Find the equation of the ellipse shown.

Short Answer

Expert verified

The equation of an ellipse is x29+y24=1.

Step by step solution

01

Step 1. Given information

The graph of an ellipse is shown below:

02

Step 2. Determine whether the major axis is horizontal or vertical.

From the given figure, observe that the figure is an ellipse centered at the origin.

So, the equation of an ellipse is x2a2+y2b2=1(1).

From the figure, observe that the major axis of an ellipse is horizontal.

03

Step 3. Find the value of a2 and b2.

The distance from the center to the vertex is 3.

So, a=3which implies a2=9.

The minor axis is vertical and the distance from the center to the ellipse is 2.

So, b=2which implies b2=4.

04

Step 4. Find the equation of an ellipse.

Substitute the values of a2and b2into the equation (1).

Thus, the equation of an ellipse is as follows:

x29+y24=1

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free