Page 104 - Calc for the Clueless

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Sketch x /11 + y /8 = 1.
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In the case of an ellipse, the longer axis is indicated by which number is larger under x or y . That term is a .
(Try not to remember a or b—remember the picture.) This ellipse is longer in the x direction.
Letting y = 0, we get the major vertices . Letting x = 0, we get the minor vertices
. The foci are . The sketch is below.

Example 17—

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Sketch x /5 + y /26 = 1.
Major vertices: . Minor vertices: . Foci: —foci are always on the longer axis.

Example 18—

This is the same as Example 12 except that the center is no longer at the point (0,0). It is moved to the point (6,-
4). Now the major vertices are . The minor vertices are . The foci are .

Weird numbers are intentionally chosen so that you know exactly where the numbers come from.