PDA

View Full Version : an ellipse question?


transgalactic
Feb19-07, 11:17 AM
i added a file with the curve the is being asked to find

an ellipse is given. its formula is x^2 + 2*y^2=8 .

find the formula of the curve that is being created by the

the centers of the perpendicular lines to the X axes and the ellipse.


i tried to solve this question
by putting the Y^2 on the one side and on the other the rest
and devidind it by 2 .


2y^2=8-x^2
y^2=8-x^2/2
y=V(8-x^2/2)
(v=root simbol)

the curve that in the center always smaller in height by 2
so i devided the formula by 2 to find our curve

y=1/2*V(8-x^2/2)
in my book it gives a different answer

(x^2)/8 +y^2=1

plz help

HallsofIvy
Feb19-07, 11:27 AM
What do you mean by "the centers of the perpendicular lines to the X axes and the ellipse"?

transgalactic
Feb19-07, 02:03 PM
like it shows at the pictue
a curve wich composed from the middle points of this straight lines
parrallel to the Y axes

transgalactic
Feb20-07, 03:29 PM
how can i solve this thing???

HallsofIvy
Feb20-07, 04:32 PM
x^2+ 2y^2= 8 is the same as \frac{x^2}{8}+ \frac{y^2}{4}= 1.
That's an ellipse with major semi-axis, along the x-axis, of length \sqrt{8}= 2\sqrt{2} and minor semi-axis, along the y-axis, of length 2.

Dividing the y-coordinate of each point by 2 gives an ellipse with the same major semi-axis but minor semi-axis of length 1:
\frac{x^2}{8}+ y^2=1.

HallsofIvy
Feb20-07, 04:38 PM
i added a file with the curve the is being asked to find

an ellipse is given. its formula is x^2 + 2*y^2=8 .

find the formula of the curve that is being created by the

the centers of the perpendicular lines to the X axes and the ellipse.


i tried to solve this question
by putting the Y^2 on the one side and on the other the rest
and devidind it by 2 .


2y^2=8-x^2
y^2=8-x^2/2

Here's your error! Don't know why I didn't see this sooner. Dividing both sides of 2y2= 8- x2 by 2 gives y2= 4- x2!

y=V(8-x^2/2)
(v=root simbol)

the curve that in the center always smaller in height by 2
so i devided the formula by 2 to find our curve

y=1/2*V(8-x^2/2)
y= 1/2 \sqrt{4- x^2}

in my book it gives a different answer

(x^2)/8 +y^2=1

plz help

Square both sides of 2y= \sqrt{4- x^2} and you get
4y^2= 4- x^2 or x^2+ 4y^2= 4.

Divide through by 4:
[tex]\frac{x^2}{4}+ y^2= 1[/itex]

transgalactic
Feb21-07, 12:28 AM
thank you very much

HallsofIvy
Feb22-07, 06:29 AM
Now, my question is, "what does this have to do with 'Tensor Analysis and Differential Geometry'?"