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Dec9-03, 08:00 AM   #5
 
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Originally posted by matrix_204
even though in high school we haven't learned that formula yet,
Do you understand it? The way you worded that, it sounds like you didn't.

It really isn't any more difficult than sqrt(mu/r). a is half the distance of the longest line in the ellipse, r is the current position. Plug and chug.