Q&A for How to Calculate the Area of an Ellipse

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How do I find A and B of an ellipse?

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Expert Answer

To find A, measure from the center of the ellipse to the longest edge. For B, find the length from the center to the shortest edge.

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Question

How do I calculate a half ellipse area?

Community Answer

Since we know the area of an ellipse is πab, area of half the ellipse will be (πab)/2

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What is a 3-dimensional ellipse called?

Community Answer

A 3-dimensional ellipse is called an "ellipsoid."

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Question

What is the volume of a ellipsoid?

Donagan

Top Answerer

It is (4π/3)(abc), where a, b and c are the three principal diameters of the ellipsoid.

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How should I calculate volume of half an ellipse?

Community Answer

An ellipse is 2-dimensional whereas volume is 3-dimensional. Thus, an ellipse (or half an ellipse) will never have a volume.

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Question

How do I find the area of a circle?

Donagan

Top Answerer

The area of a circle is pi multiplied by the square of the radius.

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Question

How do you determine the diameter of an ellipse?

Donagan

Top Answerer

An ellipse does not have a diameter. It has a major axis and a minor axis. These axes may be given, or they can be measured. They can also be calculated using the formulas shown at MathOpenRef.com/ellipseaxes.html.

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How do I calculate the perimeter of an ellipse?

Donagan

Top Answerer

It's complicated. See MathIsFun.com/geometry/ellipse-perimeter.html.

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What is circumference of an ellipse?

Donagan

Top Answerer

The formula is surprisingly complicated. Websearch "ellipse circumference."

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Question

What is an ellipsoid?

Donagan

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It's a three-dimensional figure generated by rotating an ellipse around one or both of its axes. It looks much like an American football.

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Question

How do I calculate an ellipsoid area?

Donagan

Top Answerer

If you want the formula for the surface area of an ellipsoid, it is complicated and beyond the scope of this Q&A platform. See "vCalc.com/wiki/vCalc/ellipsoid+-+surface+area". (If you just want the formula for the area of an ellipse, it's in the article above.)

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Why should I calculate the area of an ellipse?

Donagan

Top Answerer

There could be any number of reasons. For example, you might need to paint an elliptical floor space, and you'd have to know the area of the ellipse so you'll know how much paint to buy.

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What can be the least perimeter for a 2-dimensional area?

Donagan

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A circle has the shortest perimeter of any geometric shape for a given area.

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What is the area of a semicircle?

Donagan

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Multiply pi by the square of the radius. Then divide by 2.

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How do I find the area of an ellipse if I only know the major axis?

Donagan

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It's impossible without further information.

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Question

Are ovals and ellipses the same thing?

Donagan

Top Answerer

They are not identical. An ellipse has two focal points. An oval can have either one or two focal points.

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Can I calculate the area of the ellipse if I only know the circumference?

Donagan

Top Answerer

No. You would need other information in order to find the area. A given circumference could surround many different areas and axes.

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