ELLIPSE

At the end of this chapter, the student should be able to

1. Define Ellipse;

2. Identify the parts of an ellipse and its properties;

3. Determine the general form and standard form of

equations of ellipses;

4. Appreciate the use of ellipse in real life situations; and

5. Draw the graphs of ellipses

An ellipse is the locus of a point that
moves in a plane so that the sum of its
distance from two fixed points is
constant. Its eccentricity is less than 1
 Vertical Ellipse α β

(0,a)
Horizontal Ellipse
(0,c)
(0,b)

O
(-b,0) (b,0)
(-a,0) (-c ,0) (c, 0) (a,0)
(0,-c)
y² x² x² y²
(0,-a) — + —= 1 —+ —= 1 (0,-b)
a² b² a² b²

When α < β < 90°, the section is an ellipse

.
Parts and Properties of an Ellipse • The two fixed points F1 and F2
are called the foci.

• The point midway to F1 and F2 is

the center of the ellipse.

• The axis of symmetry passing

through the foci is called the
principal axis of the ellipse

• The line segment through the

foci and joining two points of the
ellipse is called the major axis.
The major axis lies on the
principal axis.
Parts and Properties of an Ellipse • The line segment through the
center and perpendicular to the
major axis is the minor axis. The
endpoints of the minor axis are
points of the ellipse.

• The graph of an ellipse is

symmetric with respect to both
its major and minor axis.

• The intersection of the ellipse

with the major axis determines
the two points V1 and V2 which
are called the vertices.
Parts and Properties of an Ellipse • The endpoints B1 and B2 of the
minor axis are called the co-
vertices of the ellipse.

• The line segments through the

foci perpendicular to the major
axis and joining two points of the
ellipse are called latera recta.

• The fixed lines D1 and D2 parallel

to the latera recta are called the
directrices.

• The length of the major axis is

always greater than the length of
the minor axis
Length and Distances In an Ellipse • a = distance from center to an end
of major axis (length of semi-major
axis.

• b = distance from the center to an

end of minor axis (length of semi-
minor axis)

• c  ae  a 2  b 2  distance from
center to focus.

• 2a = length of major axis (constant

sum)

• 2b = length of minor axis

Length and Distances In an Ellipse • 2c = distance between two foci
2
• 2 b
 Length of each latus rectum
a
2
• b
 distance from focus to end of
a latus rectum.
2
• a a
  distance from center to
e c directrix.

a 2  b2
• e  eccentricity of the
a
ellipse
For simplicity, the following will be represented as:
• 𝐶 = Center of the ellipse
• 𝐹1 , 𝐹2 = Foci (plural form of focus)
• 𝑉1 , 𝑉2 = Vertices
• 𝐵1 , 𝐵2 = Co-vertices (endpoints of the minor axis)
• 𝑃(𝑥, 𝑦) = any point along the ellipse
• 𝐷1 , 𝐷2 = Directrices
• 𝐸1 , 𝐸2 , 𝐸3 , 𝐸4 = Endpoints of the Latera Recta
• 𝑎 = distance from the center to vertex
• 𝑏 = distance from center to one endpoint of the minor axis
• 𝑐 = distance from center to focus
• 𝑒 = eccentricity
• 2𝑎 = length of the major axis
• 2𝑏 = length of the minor axis
 Standard Equation of an ellipse

center at (0, 0)

Major axis on OX Major axis on OY

x2 y2 y2 x2
 2 1 a  b 2  2 1 ab
2
a b a b
 Standard Equation of an ellipse

center at (h, k)

Major axis is on or parallel to OX Major axis is on or parallel OY

(x  h)2 (y  k)2 (y  k)2 (x  h)2

2
 2
1 a  b 2
 2
1 a  b
a b a b
 The following equations are ellipses in standard form
2
x y 2
(x  3)2 y 2
 1  1
49 16 10 5

y2 x2 (x  2)2 (y  1)2
 1  1
16 9 3 2

(y  1 2)2 x 2 (y  2)2 (x  1)2

 1  1
10 5 3 2
General
Equation
of an The general education of an ellipse
takes the form
Ellipse

𝑨𝒙𝟐 + 𝑪𝒚𝟐 + 𝑫𝒙 + 𝑬𝒚 + 𝑭 = 𝟎

where 𝐴 and 𝐶 have the same sign

𝐴𝐶 > 0 .
 The following equations are ellipses in general form

4𝑥 2 + 9𝑦 2 − 36 = 0

5𝑥 2 + 3𝑦 2 − 20 = 0

12𝑥 2 + 16𝑦 2 − 45 = 0

𝑥 2 + 4𝑦 2 − 12 = 0
Equations of Directrices of an Ellipse

The equations of directrices of an ellipse

A. withhorizontal major axis are

𝒂 𝒂𝟐
𝒙=𝒉± or 𝒙 = 𝒉 ±
𝒆 𝒄

B. with vertical major axis are

𝒂 𝒂𝟐
𝒚 = 𝒌 ± or 𝒚 = 𝒌 ±
𝒆 𝒄
lets take a pause…..
Steps on how to convert general equations to standard form:

Step 1: Regroup the terms.

Step 2: Apply common factor.
Step 3: Apply completing the square.
Step 4: Simplify the right side.
Step 5: Simplify the right side.
Step 6: Factoring completely.
Step 7: Divide both sides by the value of the right side.
Step 8: Simplify.
Reduce each of the following equations of ellipses in standard form.

