( ELLIPSE ) CONCEPTUAL QUESTION

Single Correct Choice

1. If A and B are two fixed points and P is a variable point such that PA + PB = 4, the locus of P is
(A) a parabola (B) an ellipse
(C) a hyperbola (D) a circle
x2 y2
2. The equation   1 represents an ellipse, if
10  a 4  a
(A) a < 4 (B) a > 4
(C) 4 < a < 10 (D) a > 10

x 2 y2
3. The distance of the point  on the ellipse 2  2  1 from a focus is
a b
(A) a(e  cos ) (B) a(e  cos )
(C) a(1 ecos ) (D) a(1  2ecos )

4. The latus rectum of the ellipse 5x2 + 9y2 = 45 is

(A) 5/3 (B) 10/3
2 5 5
(C) (D)
3 3

5. The curve represented by x = 3 (cos t + sin t), y = 4(cos t – sin t) is

(A) ellipse (B) parabola
(C) hyperbola (D) circle

x 2 y2
6. Number of tangents from (7, 6) to the ellipse   1 is
16 25
(A) 0 (B) 1
(C) 2 (D) 3

x 2 y2
7. The number of maximum normals that can be drawn from any point to an ellipse   1 , is
a 2 b2
(A) 1 (B) 2
(C) 3 (D) 4

x 2 y2 x 2 y2
8. If e eccentricity of ellipse   1 and e ' is eccentricity of   1 , then
a 2 b2 b2 a 2
(A) e  e ' (B) ee '  1
1 1
(C) e2  (e') 2  1 (D) e ' = 1
 SINGLE CORRECT CHOICE
LEVEL - 1
Elementary Concept

1. The equation 2x2 + 3y2 = 30 represents

(A) A circle (B) An ellipse (C) A hyperbola (D) A parabola

x2 y2
2. The equation   1  0 represents an ellipse, if
2r r 5

 7 7 
(A) r > 2 (B) r   2,  U  ,5  (C) r > 5 (D) r < 2
 2 2 
3. The set of real values of k for which the equation (k + 1)x2 + 2(k – 1)xy + y2 – x + 2y + 3 = 0 represents
on ellipse is
(A) (0, 3) (B) ( , 0) (C) (3,  ) (D) ( , )

x 2 y2
4. The length of the latus rectum of the ellipse   1 is
36 49
98 72 72 98
(A) (B) (C) (D)
6 7 14 12
5. The eccentricity of an ellipse, with its centre at the origin, is 1/2. If one of the directrices is
x = 4, then the equation of the ellipse is
(A) 4x2 + 3y2 = 1 (B) 3x2 + 4y2 = 12 (C) 4x2 + 3y2 = 12 (D) 3x2 + 4y2 = 1

6. The co-ordinates of the foci of the ellipse 3x2 + 4y2 – 12x – 8y + 4 = 0 are
(A) (1, 2), (3, 4) (B) (1, 4), (3, 1) (C) (1, 1), (3, 1) (D) (2, 3), (5, 4)

(3x  4y  7) 2
7. The length of major axis of the ellipse (5x – 10)2 + (5y + 15)2 = is
4
(A) 10 (B) 20/3 (C) 20/7 (D) 4
8. The line 3x + 5y = k touches the ellipse 16x2 + 25y2 = 400 if k is
(A)  5 (B)  15 (C)  25 (D) ±5
9. An ellipse has its centre at (1, –1) and semi-major axis = 8, which passes through the point (1, 3).
If the major axes is parallel to x-axis then the equation of ellipse is

(x  1)2 (y  1) 2 (x  1)2 (y  1)2

(A)  1 (B)  1
64 16 64 16

(x  1)2 (y  1)2 (x  1)2 (y  1)2

(C)  1 (D)  1
16 64 64 16
10. The equation of an ellipse whose focus is (–1, 1), whose directrix is x – y + 3 = 0 and whose eccentricity
1
is , is given by
2
(A) 7x 2  2xy  7y 2  10x  10y  7  0

(B) 7x 2  2xy  7y 2  10x  10y  7  0

(C) 7x 2  2xy  7y 2  10x  10y  7  0

(D) 7x 2  2xy  7y 2  10x  10y  7  0

Another Definition of Ellipse

11. The sum of focal distances from any point on the ellipse 9x2 + 16y2 = 144 is
(A) 32 (B) 18 (C) 16 (D) 8

Eccentricity
12. The length of the semi latus rectum of an ellipse is one third of its major axis. Its eccentricity would be

