Question

How do you find the distance from the center to the focus in an ellipse?

Answer 1

in an ellipse, the distance from the center to the foci is given by c where c^2=a^2-b^2 when the equation is in standard form:

(x-h)^2/a^2 + (y-k)^2/b^2 = 1

(h, k) is the center.
a is the distance from the center to the vertices. (major axis)
b is the distance from the center to the co-vertices. (minor axis)

Answer 2

When do you use \[a ^{2}+b ^{2}=c ^{2}\] in conic sections?
Is that with hyperbolas?

Answer 3

yes, hyperbolas..