How do you find the foci for 4x^2 + 20y^2 = 80?

1 Answer

The foci are;
+-4,0

Explanation:

4x^2+20y^2=80

x^2/(1/4)+y^2/(1/20)=80

x^2/(80xx1/4)+y^2/(80xx1/20)=1

x^2/20+y^2/4=1

Standard form of the ellipse

x^2/a^2+y^2/b^2=1

a^2=20->a=sqrt(20)=2sqrt5

b^2=4->b=2

Further, in conic sections related to ellipse

b^2=a^2(1-e^2)

4=20(1-e^2)

4/20=1-e^2

1/5=1-e^2

e^2=1-1/5

e^2=4/5

e=2/sqrt5

The foci are,

(+-ae,0)

+-2sqrt5xx2/sqrt5,0

+-4,0