Precalculus

Ellipse Properties

Enter the center (h, k) and the two semi-axis lengths a (x direction) and b (y direction). The calculator detects whether the major axis is horizontal or vertical, then reports the vertices, co-vertices, foci, eccentricity and area.

Ellipse Properties

Vertices, foci, eccentricity and area of an ellipse from (h, k, a, b).

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Frequently asked questions

What does eccentricity mean?

A measure of how 'squished' the ellipse is: e = c/a, where c = √(a² − b²) and a is the semi-major axis. Zero means a circle; values approaching 1 mean a very elongated ellipse.

Which axis is major?

The axis with the longer semi-length. If a > b the major axis is horizontal; if b > a it is vertical. The calculator detects this automatically.

How is the area calculated?

A = π·a·b — the product of the two semi-axes times π. It generalises the πr² formula for a circle, which is the a = b case.