Question

What is the length of the transverse axis?

Answer 1

Transverse axis length is the distance between the vertices. What did you get for the vertices?

Answer 2

1 minute

Answer 3

is this correct for the vertices? (-4,-3) (6,-3)

Answer 4

Yes

Answer 5

ok, so what would the length of the transverse axis be in that case?

Answer 6

@whpalmer4

Answer 7

What is the distance between (-4,-3) and (6,-3)?

Answer 8

\[distance = \sqrt{(x_1-x_2)^2+(y_1-y_2)^2}\]

But this case is much simpler :-)

Answer 9

can you expand that for me?

Answer 10

like what each part would be

Answer 11

i dont know what x1 y1 etc would be @whpalmer4

Answer 12

You have points (-4,-3) and (6,-3). x_1 = -4, x_2 = 6, y_1 = -3, y_2 = -3. Or you could reverse them, you just have to be consistent.

Answer 13

But surely you can figure out how long that line is without the formula!

Answer 14

let me try to figure it out

Answer 15

i got sqrt (-4-6)^2+(-3+3)^2
sqrt -100+0
sqrt -100
10

Answer 16

i think thats wrong

Answer 17

Yes. Or you could just count 10 ticks on my diagram :-) If the points share either an x coordinate, or a y coordinate, then the distance is simply the difference in the other coordinate.

Answer 18

That's why I said this was a simple case.

Answer 19

so is the answer 10? or -10

Answer 20

the distance between the two points is always a positive number, right?

Answer 21

oh thats true :) so 10?

Answer 22

If we were talking about vectors, then there could be a negative number involved, but the magnitude is always positive. yes, 10.

Answer 23

thanks so much again

Answer 24

i have one more problem which is very similar to this one, could you help me out with that one as well :) it will be the last i won't make you do any more after that haha :)

Answer 25

Seriously? Remember a^2? The length of the transverse axis is 2a. Done. Why all the fuss?

Answer 26

that one turned out to be wrong

Answer 27

the answer was 2a not 2c

Answer 28

i'm just trying to get a better understanding of these equations

Answer 29

@whpalmer4 i just posted the new one :)

Answer 30

@tkhunny someone new to this stuff isn't going to be harmed by the opportunity to work a problem more fully...

Answer 31

i missed the whole lesson in class, i understand it much better when the problem is worked out step by step

Answer 32

@tkhunny can you show me how to do the one i just posted? you can try this method if you'd like

Answer 33

You also understand it even better if you are the one working it out step by step. In this case, it is a definition problem, not an algebra problem. You can waste an awful lot of time on an exam taking 8 minutes to do a problem that takes on 3 seconds. Don't get me wrong, it is good to go through lengthy demonstrations to get a better handle on things. It is NOT good to believe this is the only way to solve the problem. The more methods in your head, the better!

Answer 34

@tkhunny ok, in that case it would be great if you could show me the other method on the next problem