2 2 1 1
(A) (B) (C) (D)
3 3 3 2
13. The eccentricity of the conic x2 – 4x + 4y2 = 12 is

3 2 3
(A) (B) (C) 3 (D)
2 3 4

14. If the angle between the lines joining the end points of minor axis of an ellipse with its foci is , then the
2
eccentricity of the ellipse is

1 1 3 1
(A) (B) (C) (D)
2 2 2 2 2

x 2 y2
15. For the ellipse   1, the eccentricity is
64 28

3 4 2 1
(A) (B) (C) (D)
4 3 7 3
16. An ellipse having foci at (3, 1) and (1, 1) passes through the point (1, 3). Its eccentricity is
1 1
(A) 2 1 (B) 3 1 (C) ( 2  1) (D) ( 3  1)
2 2
17. The eccentricity of the ellipse 25x2 + 16y2 – 15x – 175 = 0, is
Tangents

x2 y2
18. The straight line x + y = c will be tangent to the ellipse   1,c 
9 16
(A) ± 4 (B) ± 6 (C) ± 5 (D) ± 3

x 2 y2
19. The line x cos  + y sin  = p will be tangent to the conic   1 if
a 2 b2
(A) p2 = a2 sin2  + b2cos2  (B) p2 = a2 + b2
(C) p2 = b2 sin2  + a2cos2  (D) p2 = a2 – b2

20. If the line 3x + 4y = - 7 touches the ellipse 3x2 + 4y2 = 1 then, the point of contact is

 1 1   1 1   1 1   7 1 
(A)  ,  (B)  ,  (C)   , (D)  , 
 7  3 3
  3 3
7  7 7

x 2 y2
21. Tangent drawn to the ellipse  1 at point ‘P’ meets the coordinate axes at points A and B
a 2 b2
respectively. Locus of mid-point of segment AB is

x 2 y2 a 2 b2 a 2 b2 x 2 y2
(A) 2  2  2 (B)  2 (C) 2  2  4 (D) 2  2  4
a b x 2 y2 x y a b
22. The point of contact of the line 3x + 2y = 8 with 3x2 + 4y2 = 16 is
(A) (–3, 4) (B) (2, 1) (C) (5, 4) (D) (2, 0)

Director Circle

x2 y2
23. The point of intersection of two perpendicular tangents to   1 lies on
a2 b2

x2 y2
(A) x2 + y2 = a2 + b2 (B) x2 + y2 = b2 (C) x2 + y2 = a2 (D)  1
a 2 b2

x 2 y2
24. The locus of the point of intersection of the perpendicular tangents to the ellipse   1 is
9 4
(A) x2 + y2 = 9 (B) x2 + y2 = 4 (C) x2 + y2 = 13 (D) x2 + y2 = 5

x2 y2
25. If the tangents from the point ( ,3) to the ellipse   1 are at right angles then  is
9 4
(A) ± 1 (B) ± 3 (C) ± 2 (D) ± 4
 LEVEL - 2
Elementary Concept

x 2 y2
26. The centre of an ellipse   1 (a > b) is C, P is any point on the ellipse and PN is ordinate of point
a 2 b2
PN 2
P and A, A’ are the end points of major axis, then the value of is
AN.A ' N
(A) b2 /a 2 (B) a2 /b2 (C) a2 + b2 (D) 1

x 2 y2
27. The distance between the directrices of the ellipse   1 is
4 9

9 24 18 12
(A) (B) (C) (D)
5 5 5 5
28. The foci of an ellipse, are (0, ± 4) and the equations for the directrix are y = ±9. The equation for the
ellipse is
(A) 5x2 + 9y2 = 4 (B) 2x2 + 6y2 = 28
(C) 6x2 + 3y2 = 45 (D) 9x2 + 5y2 = 180

x 2 y2
29. The latus rectum of the conic section   1, whose eccentricity = e, (a > b) is
a 2 b2

2a 2 2b
(A) (B) (C) 2a(1 – e2) (D) 2b(1 – e2)
b a2

30. Find the equation of the ellipse, with major axis along the x-axis and passing through the points
(4, 3) and (–1, 4).
(A) 15x2 + 7y2 = 247 (B) 7x 2  15y 2  247

