What is the equation, in standard form, of a vertical ellipse centered at (–8, 12) with a major axis of length 10 and a minor axis of length 4?

Question

anonymous · Answer

ok so the equation of an ellipse is (x^2/a^2)+(y^2/b^2). but in this case, since it's a vertical ellipse, the value of b is greater, so it's (x^2/b^2)+(y^2/a^2).

Substitute the coordinates and subtract them from x and y. So here's the first step.

((x+8)^2)/b^2 + ((y-12)^2)/a^2. 

Do you get what i did so far?

anonymous · Answer

Ya, I see what you are doing.

anonymous · Answer

ok so just substitute in the major and minor axis after that.

((x+8)^2)/sqrt(10) + ((y-12)^2)/2

anonymous · Answer

Okay, so $$(x+8)^2/\sqrt10 + (y-12)^2 / 2 $$  is that all?

anonymous · Answer

yup.

anonymous · Answer

That is not one of my answer choices :/ All of the denominators ar 25 and 4

anonymous · Answer

oh ok. sorry about that. The entire axis length is 10. If you divide by half and square it, it should give you 25, and same thing for the minor axis. When making your equation, you should always take half of the axis, not the entire axis.

anonymous · Answer

Okay thanks

anonymous · Answer

yup.