A line segment through a focus with endpoints on an ellipse, perpendicular to the major

Chapter 10, Problem 58

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A line segment through a focus with endpoints on an ellipse, perpendicular to the major axis, is called a latus rectum of the ellipse. So, an ellipse has two latera recta. Knowing the length of the latera recta is helpful in sketching an ellipse because this information yields other points on the curve (see figure). Show that the length of each latus rectum is \(2b^2/a\).

                                               

Text Transcription:

2b^2/a

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