The distance between the foci of an ellipse can be found using the formula:
c = √(a^2 - b^2)
Where a is the length of the semi-major axis and b is the length of the semi-minor axis. The distance between the foci is equal to two times c.
In this case, the length of the major axis is 34 feet, so the length of the semi-major axis is 17 feet. The length of the minor axis is 16 feet, so the length of the semi-minor axis is 8 feet.
Using the formula above, we can find the distance between the foci:
c = √(17^2 - 8^2) = √225 = 15
Therefore, the distance between the foci is twice c:
2c = 2(15) = 30 feet.
So, the foci are 30 feet apart.
How far apart are the foci of an ellipse with a major axis of 34 feet and a minor axis of 16 feet?
1 answer