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Subject: "Construct a tangent to an ellipse?"

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Conferences The CTK Exchange College math Topic #631
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tonytb
Member since Jun-16-07

Jun-16-07, 04:23 PM (EST)

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"Construct a tangent to an ellipse?"

A recently mailing from MAA asked about showing the origin-focus distance was the geometric mean of lengths of the tangent to the major axis and the perpendicular segment connecting the point of tangency to the major axis. This is not difficult to establish.

Is there a construction for drawing tangents at any point on the ellipse?

Thanks.

Tonytb

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alexb
Charter Member
2024 posts

Jun-16-07, 05:54 PM (EST)

1. "RE: Construct a tangent to an ellipse?"
In response to message #0

>Is there a construction for drawing tangents at any point on
>the ellipse?

The two lines joining foci with a point on an ellipse form equal angles with the tangent at that point.

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