Find an equation in standard form for the ellipse with the vertical major axis of length 6, and minor axis of length 4.

Question

anonymous · Answer

x^2/2 + y ^2/3 = 1

 x^2/9 + y^2/4  = 1

 x^2/3 + y^2/2  = 1

 x^2/4 + y^2/9  = 1

jdoe0001 · Answer

do you know what the equation of an ellipse look like?

anonymous · Answer

no

jdoe0001 · Answer

http://www.mathwarehouse.com/ellipse/images/translations/general_formula_major.gif

jdoe0001 · Answer

standard form means, the center of it is the ORIGIN, that is, ( 0 , 0)

so $\bf \cfrac{(x-0)^2}{a^2}+\cfrac{(y-0)^2}{b^2}=1\implies \cfrac{x^2}{a^2}+\cfrac{y^2}{b^2}=1$

jdoe0001 · Answer

vertical major axis, means its LONGER over the y-axis, so that means that the "y fraction" will keep the BIGGER denominator

jdoe0001 · Answer

so it'll look like |dw:1382903683833:dw|

jdoe0001 · Answer

so I'd think by now you can see what the equation will look like