Help with this ellipse equation
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Help with this ellipse equation

[From: ] [author: ] [Date: 11-04-25] [Hit: ]
Please show me how you got the answer.Thanks-If you plot the foci, youll see that one is directly to the right of the other. In other words, they define a horizontal line. For a horizontal ellipse:(x−h)²/a² + (y−k)²/b² = 1center (h,......
Ok, my teacher did an example of the problem which is:
Teacher example: Find the standard form of the equation of the ellipse with the given characteristics and center at the origin. Foci: (±5, 0); major axis of length 16

Solution(answer): 1/64 times x^2 + 1/39 times y^2 =1

--------------------------------------…


A similar problem that I cant figure it out:
Find the standard form of the equation of the ellipse with the given characteristics and center at the origin.
Foci: (±3, 0); major axis of length 12

I don't get how my teacher did this type of problem. Please show me how you got the answer.

Thanks

-
If you plot the foci, you'll see that one is directly to the right of the other. In other words, they define a horizontal line. For a horizontal ellipse:
     (x−h)²/a² + (y−k)²/b² = 1
     center (h, k)
     a ≥ b > 0
     length of major axis = 2a
     foci (h±c, k) where c²=a²−b²

Apply what your data.
The center (h, k) is exactly halfway between foci, so
h = k = 0

length of major axis 2a = 16
a = 8

foci (h±c, k) = (-5, 0) and (5, 0)
c = 5

c² = a² - b²
5² = 8² - b²
b² = 39

The equation becomes
     x²/64 + y²/39 = 1
:::::
Similarly, foci = (-3, 0) and (3, 0) tells you that the ellipse is horizontal, the center is (0, 0), and c = 3.

Length of major axis = 12, so a = 6.

Use the equation c² = a² - b² to find the value of b².

Now you know all the variables in the equation.
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