A railroad tunnel is shaped like a semi ellipse.
The height of the tunnel at the center is 54 ft tall and the vertical clearance must be 18 ft tall at a point 8 ft from the center. Find an equation for the ellipse.

Question

A railroad tunnel is shaped like a semi ellipse.
The height of the tunnel at the center is 54 ft tall and the vertical clearance must be 18 ft tall at a point 8 ft from the center. Find an equation for the ellipse.

anonymous · Answer

Equation of an ellipse
(x - h)^2 / a^2 + (y - k)^2 / b^2 = 1
(h , k) is the centre of the ellipse
a is the radius in the x-axis direction and b is the radius in the y-axis direction

anonymous · Answer

SO would the answer be x^2/8^2+y^2/18^2=1?

anonymous · Answer

I don't really know because I don't understand the question.

anonymous · Answer

Okay. Thanks for the equation though.