Is it possible to work out the centre of an ellipse?

In summary, the conversation discusses finding the eccentric angle of an ellipse with the equation x²+9y²=13 at a given point. It is clarified that the ellipse is centered at the origin and the eccentric angle is not simply arctan(y/x), but takes the axes of the ellipse into account. A resource is provided for further understanding.
  • #1
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Is it possible to work out the centre of an ellipse?
The question asks for the eccentric angle of the ellipse with the equation x²+9y²=13 at point (2,1)...
I have no idea how to get this, I know that the angle would be arctan(1/2) if the ellipse was centred at (0,0)

Thanks
 
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  • #2
But the ellipse IS centered at the origin. It asks for the eccentric angle between the x-axis and the line joining (0,0) and (2,1).

edit: PS: The eccentric angle is not simply arctan(y/x), you have to take the axes of the ellipse into account too!

- Kamataat
 
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  • #3
Kamataat said:
But the ellipse IS centered at the origin. It asks for the eccentric angle between the x-axis and the line joining (0,0) and (2,1).

edit: PS: The eccentric angle is not simply arctan(y/x), you have to take the axes of the ellipse into account too!

- Kamataat
I am somewhat confused. Surely the line joining (0,0) and (2,1) makes arctan (.5) of an angle with the x axis.:confused:
 
  • #5
Thanks a lot :biggrin:
 

1. Can the centre of an ellipse be determined using its equation?

Yes, the centre of an ellipse can be determined by looking at its equation. The general form of an ellipse's equation is (x-h)^2/a^2 + (y-k)^2/b^2 = 1, where (h,k) represents the coordinates of the centre.

2. Is it possible to find the centre of an ellipse if only its perimeter is given?

No, it is not possible to determine the centre of an ellipse solely based on its perimeter. The centre is determined by the shape and orientation of the ellipse, which cannot be determined from the perimeter alone.

3. How is the centre of an ellipse different from the focus?

The centre of an ellipse is the point of intersection of its major and minor axes, and it is the geometric center of the ellipse. The focus, on the other hand, is a point located on the major axis of the ellipse and is used to define its shape and size.

4. Can the centre of an ellipse be outside of the ellipse?

No, the centre of an ellipse must always be located within the ellipse itself. This is because the centre is defined as the point of intersection of the major and minor axes, which are the longest and shortest diameters of the ellipse.

5. Is there a formula to calculate the centre of an ellipse?

Yes, there is a formula to calculate the centre of an ellipse. The coordinates of the centre can be found by taking the average of the x and y intercepts of the ellipse's major and minor axes, which can be calculated using the ellipse's equation.

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