4x^2+3y^2=48
Get it in the form
if it looks like this ᆼ:
or in the form
if it looks like this Ὁ
:
And the way you tell is by the fact that aČ is larger than bČ
Divide through by 48 to get 1 on the right:
Simplify
Now write x as (x-0) and y as (y-0)
16 is larger than 12 so the ellipse looks like this: 0
and it is in this form:
Comparing directly gives:
center = (h,k) = (0,0), aČ = 16, so a = 4, bČ = 12, so b =
Major axis has length 2a = 2(4) = 8
So we plot the center and draw the major axis 8 units long with
the center (0,0)at its midpoint, which is the green line below
extending from (0,-4) to (0,4):
Next we'll draw the minor axis 2b =
long or about 6.93
units long with the center (0,0) at its midpoint, which is the blue
line below extending from (
,0) to (
,0),
which is about the points (-1.73,0) to (1.73)
and sketch in the ellipse:
To find the focal points, we calculate c from
So the focal points are on the major axis c = w units from the
center:
So they are (0,2) and (0,-2)
Edwin