Ellipse (English)
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Definition (keystage 2)
A shape that looks like a flattened circle.
It can obtained by making a slanting cut through the side of a cone.
Shapes that look like an ellipse are said to be elliptical.
It can obtained by making a slanting cut through the side of a cone.
Shapes that look like an ellipse are said to be elliptical.
Definition (advanced level)
Informally, a squashed circle.
Formally, given fixed points A and B and a constant k, an ellipse is the set of points P such that AP + BP = k.
An ellipse can also be defined by p(x - a)2 + q(y − b)2 = r where (a , b) is the centre of the ellipse and p, q, r are constants.
The longest diameter of an ellipse is called its major axis, and the shortest diameter is the minor axis; they are always perpendicular. If m is half the major axis length and n is half the minor axis length, then the area of the ellipse is pi.m.n
Formally, given fixed points A and B and a constant k, an ellipse is the set of points P such that AP + BP = k.
An ellipse can also be defined by p(x - a)2 + q(y − b)2 = r where (a , b) is the centre of the ellipse and p, q, r are constants.
The longest diameter of an ellipse is called its major axis, and the shortest diameter is the minor axis; they are always perpendicular. If m is half the major axis length and n is half the minor axis length, then the area of the ellipse is pi.m.n
Relations
- broader:
- (en) Conic section
- narrower:
- (en) Circle
- referenced:
- (en) Area of an ellipse
- (en) Directrix of an ellipse
- (en) Elliptic integral
- (en) Focus of ellipse
- (en) Major
- (en) Minor
- (en) Oval
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