1. 9𝑥 2 + 8𝑦 2 = 288

2. 28𝑥 2 + 64𝑦 2 − 28𝑥 + 128𝑦 − 377 = 0

3. 36𝑥 2 + 81𝑦 2 + 24𝑥 − 320 = 0
4. 9𝑥 2 + 6𝑦 2 + 54𝑥 − 24𝑦 + 110 = 0
5. 9𝑥 2 + 4𝑦 2 + 72𝑥 + 24𝑦 + 180 = 0

Reduce each of the following equations of ellipses in general form.

2
1
𝑥+ 𝑦2
1. 2 + =1
10 5
2 2
𝑦−2 𝑥+1
2. + =1
3 2
ACTIVITY
Reduce each of the following equations of
ellipses in standard form.

1. 49𝑥 2 + 25𝑦 2 + 98𝑥 − 200𝑦 − 776 = 0

2. 4𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 − 2𝑦 − 3 = 0
Reduce each of the following
equations of ellipses in general form.

𝑥2 𝑦2
1. + =1
49 16

𝑦−2 2 𝑥+1 2
2. + =1
3 2
For each equation of the ellipse, find the center, vertices, co-vertices,
foci, endpoints of latera recta and directrices. Draw the ellipse.
 EQUATIONS OF ELLIPSE
Center Major Axis General Form Standard Form

(0, 0) 𝑥 − axis 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐶𝑦 2 + 𝐹 = 0, 𝐴 < 𝐶 𝑥2 𝑦2

+ = 1, 𝑎 > 𝑏
𝑎2 𝑏 2

(0, 0) 𝑦 − axis 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐶𝑦 2 + 𝐹 = 0, 𝐴 > 𝐶 𝑦2 𝑥2

+ = 1, 𝑎 > 𝑏
𝑎2 𝑏 2

(ℎ, 𝑘) 𝑥 − axis 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐶𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0, 𝐴 < 𝐶 𝑥−ℎ 2 𝑦−𝑘 2

+ = 1, 𝑎
𝑎2 𝑏2
>𝑏

(ℎ, 𝑘) 𝑦 − axis 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐶𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0, 𝐴 > 𝐶 𝑦−𝑘 2 𝑥−ℎ 2

+ = 1, 𝑎
𝑎2 𝑏2
>𝑏
 PARTS OF THE ELLIPSE AT CENTER (0, 0)
Standard Foci Vertices Co- Endpoints of Directrices
Equation vertices Latera Recta
2
𝑥2 𝑦2 𝐹1 (𝑐, 0) 𝑉1 𝑎, 0 𝐵1 (0, 𝑏) 𝐸1 (𝑐, 𝑏 𝑎2
+ 2 = 1 𝐹 (−𝑐, 0) 𝑉 −𝑎, 0 𝐵 (0, −𝑏) 𝑎) 𝑥=±
2 2
𝑎 𝑏 2 2 2
𝐸2 (𝑐, −𝑏 𝑐
𝑎)
2
𝐸3 (−𝑐, 𝑏
𝑎)
−𝑏 2
𝐸4 (−𝑐, 𝑎)
𝑦2 𝑥2 𝐹1 (0, 𝑐) 𝑉1 (0, 𝑎) 𝐵1 (𝑏, 0) 𝐸1 𝑏2 𝑎2
+ 2 = 1 𝐹 (0, −𝑐) 𝑉 (0, − 𝑎) 𝐵 (−𝑏, 0) 𝑎,𝑐 𝑦=±
𝑎 2 𝑏 2 2 2 𝑐
𝐸2 𝑏2
𝑎 , −𝑐
𝐸3 −𝑏 2
𝑎,𝑐
𝐸4 −𝑏 2
𝑎 , −𝑐
 PARTS OF THE ELLIPSE AT CENTER (h, k)
Standard Equation Foci Vertices Co-vertices Endpoints of Directrices
Latera Recta
2 2 𝐹1 (ℎ + 𝑐, 𝑘) 𝑉1 ℎ + 𝑎, 𝑘 𝐵1 ℎ, 𝑘 + 𝑏 2
𝑥−ℎ 𝑦−𝑘 𝐸1 ℎ + 𝑐, 𝑘 + 𝑏 𝑎 𝑎2
+ =1 𝐹2 (ℎ − 𝑐, 𝑘) 𝑉2 (ℎ − 𝑎, 𝑘) 𝐵2 ℎ, 𝑘 − 𝑏 𝑥=ℎ±
𝑎2 𝑏2 2 𝑐
𝐸2 ℎ + 𝑐, 𝑘 − 𝑏 𝑎
2
𝐸3 ℎ − 𝑐, 𝑘 + 𝑏 𝑎
𝑏 2
𝐸4 ℎ − 𝑐, 𝑘 − 𝑎

2 2 𝐹1 (ℎ, 𝑘 + 𝑐) 𝑉1 (ℎ, 𝑘 + 𝑎) 𝐵1 ℎ + 𝑏 , 𝑘 2
𝑦−𝑘 𝑥−ℎ 𝐸1 ℎ + 𝑏 𝑎, 𝑘 + 𝑐 𝑎2
+ =1 𝐹2 (ℎ, 𝑘 − 𝑐) 𝑉2 (ℎ, 𝑘 − 𝑎) 𝐵𝟐 ℎ − 𝑏, 𝑘 𝑦=𝑘±
𝑎2 𝑏2 2 𝑐
𝐸2 ℎ + 𝑏 𝑎, 𝑘 − 𝑐
2
𝐸3 ℎ − 𝑏 𝑎, 𝑘 + 𝑐
2
𝐸4 ℎ − 𝑏 𝑎, 𝑘 − 𝑐