(C) 7x2 + 15y2 = 247 (D) 7x 2  15y 2  247

2
31.
2
The equation  5x  1   5y  2 
2
 
  2  2  1  3x  4y  1 represents an ellipse if  
(A) (0, 1) (B) (0, 2) (C) (1, 2) (D) (-1, 0)
Another Definitioin of Ellipse

x 2 y2 
32. A point P on the ellipse   1 has the eccentric angle .
25 9 8
The sum of the distances of P from the two foci is
(A) 5 (B) 6
(C) 10 (D) 3
Eccentricity
x y
33. The eccentricity of the ellipse which meets the straight line   1 on the axis of x and the straight
7 2
x y
line   1 on the axis of y and whose axes lie along the axes of coordinates is
3 5

2 6 3 2 6 4 2
(A) (B) (C) (D)
7 7 7 7

x2 y2 x2 y2 a
34. If the eccentricity of the two ellipses   1 and 2  2  1, (a > b) are equal, then 
169 25 a b b
(A) 5/13 (B) 6/13 (C) 13/5 (D) 13/6

x 2 y2
35. The normal drawn to the ellipse  1 at the extremity of the latus rectum passes through the
a 2 b2
extremity of the minor axis. Eccentricity of this ellipse is equal to

5 1 5 1 3 1 3 1
(A) (B) (C) (D)
2 2 2 2

Eccentric Angle

x 2 y2
36. If  3 bx + ay = 2ab touches the ellipse 2  2 = 1, then eccentric angle of the point of contact is
a b
   
(A) (B) (C) (D)
6 4 3 2

x2 y 2
37. The points P,Q & R are taken on the ellipse   1 with eccentric angles  ,    ,   2 ,
a2 b2
then. The area of  P Q R is independent of
(A)  (B) 
(C)  &  both (D) given data is insufficient
Tangents

x 2 y2
38. If a tangent of slope m at a point of the ellipse   1 passes through (2a, 0) and if ‘e’ denotes the
a 2 b2
eccentricity of the ellipse, then
(A) m2+ e2 = 1 (B) 2m2 + e2 = 1
(C) 3m2 + e2 = 1 (D) m2 + e2 – 2 = 0
39. The equations of the tangents of the ellipse 9x2 + 16y2 = 144 which passes through the point
(2, 3) is
(A) y = 3, x + y = 5 (B) y = –3, x – y = 5
(C) y = 4, x + y = 3 (D) x = –4, x – y = 3

40. The number of real tangents that can be drawn to the ellipses
3x2 + 5y2 = 32 and 25x2 + 9y2 = 450, passing through (3, 5), is
(A) 0 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4

41. If the tangent to the ellipse x2 + 4y2 = 16 at the point  is a normal to the circle x 2  y 2  8x  4y  0
then  is equal to

   
(A) (B) (C) (D) 
2 4 3 4

42. The equation of the tangents drawn at the ends of the major axis of the ellipse
9x2 + 5y2 – 30y = 0, are
(A) y = ± 3 (B) x   5 (C) y = 0, y = 6 (D) x = ±3

x 2 y2
43. Tangents PA and PB are drawn to the ellipse   1 from the point P(0, 5). Area of triangle PAB
16 9
is equal to
16 256
(A) sq. units (B) sq. units
5 25
32 1024
(C) sq. units (D) sq. units
5 25
x2 y2
44. A tangent to the ellipse   1 intersects the tangent at the end of the major axis at the points P and
9 4
Q. If the circle on PQ as diameter passes through R, then R may be
(A) (0, 5) (B) ( 5, 0) (C) (3, 2) (D) (0, 0)

Locus

45. With a given point and line as focus and directrix, a series of ellipses are described. The locus of the
extremities of their minor axes is
(A) an ellipse (B) a hyperbola
(C) a pair of straight lines (D) a parabola
Normals

x 2 y2
46. The line 5x – 3y = 8 2 is a normal to the ellipse  1 . If ‘  ’ be the eccentric angle of the foot
25 9
of this normal, then ‘  ’ is equal to

   
(A) (B) (C) (D)
6 3 4 2

47. The equation of normal at the point (0, 3) of the ellipse 9x2 + 5y2 = 45 is
(A) y – 3 = 0 (B) y + 3 = 0 (C) x-axis (D) y-axis

Chords

48. Tangents are drawn from the points on the line x–y–5 = 0 to x2 + 4y2 = 4. Then all the chords of contact
pass through a fixed point, whose coordinates are

