# Math Help - Parametric equation of ellipse in 3d space

1. ## Parametric equation of ellipse in 3d space

ok here is the problem,
I need to draw a ellipse in 3d space, what i have for the ellipse is its r1, r2 (a, b) distances from center i also have an angle at witch the ellipse is inclined, delta.

Here is what i got in 2d for the ellipse:

x = a * cos(t)
y = b * sin(t)

what I'm obviously missing is the third dimension, any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

2. Do you want to draw the ellipse as a curve in 3d?
Or do you want to draw the natural generalisation of an ellipse to a surface in 3d?

3. Originally Posted by CodeX
ok here is the problem,
I need to draw a ellipse in 3d space, what i have for the ellipse is its r1, r2 (a, b) distances from center i also have an angle at witch the ellipse is inclined, delta.

Here is what i got in 2d for the ellipse:

x = a * cos(t)
y = b * sin(t)

what I'm obviously missing is the third dimension, any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
The angle at which the ellipse is inclined to what? Determining orientation in 3D requires 3 angles (but they are not independent: if a line makes angles $\theta$, $\phi$, and $\psi$ with the x, y, and z axes respectively, then $cos^(\theta)+ cos^2(\phi)+ cos^2(\psi)= 1$).