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Construction of ellipse

The document outlines various methods for constructing an ellipse, including the eccentricity method, arcs of circles method, concentric circles method, rectangular method, and parallelogram method. Each method is explained with known data, procedures, and examples to illustrate the construction process. Key concepts such as eccentricity, directrices, and the relationship between the major and minor axes are also discussed.

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19 views

Construction of ellipse

The document outlines various methods for constructing an ellipse, including the eccentricity method, arcs of circles method, concentric circles method, rectangular method, and parallelogram method. Each method is explained with known data, procedures, and examples to illustrate the construction process. Key concepts such as eccentricity, directrices, and the relationship between the major and minor axes are also discussed.

Uploaded by

Sampson
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CONSTRUCTION OF ELLIPSE

An ellipse may be constructed by the following methods:


1) Eccentricity method (General method)
2) Intersecting arcs (or) arcs of circles method (or) Foci method
3) Concentric circles method
4) Rectangular method (or) Oblong method
5) Parallelogram method

CONSTRUCTION OF ELLIPSE BY ECCENTRICITY METHOD


Data known :
1) Eccentricity of the ellipse
2) Distance of the Focus from the Directrix.

Points to understand:
Understanding of following points will be very much useful to construct an ellipse by
eccentricity method.
1) Sum of distances of any point on the curve from focus and directrix is the same.
ie., (r1 + x1) = (r2 + x2)
2) Ellipse has two directrices and two Foci and hence, the distance of Foci from directrix and the
distance of vertex of ellipse will be the same on either side.
ie., PM = NQ and MF1 = NF2

3) eccentricity, e = Distance of the point on curve from Focus / Distance of the point on curve
from Directrix
ie., e for the point V = r1/x1
Similarly e for the point M = r2/x2
Hence it is clear that the vertex of ellipse (ie., the point M) divides the line joining the points PF
internally in the ratio x2 : r2.
4) When a perpendicular is erected through any point on the major axis of the ellipse, the
ordinates on either side will be equal.
5) When a tangent is drawn through any point on the curve, the line joining that point and Focus
will make an angle of 90° (right angle) with the line joining the Focus and the point of
intersection of tangent with Directrix as shown in Fig.
6) Normal drawn through any point on curve will be right angleb (90°) to the tangent drawn
through the same point.
7) Length of line joining the points Focus and Vertex of minor
axis is equal to (1/2 × Major axis)
ie., MF1 = MF2 = 1/2 × Major axis AB
or
MF1 + MF2 = Major axis AB

Hence if the major axis AB and Foci points F1 and F2 are known, minor axis can be easily
located.

Example 1: Construct an ellipse when the distance of its focus from its directrix is 50 mm and
eccentricity is 2/3. Also draw a tangent and normal to this ellipse at a point 80 mm away from the
directrix.

Procedure:
1) Draw a vertical line DD', directrix of the ellipse.
2) Mark a point A on directrix and draw a line AA', perpendicular to the directrix, which
represents the major axis.
3) Mark Focus F on AA' at a distance 50 mm (given in problem) from the directrix DD' ie.,
AF = 50 mm. It is given as e = 2/3, Hence divide the AF into two parts at V in the ratio of
2:3 such that FV/VA = 2/3.
4) Draw a vertical line VE equal to VF. For this, erect a perpendicular through V and draw
an arc keeping V as centre and VF as radius to intersect the perpendicular at E.
5) Join AE and extend it to some distance. This line is called as eccentricity line. clearly in
the right angled triangle AVE, VE/AV = 2/3 = eccentricity (ie., AE produced) at (VE =
VF).
6) Join F and E.
produced) at U. Clearly this line is perpendicular to the line FE since ∠EFV = 45° (VE =
7) Draw a line through F at an angle of 45° to intersect the eccentricity line (ie., AE

VF)
8) Erect a perpendicular through U to intersect the major axis AA' at V'. VV' = major
diameter.
9) Along the major axis AA' and from the point V mark the points 1, 2, .... at approximately
equal intervals (need not be equal) and draw perpendiculars through these points to
intersect the eccentricity line at 1', 2'..... respectively.
10) clearly, 1 - 1' / A – 1 = 2 - 2' / A – 2 = eccentricity = 2/3
11) With Focus F as centre and 1 - 1' as radius draw two arcs on either side of the axis to
intersect the vertical line drawn through 1 at P1 and P1'.
12) With Focus F as centre and 2 - 2' as radius draw two arcs on either side of the axis to
intersect the vertical line drawn through 2 at P2 and P2'
13) Repeat the steps 11 and 12 for points 3, 4.... etc. and obtain the points P3 and P3', P4 and P4
and P4' … etc.
14) Draw a smooth ellipse by free hand passing through the points V, P1, P2 …, V', …, P2', P1',
V.

To draw Tangent and Normal at any point on ellipse


i. Mark a point P on the ellipse at the given distance 80 mm from the directrix.
ii. Joint P and Focus F.
iii. Draw a line FT perpendicular to PF meeting directrix at T.
iv. Join TP and extend, which is the required tangent, TT'
v. Through the point P draw a line NN' perpendicular to the tangent TP, which is the normal
at P.

To draw another Directrix


Mark A' on major axis such that V'A' = AV and draw perpendicular through A'. (Not shown in
figure)

To Locate another Focus F'


Mark F on major axis such that V'F' = VF.

