- #1
nautica
Confused as why these two formulas do not match up. Or do they?
http://www.geocities.com/thesciencefiles/ellipse/facts.html
c^2=a^2-b^2
This does not seem to match up with the fact that the focal point should be 1/2 the distance of the radius of curvature.
If you make a = b in the elliptical formula, you will essentially be making a circle, and in that case the focal point would be zero or at the center according to the formula.
But this is not true, the focal point should be 1/2 the radius.
Thanks
Nautica
http://www.geocities.com/thesciencefiles/ellipse/facts.html
c^2=a^2-b^2
This does not seem to match up with the fact that the focal point should be 1/2 the distance of the radius of curvature.
If you make a = b in the elliptical formula, you will essentially be making a circle, and in that case the focal point would be zero or at the center according to the formula.
But this is not true, the focal point should be 1/2 the radius.
Thanks
Nautica