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Forum URL: http://www.cut-the-knot.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/forumctk.cgi
Forum Name: High school
Topic ID: 151
Message ID: 2
#2, RE: foci
Posted by stapel on Apr-12-02 at 12:16 PM
In response to message #0
Given the equation of an ellipse in "center" form:

(x - h)2/a2 + (y - k)2/b2 = 1

...the center is (h, k) and the foci are the points (-c, 0) and (c, 0), where:

c2 = a2 - b2

Note: This assumes that the major axis is on the x-axis. If the major axis is on the y-axis, then switch "a" and "b".