To draw Minor axis


i. Locate the mid point of major axis V-V′ at O.
ii. Erect perpendicular through O to intersect the ellipse at S and S' which is the minor axis
of ellipse.

To Check:
Check that FS = SF' = Major diameter V-V' / 2.

CONSTRUCTION OF ELLLIPSE BY ARCS OF CIRCLES METHOD


Data known :
1. Major axis
2. Distance between Foci
Example 2: Construct an ellipse with major axis 90 mm and the distance between the Foci is 70mm.
Procedure:
1. Draw major axis AB of length 90mm and locate the centre 'O'.
2. Locate Foci F1, F2 on major axis AB, such that OF1 = OF2 = 70/2 = 35mm.
3. Along the major axis AB and in between the Foci points F1 and F2, mark the points 1, 2, 3 .... at
approximately equal intervals (need not be equal).
4. With F1 as centre and A-1 as radius draw two arcs on both sides of AB. Again with F2 as centre and B-1
as radius draw two arcs to cut the previous two arcs at P1 and P1'.

5. similarly with F1 as centre A-2 as radius draw two arcs on both sides of AB. Again with F2 as centre and
B-2 as radius draw two arcs to cut the previous two arcs at P2 and P2'.
6. Repeating the above steps with F1 and F2 as centres and radii A-3 and B-3 draw the arcs intersecting at
P3 and P3'.
7. In the same way locate the other points P4, P4', P5, P5' etc.,
8. Draw a perpendicular passing through centre O.
9. With F1 as centre and O-A as radius draw arcs to cut the perpendicular passing through at C and D.
Now, CD represents the minor axis of ellipse.
10. Join all the points A, P1, P2, P3 etc. by a smooth curve and complete the curve, which is the required
ellipse.

CONSTRUCTION OF ELLIPSE BY CONCENTRIC CIRCLES METHOD


Data known :
1. Major axis
2. Minor axis
Example 3: Construct an ellipse with major axis 100mm and minor axis 80mm by concentric
circles method.
Procedure:
1. Draw major axis AB of length 100mm and minor axis CD of length 80mm, perpendicular to AB and
passing through its mid point O.
2. With O as centre and radii equal to half of the major and minor axes. (ie., OA and OC respectively)
draw concentric circles.
3. Divide the major axis circle into 12 equal parts (at an interval of 30°) and mark the points on
circumference as 1, 2, 3 etc.,
4. Draw lines joining these points with O, intersecting the minor axis circle at 1',2',3' etc.,
5. Through the point 1 draw a vertical line parallel to CD and through the point 1' draw a horizontal line
parallel to AB, intersecting each other at P1.
6. Similarly draw vertical lines through 2, 3, 4 etc., and horizontal lines through 2',3',4' etc., intersecting at
P2, P3, P4 etc.,
7. Join the points A, P1, P2,.....A by a smooth curve by free hand

CONSTRUCTION OF ELLIPSE BY OBLONG METHOD (or Rectangular method)


Data known :
Major axis
Minor axis
Example 4:
Construct an ellipse with major axis 100mm and minor axis 80mm by rectangular method.
Procedure:
Draw a rectangular EFGH with length EF equal to major axis (100mm) and width GH equal to minor axis
(80mm).
2. Draw major axis AB bisecting the width and minor axis CD bisecting the length. Let the intersecting of
major axis and minor axis be the point 'O'.
3. Divide the semi major axis AB into any number of equal parts (say 4) 2' and name the parts as 1, 2 and
3 from A.
4. Divide the semi minor axis AH also into same number of equal parts and name the parts as 1',2' and 3'
from A.
5. Draw lines joining 1', 2' and 3' with C.
6. Similarly draw lines joining 1, 2 and 3 with D, to intersect the lines C-1' at P 1, C-2' at P2 and C-3' at P3
respectively.
7. Join the points A, P1, P2, P3 and C by a smooth curve which is the one-quarter of ellipse.
8. Repeating the same procedure for the remaining three quarters, required ellipse can be obtained as
shown in Fig. 6.11.

CONSTRUCTION OF ELLIPSE BY PARALLELOGRAM METHOD


Data known :
1. Major axis
2. Minor axis
3. Angle between major axis and minor axis.
Example 5: Construct an ellipse in a parallelogram with major axis 80mm and minor axis 60mm and
angle between major axis and minor axis 60°.
Procedure:
1. Draw a parallelogram EFGH of size 80mm × 60 mm with an included angle between two sides as 60°.
2. Draw major axis AB bisecting the side EH and minor axis CD, bisecting the side EF. Let the major axis
and minor axis intersects at O.
3. Divide the semi minor axis line AH into any number of equal parts (say 4) and name the parts as 1',2′
and 3′ from A.
4. Divide the semi major axis AO into same number of equal parts and name the parts as 1, 2 and 3 from
A.
5. Join the points 1', 2' and 3' with C and join the points 1, 2 and 3 with D and extend to intersect the line
C-1', C-2' and C-3′ respectively at P1, P2 and P3.
6. Join the points A, P1, P2, P3 and C by a smooth curve which is one-quarter of ellipse.
7. Repeating the same procedure for the remaining three quarters, required ellipse can be obtained oh as
shown in Fig. 6.12.

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