document.write( "Question 118267: How do you write this equation of ellipse in simple form?\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "3x^2 + 4y^2 + 8y=8
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\n" ); document.write( " * I tried dividing everything by eigth leaving me with:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " 3x^2/8 +y^2/2 + y=1
\n" ); document.write( " But when i checked to see if i had the right answer i got it wrong this is the correct answer:
\n" ); document.write( " x^2/4 + (y+1)^2/3=1\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " I don't understand why i got the problem wrong.
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Algebra.Com's Answer #86384 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
\"3x%5E2+%2B+4y%5E2+%2B+8y=8\" Start with the given equation\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3x%5E2+%2B+4%28y%5E2+%2B+2y%29=8\" Factor out 4 from \"4y%5E2+%2B+8y\" to get \"4%28y%5E2+%2B+2y%29\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3x%5E2+%2B+4%28y%5E2+%2B+2y%2B1-1%29=8\" Take half of the \"y\" coefficient 2 to get 1. Now square 1 to get 1. Add this and it's opposite -1 inside the parenthesis. Notice how 1-1=0 so it does not change the equation.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3x%5E2+%2B+4%28%28y%2B1%29%5E2-1%29=8\" Factor \"y%5E2+%2B+2y%2B1\" to get \"%28y%2B1%29%5E2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3x%5E2+%2B+4%28y%2B1%29%5E2-4=8\" Distribute\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3x%5E2+%2B+4%28y%2B1%29%5E2%2Bcross%28-4%2B4%29=8%2B4\" Add 4 to both sides\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3x%5E2+%2B+4%28y%2B1%29%5E2=12\" Combine like terms\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%283x%5E2+%2B+4%28y%2B1%29%5E2%29%2F12=cross%2812%2F12%29\" Now Divide both sides by 12 to get the right side equal to one. With any ellipse, we always want the right side equal to one.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%283x%5E2%29%2F12+%2B+%284%28y%2B1%29%5E2%29%2F12=1\" Break up the fraction on the left side.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%28x%5E2%29%2F4+%2B+%28y%2B1%29%5E2%2F3=1\" Reduce\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the ellipse in standard form is \"%28x%5E2%29%2F4+%2B+%28y%2B1%29%5E2%2F3=1\". Remember, we are trying to go from something like \"Ax%5E2%2BBx%2BCy%5E2%2BDy%2BE=F\" to \"%28x-h%29%5E2%2Fa%5E2%2B%28y-k%29%5E2%2Fb%5E2=1\". Looking at your answer, notice how you have an extra \"y\" which does not fit the standard equation of an ellipse. This is why you must complete the square to get the equation to fit the form. Does that make sense?
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