1) Find the equation of an ellipse centered at the origin with major axis of length 10

lying along the x-axis and minor axis of length 6 along the y-axis.
Solution:
The major axis has length 10 along the x-axis nad is centered at (0,0), so
its
endpoints are at (-5,0) nad (5,0). Thus, a = 5. Likewise, b = 3. So the
equation of this ellipse is:
x2 y2 x2 y2
---- + ---- = 1 or ---- + ---- = 1
52 32 25 9

2) Describe the curve represented by x2 + 9y2 - 4x - 72y + 139 = 0.

Solution:
Collect together the terms involving x and those involving y and complete the
square (remember that you are looking for things like (x - h)2 and
(y - k)2).

x2 + 9y2 - 4x - 72y + 139 = 0

(x2 - 4x) + 9(y2 - 8y) + 139 = 0
(x2 - 4x + 4) -4 + 9(y2 - 8y + 16) - 9(16) + 139 = 0
(x - 2)2 + 9(y - 4)2 = 9

(x - 2)2 (y - 4)2
-------- + -------- = 1
9 1

So, (h, k) = (2, 4), a = 3 and b = 1.

Therefore, the equation represents an ellipse centered at (2,4) with major

axis parallel to the x-axis of length 6 and minor axis parallel to the y-axis
of length 2.

2) Describe the curve represented by 3x2 + 2y2 + 24x - 4y + 62 = 0.

Solution:
Proceed as before:
3x2 + 2y2 + 24x - 4y + 62 = 0
3(x2 + 8x) + 2(y2 - 2y) + 62 = 0
3(x2 + 8x + 16) - 3(16) + 2(y2 - 2y + 1) - 2(1) + 62 = 0
3(x + 4)2 + 2(y - 1)2 = -12

(x + 4)2 (y - 1)2
-------- + -------- = -2
2 3

There are no points (x, y) which satisfy this equation. The reason is that
the
left hand side is always greater than 0, no matter what x and y may be. So
the
left hand side can never equal -2. Thus, there is no curve represented by
3x2 + 2y2 + 24x - 4y + 62 = 0
There are three branches of geodesy: geometric, gravimetric, and satellite.