Enter the length of the major and minor axes into the calculator to determine the area of an ellipse.
Area of Ellipse Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the area of an ellipse.
A = π * a * b
Variables:
- A is the area of the ellipse
- a is the length of the major axis
- b is the length of the minor axis
To calculate the area of an ellipse, multiply the length of the major axis (a) by the length of the minor axis (b) and then multiply by π (pi).
What is an Ellipse?
An ellipse is a curve on a plane surrounding two focal points such that the sum of the distances to the two focal points is constant for every point on the curve. In simpler terms, it is a shape that resembles a flattened circle. Ellipses are important in physics, astronomy, and engineering, and understanding their properties, such as area, is crucial in these fields.
How to Calculate the Area of an Ellipse?
The following steps outline how to calculate the area of an ellipse.
- First, measure the length of the major axis (a).
- Next, measure the length of the minor axis (b).
- Use the formula A = π * a * b to calculate the area (A).
- Enter the values of a and b into the calculator to get the area.
Example Problem :
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
major axis (a) = 5 units
minor axis (b) = 3 units
Using the formula A = π * a * b, the area of the ellipse is:
A = π * 5 * 3 = 15π ≈ 47.12 square units