 
5 5
7

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

1,  2  7 
 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( x  2) 2
 1
7 5
a= 7b = 5 a2 = b2 + c2
1,  2  7     
2
7  5 c
2 2

75c 2
1,  2  2 


7 2  c2
2
2  c
1  5 , 2  1  5, 2 
5 5
2
1,  2  2 7
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
1,  2  7 
 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( x  2) 2
 1 Length of
7 5
a 5 b 7 c 2
the LR.

1,  2  7  2b 2
LR 
 a
7
LR 
 
2 7
2

1  5 , 2  1  5, 2  5
5 5
14 5
7 LR 
5
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
1,  2  7 
 Graph the following Ellipse
( x  1) 2 ( x  2) 2
 1
7 5

Center: (1, -2)

1,  2  7 

Major Axis: length = 2 7
endpoints (1,  2  7 )
7
2 Minor Axis: length = 2 5
1  5 , 2  
1 5 ,  2 endpoints (1  5 ,  2)
5 5
2
7 Foci: (1,  2  2 )
Length of LR: 14 5
Jeff Bivin -- LZHS
1,  2  7  5
