What does ellipse mean?

We will define the ellipse using its graph.

Answer: Basically, an ellipse is a part of the conic segment which is the intersection of a cone with a plane and it must not intersect the cone's base. Ellipse is basically the locus of a plane point in such a way that its distance from a fixed point has a constant ratio of e to its distance from a fixed line (less than 1).

Let's understand the ellipse.

Explanation:

The properties of an ellipse can be given as,

• Usually, an ellipse looks like a squashed circle and an ellipse is the locus of all points in a plane such that the sum of their distances from two fixed points in the plane, is constant.
• The two fixed points of the ellipse are called the foci or focal points, which are surrounded by the curve.
• The fixed-line of an ellipse is known as directrix and the constant ratio is known as the eccentricity of the ellipse.
• The eccentricity values of all ellipses are greater than or equal to zero and less than one and eccentricity is denoted by 'e'. 
•  In all ellipses, there is a center and a major and minor axis.

The general formula of ellipse or ellipse equation can be given as, (x²)/(a²) + (y²)/(b²) = 1

Another standard form or ellipse equation is given as, where a>b is (x²)/(b²) + (y²)/(a²) = 1

Hence, the ellipse is the locus of a plane point in such a way that its distance from a fixed point has a constant ratio of e to its distance from a fixed line (less than 1).