Two tangent points of two lines from (0,0) to an ellipse

In summary, you need to solve equations 1 and 4 to get the x and y coordinates of the two points of tangency for the ellipse.
  • #1
hill0093
2
0
How do I find the two tangent points of two lines from (0,0) to an ellipse?

We have 2 equations, a general ellipse and it differentiated:
1: A*x*x+B*x*y+C*y*y+D*x+E*y+F=0 is an ellipse if B*B-4*A*C<0.
Differentiating, 2: 2*A*x+B*x*dy/dx+B*y+2*C*y*dy/dx+D+E*dy/dx=0.

If F<0, ellipse not on (0,0), line from (0,0) tangent to ellipse is:
3: y=dy/dx*x where dy/dx is that of the ellipse. So 3:dy/dx=y/x.

Rearranging equation 2:
2: dy/dx=-(2*A*x+B*y+D)/(2*C*y+B*x+E).

Combining equation 2 with equation 3:
4: 2*(A*x*x+B*x*y+C*y*y)+D*x+E*y=0.

But we haven't satisfied the ellipse equation 1 yet so
Solving equations 1 and 4 together,
(D*x+E*y)/2+F=0, but that's not a tangent-point solution.

How do I get the two solutions of equations 1 and 4?
Did I make a mistake, or am I doing it wrong?
 
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  • #2
There is nothing wrong and you have done extremely well! Now, solve that equation for, say, y and put it into your original equation for the ellipse. That will give you a quadratic equation for x, giving the x coordinate of the two points of tangency.
 
  • #3
Solving equations 1 and 4 together,
5: (D*x+E*y)/2+F=0, a line not a tangent-point solution.
Rearranging by writing y as a function of x,
5: y=-(x*D/E+2*F/E) and y*y=((D*D/(E*E))*x*x+2*D*F/(E*E)*x+4*F*F/(E*E)

Substituting into the ellipse equation 1,
6: A*x*x-B*x*(x*D/E+2*F/E)+C*(((D*D/(E*E))*x*x+2*D*F/(E*E)*x+4*F*F/(E*E))+D*x-E*(x*D/E+2*F/E)+F=0
Collecting terms for a quadratic to solve using x=(-b+-sqrt(b*b-4*a*c))/(2*a),
6: (A-B*D/E+C*D*D/(E*E))x*x+2*(C*D*F/(E*E)-B*F/E)*x+(4*F*F/E-F)=0

I Used the quadratic formula and got two points that I will
check when I plot and give thus verified code then.

I also need ellipse tangency points of the two tangent circles about (0,0),
but will also have to work on that later, and that is more difficult.
Anyone have the solutions.
 

Related to Two tangent points of two lines from (0,0) to an ellipse

1. What is an ellipse?

An ellipse is a shape that resembles a flattened circle. It has two focal points, or foci, and all points on the ellipse are equidistant from these two foci. It can also be defined as the locus of all points where the sum of the distances from the two foci is constant.

2. How can two tangent points be drawn from (0,0) to an ellipse?

In order to draw two tangent points from (0,0) to an ellipse, the ellipse must be centered at the origin (0,0) and one of its axes must be aligned with the x-axis. This ensures that the ellipse has a symmetrical shape and allows for the drawing of two tangent points from the origin to the ellipse.

3. How are the tangent points of two lines from (0,0) to an ellipse calculated?

The tangent points of two lines from (0,0) to an ellipse can be calculated using the equation of the ellipse and the equation of a line. The equation of the ellipse is x^2/a^2 + y^2/b^2 = 1, where a and b are the semi-major and semi-minor axes, respectively. The equation of a line passing through (0,0) is y = mx, where m is the slope. By setting these two equations equal to each other, the values of x and y for the tangent points can be solved for.

4. Can there be more than two tangent points from (0,0) to an ellipse?

No, there can only be two tangent points from (0,0) to an ellipse. This is because the ellipse is symmetrical and the two tangent points are located on either side of the origin, resulting in a total of two tangent points.

5. What is the significance of the tangent points of two lines from (0,0) to an ellipse?

The tangent points of two lines from (0,0) to an ellipse are important in geometry and have practical applications in fields such as engineering and astronomy. They can be used to determine the angle of intersection between the lines and the ellipse, as well as the point of intersection between the lines and the ellipse.

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