4 1 1 4 4 1  4 1
(A)  ,   (B)  ,   (C)  ,  (D)   , 
5 5 5 5 5 5  5 5

x 2 y2
49. The locus of the mid-points of the chords of the ellipse 2  2  1 , which pass through the positive end
a b
of major axis, is

x 2 y2 x x 2 y2 y
(A)   (B)  
a 2 b2 a a 2 b2 b

x 2 y2 x y x 2 y2 x y
(C) 2  2   (D) 2  2  
a b a b a b a b

x 2 y2
50. AOB is the positive quadrant of the ellipse   1 where OA = a, OB = b then area between the
a 2 b2
arc AB and chord AB of the ellipse is
ab(  2) ab(   2)
(A) p ab (B) ( p – 2)ab (C) (D)
4 4
 PREVIOUS YEAR IIT-JEE QUESTIONS

SINGLE CORRECT CHOICE

x 2 y2
1. Let E be the ellipse   1 and C be the circle x2 + y2 = 9. Let P and Q be the points (1, 2) and (2,
9 4
1) respectively. Then [1994]
(A) Q lies inside C but outside E (B) Q lies outside both C and E
(C) P lies inside both C and E (D) P Lies inside C but outside E
2. The locus of a variable point whose distance from (–2,0) is 2/3 times its distance from the line
x = –9/2 is [1994]
(A) an ellipse (B) a parabola (C) a hyperbola (D) circle

x 2 y2
3. The radius of the circle passing through the foci of the ellipse   1 and having its centre at (0, 3)
16 9
is [1995]

(A) 4 (B) 3 (C) 12 (D) 7/2

x2
4. The number of values of c such that straight line y = 4x+c touches the curve  y 2  1 is
4
[1998]
(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) infinite
5. If P = (x, y), F1 = (3, 0), F2 = (–3, 0) and 16x2 +25y2 = 400, then PF1 + PF2 equals [1998]
(A) 8 (B) 6 (C) 10 (D) 12
6. The area of the quadrilateral formed by the tangents at the end points of latus rectum of the ellipse
x 2 y2
  1 , is [2003]
9 5
(A) (27/4) sq. units (B) 9 sq. units (C) (27/2) sq. units (D) 27 sq. units

x2
7. Locus of the mid-points of the segments which are tangents to the ellipse  y 2  1 and which are
2
intercepted between the coordinate axes is [2004]

x 2 y2 x 2 y2
(A)  1 (B)  1
2 4 4 2

1 1 1 1
(C) 3x 2  4y2  1 (D) 2x 2  4y 2  1
 x 2 y2
8. A triangle is formed by a tangent to the ellipse   1 and the coordinaes axes. The area of the
a 2 b2
triangle cannot be less than [2005]

1 2 1 2
(A)    a  b  sq.units (B)    a  ab  b  sq.units
2 2

 2 3

1
(C)    a  b  sq.units
2
(D) ab sq. units
2
 

9. The line passing through the extremity A of the major axis and extremity B of the minor axis of the ellipse
x2 + 9y2 = 9, meets its auxiliary circle at the point M. Then the area of the triangle with vertices at A, M
and the origin O is [2009]
(A) 31/10 (B) 29/10 (C) 21/10 (D) 27/10

10. The normal at a point P on the ellipse x2 + 4y2 = 16 meets the x-axis at Q. If M is the mid point of the line
segment PQ, then the locus of M intersects the latus rectums of the given ellipse at the points
[2009]

 3 5 2  3 5 19 
(A)   2 ,  7  (B)   2 ,  4 
   

 1  4 3
(C)  2 3,   (D)  2 3,  7 
 7  
 ANSWER KEY

CONCEPTUAL QUESTIONS
1. (B) 2. (A) 3. (C) 4. (B) 5. (A)
6. (C) 7. (D) 8.

SINGLE CORRECT CHOICE

LEVEL-1
1. (B) 2. (B) 3. (A) 4. (B) 5. (B)
6. (C) 7. (B) 8. (C) 9. (B) 10. (A)
11. (D) 12. (C) 13. (A) 14. (B) 15. (A)
16. (A) 17. (A) 18. (C) 19. (C) 20. (C)
21. (C) 22. (B) 23. (A) 24. (C) 25. (C)

LEVEL-2
26. (A) 27. (C) 28. (D) 29. (C) 30. (C)
31. (B) 32. (C) 33. (A) 34. (C) 35. (A)
36. (A) 37. (A) 38. (C) 39. (A) 40. (C)
41. (A) 42. (C) 43. (B) 44. (B) 45. (D)
46. (C) 47. (D) 48. (A) 49. (A) 50. (C)

PREVIOUS YEARS IIT-JEE QUESTIONS

SINGLE CORRECT CHOICE
1. (D) 2. (A) 3. (A) 4. (C) 5. (C)
6. (D) 7. (D) 8. (D) 9. (D) 10. (C)