Angle of Ellipse? What is the angle of an ellipse and how can it be calculated?

In summary, the conversation revolved around finding the angle of an ellipse and the center of an ellipse inside a given quadrilateral. The participants discussed different ways to find the angle and center, such as using the equation of the ellipse and specifying the characteristics of the quadrilateral. The conversation ended with the person asking for help providing the coordinates of the vertices of the quadrilateral and asking for a method to plot the ellipse inside it.
  • #1
optics.tech
79
1
Hi everyone,

As I wasn't able to find it within my calculus book, can someone master here please tell me is there any way to find the angle of ellipse?

Thank you

Huygen
 
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  • #2
optics.tech said:
Hi everyone,

As I wasn't able to find it within my calculus book, can someone master here please tell me is there any way to find the angle of ellipse?

Thank you

Huygen

What does that mean to you, "the angle of an ellipse" ? Your question is too vague to answer.

If you mean the tangent at any point on the ellipse, then that's trivial.
 
  • #3
What information do you have about the ellipse? Maybe you have its equation and you want to know the angle of the axis?
 
  • #4
Generally, the "zero degree" point on an ellipse is taken as the periapse, which is the point on the ellipse closest to one of the two focus points. The angular position is then generally referred to as the "True Anomaly", which is the angle between two lines, the first being from the focus to the periapse; the second being from that same focus to the point on the ellipse in question.

hth
 
  • #5
Forget my previous question.

Now, I would like to ask again, if possible, can someone here please tell me how to find the center of ellipse in a given quadrilateral, which the ellipse is lying inside the quadrilateral and tangent to the four sides of the quadrilateral?
 
  • #6
optics.tech said:
Forget my previous question.

Now, I would like to ask again, if possible, can someone here please tell me how to find the center of ellipse in a given quadrilateral, which the ellipse is lying inside the quadrilateral and tangent to the four sides of the quadrilateral?

You have to specify exactly the characteristics of the quadrilateral. For example if the ellipse is inside a rectangle AND their axes coincide, then they have the same center.
 
  • #7
You have to specify exactly the characteristics of the quadrilateral. For example if the ellipse is inside a rectangle AND their axes coincide, then they have the same center.

What about this (please see attached image)?

This ellipse looks tangent to all of the three triangle edges, but it seems the ellipse center and the triangle center is not coinciding?
 

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  • #8
optics.tech said:
What about this (please see attached image)?

This ellipse looks tangent to all of the three triangle edges, but it seems the ellipse center and the triangle center is not coinciding?
He said "rectangle", not "triangle".

As to your original question, I don't have an answer, but I'll point out that it is not always possible to construct an ellipse tangent to all four sides of a quadrilateral.
 
  • #9
optics.tech said:
What about this (please see attached image)?

This ellipse looks tangent to all of the three triangle edges, but it seems the ellipse center and the triangle center is not coinciding?

Fellow, you are really not doing well here. First you post a question with insufficient information for there to be an answer then you abandon it. Then you post a question about quadrilaters but don't specify ANY of their characteristics, then you respond to my quadrilateral answer with a question that is NOT even a quatrilateral, it a tri-lateral (more commonly called a triangle).

Try asking a meaningful question with enough information for there to be a meaningful answer and perhaps someone will be able to help you. I'm not going to try any further.
 
  • #10
Fellow, you are really not doing well here. First you post a question with insufficient information for there to be an answer then you abandon it. Then you post a question about quadrilaters but don't specify ANY of their characteristics, then you respond to my quadrilateral answer with a question that is NOT even a quatrilateral, it a tri-lateral (more commonly called a triangle).

Try asking a meaningful question with enough information for there to be a meaningful answer and perhaps someone will be able to help you. I'm not going to try any further.

I am sorry...

Why I replace the quadrilateral with the triangle in my previous question is, because I can not find the center of the quadrilateral by drawing compared to the regular rectangle which is relative simple to find its center by drawing.

Also, what properties of the quadrilateral or tri-lateral is required?
 
  • #11
optics.tech said:
Also, what properties of the quadrilateral or tri-lateral is required?
Well, for instance, if you could give the coordinates of all four vertices that should be enough information to uniquely determine the answer (if there is one). However, this is an unusual enough question that I doubt anyone will know the answer off the top of their heads. It also looks to me like it would take a fair amount of work to solve. So, you may be stuck with figuring it out yourself.

May I ask why you need to know this? Do you need the answer for a completely general tetralateral? If, for instance, you were really only interested in trapezoids, it would become a lot easier.
 
