ACTIVITY
1. Get a string or ribbon not longer than 8 inchesan d a long bond paper. (Note: do
not use any rubber-type material for the string/ribbon)
2. Lay the string flat on the long bond paper. With the string pulled tight, pin both
ends of the string (See figure 1).
3. Leaving the string attached. Put a pen point against the string and pull the string
tight with the pencil (See figure 2).
4. Keeping the sting pulled tight, move the pen in a large arc (see figure 3).
Make sure that you will create a 360◦ turn.
Figure 1 Figure 2
Figure 3
Describe your finished masterpiece. Describe the drawn curve or set of points.
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What have you noticed with the drawn set of points and the length of the string?
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Ellipse is a type of conic section formed when a plane intersects a double-
napped cone and does not touch the base.
- A set of all points such that the sum of the distances of its points from two fixed
points is constant. The two fixed points are called FOCI (singular: focus).
OTHER PARTS OF THE ELLIPSE:
An ellipse has two axes of symmetry:
1. MAJOR AXIS (also called as the principal axis and focal axis) – the longer axis
which always contains the foci, vertices, and center of the ellipse. The endpoints
of the major axis are called VERTICES (represented by ±a).
2. MINOR AXIS – shorter axis which is the perpendicular bisector of the major axis.
The endpoints of the major axis are called CO-VERTICES (represented by ±b).
CENTER – the point intersection of the two axes of symmetry. It is the midpoint
between the foci, and also the midpoint between the two vertices.
LATUS RECTUM – a chord passing through a focus of an ellipse which is
perpendicualr to its major axis. Since an ellipse has two foci then there are also two
LATERA RECTA (plural form of latus rectum) and two DIRECTRICES (plural form of
directrix).
TYPES OF ELLIPSE:
a. HORIZONTAL ELLIPSE – if its major axis is the x-axis or is parallel to the x-axis.
b. VERTICAL ELLIPSE – if its major axis is the y-axis or is parallel to the y-axis.
NOTE! Length of the major axis is always greater than the minor axis hence the
length of a is always greater than the length of b.
2
x
So, if the given is 2 then we have a
a
horizontal ellipse and..
2
y
if the given is 2 then we have a vertical ellipse.
a
GENERAL FORM AND STANDARD FORM EQUATIONS OF AN ELLIPSE
GENERAL FORM: where A, B, C, D and E are constants.
Ax2 + By2 – C = 0 ----------- center at the origin, C(0,0)
Ax2 + By2 + Cx + Dy + E = 0 ----------- center not at the origin, C(h,k)
STANDARD FORM:
Horizontal Ellipse Vertical Ellipse
2 2 2 2
Center at the origin x y x y
+ 2 =1 + 2 =1
C(0,0) 2
a b
2
b a
2 2 2 2
Center not at the origin ( x−h) ( y−k) ( x−h) ( y−k)
+ =1 + =1
C(h,k) a2 b2 b2 a2
WORK ON THIS!
I. Identify whether the given equation is a horizontal ellipse or a vertical ellipse.
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
3. __________________________________
4. __________________________________
5. __________________________________
II. Identify the Center of the following equations of the ellipse.
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
3. __________________________________
4. __________________________________
5. 9( x−1)2 +16 ( y+ 4)2=144 __________________________________
Transforming General form to its Standard form
If the center is at the origin
Example:
9x2 + 25y2 - 225 = 0
STEP 1: move the constant term to the right side of the equation.
9x2 + 25y2 = 225
STEP 2: divide the whole equation by the constant term.
2 2
9 x +25 y 225
=
225 225
2 2
x y
Standard form: + =1
25 9
If the center not at the origin but at point (h,k)
Example:
25x2 + 9y2 – 18y – 216 = 0
STEP 1: Move the constant term to the right side of the equation.
25x2 + 9y2 – 18y = 216
STEP 2: Group the terms with same variables.
25x2 + (9y2 – 18y) = 216
STEP 3: Extract the common factor in each group
25x2 + 9(y2 – 2y) = 216
STEP 4: Create two perfect square trinomials by completing the squares.
25x2 + 9(y2 – 2y + 1) = 216 + 9(1)
The last term should be multiplied to the common factor of the trinomial before adding it
to the other side of the equation. As for this example, the last term is and the common
factor of the trinomial is 9, that is why we add 9(1) to the other side of the equation.
STEP 5: Simplify both sides of the equation
25x2 + 9(y2 – 2y + 1) = 216 + 9
25x2 + 9(y2 – 2y + 1) = 225
STEP 6: Express the perfect square trinomials as Square of Binomials
25x2 + 9(y - 1)2 = 225
STEP 7: Divide the whole equation by the constant term
2 2
25 x 9( y−1) 225
+ =
225 225 225
2 2
x ( y−1)
Standard form : + =1
9 25
Transforming Standard form to its General form
If the center is at the origin
Example:
2 2
x y
+ =1
9 25
STEP 1 : Determine the least common denominator (LCD) of the expressions.
9 : 9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90 99 108 117 126 135 144 153 162 171 180 189
198 207 216 225
25: 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225
STEP 2 : Multiply the whole equation by the LCD.
[ ]
2 2
( 225 ) x + y =1 (225)
9 25
2 2
225 x 225 y
+ =1 ( 225 )
9 25
2 2
25 x + 9 y =225
STEP 3 : Write the equation in the form of Ax2 + By2 – C = 0
General form: 25 x 2+ 9 y 2−225 = 0
If the center is not at the origin but at point (h,k)
Example:
2 2
( x−3) ( y +2)
+ =1
27 9
STEP 1 : Determine the least common denominator (LCD) of the expressions.
Other way to get the LCD,
Factors of 27: 3 x 3 x 3
Factors of 9 : 3 x 3
LCD : 3 x 3 x 3 = 27
STEP 2 : Multiply the whole equation by the LCD.
[ ]
2 2
(x−3) ( y +2)
(27) + =1 ( 27)
27 9
2 2
27(x−3) 27 ( y +2)
+ =1(27)
27 9
2 2
( x−3) +3( y +2) =27
STEP 3 : Expand each binomial
2 2
( x−3) +3( y +2) =27
(x2 - 3x - 3x + 9 ) + 3 ( y2 + 2y + 2y + 4) = 27
STEP 4 : Simplify both sides of the equation
(x2 - 3x - 3x + 9 ) + 3 ( y2 + 2y + 2y + 4) = 27
(x2 – 6x + 9 ) + 3 ( y2 + 4y + 4) = 27
(x2 – 6x + 9 ) + ( 3y2 + 12y + 12) = 27
x2 – 6x + 9 + 3y2 + 12y + 12 – 27 = 0
STEP 5 : Write the equation in the form Ax2 + By2 + Cx + Dy + E = 0
General form : x2 + 3y2 – 6x + 12y - 6 = 0
Challenge Yourself!
I. Write the following in standard form. Show your solution.
1. x2 + 3y2 – 6x + 12y - 6 = 0
STANDARD FORM: _____________________________________________
2. x2 + 4y2 + 2x + 8y + 1 = 0
STANDARD FORM: _____________________________________________
II. Write the following in general form. Show your solution.
2 2
(x) ( y)
1. + =1
4 7
GENERAL FORM: _____________________________________________
2 2
( x−4) ( y+5)
2. + =1
10 7
GENERAL FORM: _____________________________________________
PARTS OF THE ELLIPSE
