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Simple(?) conics question.. (1 Viewer)

morgoe

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I'm probly missing something obvious.

You're asked to sketch (x^2/4) + (y^2/3) = 1

So the eccentricity comes to e=1/2

Then the foci are at (+-2, 0) which are the co-ordinates of the ends of the major axis? Is that possible? I thought the foci were always inside the ellipse. Am I missing something or is this alright?
 

tommykins

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your eccentricity is wrong.

e = sqrt(16-9)/2 = sqrt7/2
 

Affinity

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tommykins said:
your eccentricity is wrong.

e = sqrt(16-9)/2 = sqrt7/2
Yours is wrong...

it's sqrt(4-3)/2 = 1/2

OP: foci are at (+/- 1,0)
 

tommykins

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Affinity said:
Yours is wrong...

it's sqrt(4-3)/2 = 1/2

OP: foci are at (+/- 1,0)
oh right, just did it in my head.

seems like i gotta review conics.

EDIT - oh i see where i went wrong, a^2 - b^2 , instead i squared a^2 to make a^4 ._.
 

u-borat

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morgoe said:
I'm probly missing something obvious.

You're asked to sketch (x^2/4) + (y^2/3) = 1

So the eccentricity comes to e=1/2

Then the foci are at (+-2, 0) which are the co-ordinates of the ends of the major axis? Is that possible? I thought the foci were always inside the ellipse. Am I missing something or is this alright?
yeah focus are ae, not a^2e, so its 2X 1/2 and 2X -1/2, not four.
 

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