  • #12
Well, for instance, if you could give the coordinates of all four vertices that should be enough information to uniquely determine the answer (if there is one). However, this is an unusual enough question that I doubt anyone will know the answer off the top of their heads. It also looks to me like it would take a fair amount of work to solve. So, you may be stuck with figuring it out yourself.

May I ask why you need to know this? Do you need the answer for a completely general tetralateral? If, for instance, you were really only interested in trapezoids, it would become a lot easier.

OK, let the four cartesian point of the vertex of the quadrilateral be A(0,0), B(2,0), C(2,1), D(-1,2).

How can I find the center point of an ellipse and plot it inside above quadrilateral which tangent to the four edge of it (the quadrilateral)?
 
  • #13
optics.tech said:
OK, let the four cartesian point of the vertex of the quadrilateral be A(0,0), B(2,0), C(2,1), D(-1,2).

How can I find the center point of an ellipse and plot it inside above quadrilateral which tangent to the four edge of it (the quadrilateral)?
May I ask why you need to know this? Do you need the answer for a completely general tetralateral? If, for instance, you were really only interested in trapezoids, it would become a lot easier.
 
  • #14
May I ask why you need to know this?

I would like to know more about an ellipse property.

Do you need the answer for a completely general tetralateral?

Does tetralateral is similar with quadrilateral, more or less?

If yes, then the answer is yes.

If, for instance, you were really only interested in trapezoids, it would become a lot easier.

Very well then, trapezoid is OK.

Just use the property (cartesian point) I post on my previous answer.
 
  • #15
optics.tech said:
I would like to know more about an ellipse property.
So, just curiosity? In that case, I think you'll get more out of it if you figure it out yourself.

You do realize, as I mentioned earlier, that answering your question would be a great deal of work for someone? It seems most appropriate that the someone be you.

Does tetralateral is similar with quadrilateral, more or less?
Yes -- sorry. That's what I meant.

Very well then, trapezoid is OK.

Just use the property (cartesian point) I post on my previous answer.
The points in your previous post do not describe a trapezoid.
 
  • #16
The points in your previous post do not describe a trapezoid.

OK, let the cartesian point of the trapezoid be A(0,0), B(3,0), C(3,1), D(1,1).
 
  • #17
Good. You have a way to unambiguously define a quadrilateral, and you have chosen one. Next question I would ask: how do you define a specific ellipse?
 
  • #18
Good. You have a way to unambiguously define a quadrilateral, and you have chosen one.

OK.

Next question I would ask: how do you define a specific ellipse?

What do you ask me back as I ask it in this discussion?

I don't know.
 
  • #19
optics.tech said:
What do you ask me back as I ask it in this discussion?
I already explained why. You are asking for a whole lot of work to be done. You have given no reason for anyone to do this work, except to satisfy your curiosity. Therefore, it seems clear to me that YOU are the person who should be doing most of the work.

I don't know.
Well THINK about it, for Pete's sake. Have an idea or two!
 

FAQ: Angle of Ellipse? What is the angle of an ellipse and how can it be calculated?

What is the angle of an ellipse?

The angle of an ellipse refers to the angle at which the major axis of the ellipse is tilted or inclined from the horizontal axis. It is measured in degrees and can range from 0° (when the major axis is horizontal) to 90° (when the major axis is vertical).

How is the angle of an ellipse calculated?

The angle of an ellipse can be calculated using the formula tanθ = b/a, where θ is the angle, b is the length of the minor axis, and a is the length of the major axis. Alternatively, it can also be calculated using the eccentricity of the ellipse, which is equal to the distance between the foci divided by the length of the major axis. The angle can then be found using the formula θ = tan^-1(e).

What is the significance of the angle of an ellipse?

The angle of an ellipse is significant because it determines the shape and orientation of the ellipse. It also affects the way in which the ellipse is viewed or projected in different perspectives. The angle can also provide information about the eccentricity and orientation of the orbit of a planet or satellite.

Can the angle of an ellipse change over time?

Yes, the angle of an ellipse can change over time. This can occur due to external forces such as the gravitational pull of other celestial bodies, or due to internal forces such as the spin of a planet or satellite. The angle of an ellipse can also change due to the process of precession, which is the gradual rotation of the axis of an elliptical orbit.

How is the angle of an ellipse used in real-world applications?

The angle of an ellipse is used in various fields such as astronomy, engineering, and physics. In astronomy, it is used to study the orbits of planets and satellites. In engineering, it is used in designing elliptical shapes for objects such as mirrors and lenses. In physics, it is used to understand the motion of objects in elliptical orbits and to calculate their trajectories.

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