# Math Help - Ellipses - quick question

1. ## Ellipses - quick question

$x^2/2+y^2/1=1$

I'm not sure how to get $a^2$ or $b^2$ in this problem. My book shows $a^2$ as 2root2 and $b^2$ as 2 but gives no explanation as to how they got those answers. I guess my problem is really that I'm not sure how to get the major and minor axis when they aren't numbers that can easily be squared.

2. Originally Posted by symstar
(((x^2)/2)+((y^2)/1))=1
My book shows a^2 as 2root2 and b^2 as 2
If the book is correct then you have a typo in the question.
The way you have given it, then b=1.

3. That is what the book says (incidentally, this wouldn't be the first error I have found in the solution manual for this book).

The original problem is: $x^2+2y^2=2$

4. Originally Posted by symstar
That is what the book says (incidentally, this wouldn't be the first error I have found in the solution manual for this book).
The original problem is: $x^2+2y^2=2$
Then the manual has an error in it.

5. Wonderful!

Anyways: I still need help on finding the squared versions of the major and minor axis in this problem.

My understanding is in this problem:

$x^2/2+y^2/1=1$ would become $a^2=2sqrt2$ and $b^2=2sqrt1=2*1=2$

Or does $b^2$stay as $1^2$ ?

Is that correct?

6. Originally Posted by symstar
$x^2/2+y^2/1=1$ would become $a^2=2sqrt2$ and $b^2=2sqrt1=2*1=2$
Or does $b^2$stay as $1^2$ ?
I don't know what in the world all of that is about!
But in the given problem: $a^2 = 2\,\& \,b^2 = 1$.

7. Ok, I think I was partly just confusing myself a little. Thanks for your help.