Q.Find the area of the region bounded by the ellipse 16x2+9y2=1.
Concept understanding — Area of Ellipse
Area of an Ellipse
A circle of radius r has area πr2. An ellipse is a circle that has been stretched by different amounts along two perpendicular directions, so it is natural to expect its area to be a stretched version of πr2. The standard ellipse centred at the origin is
a2x2+b2y2=1,
where a is the semi-major (or semi-minor) axis along x and b is the semi-axis along y. The result we want is beautifully simple:
Area of ellipse=πab
Notice that when a=b=r the ellipse becomes a circle and πab collapses to πr2 — a good sanity check.
Finding it by integration
Because the ellipse is symmetric about both axes, we compute the area of the piece in the first quadrant and multiply by 4. Solving the equation for the upper half gives
y=b1−a2x2=aba2−x2.
As x runs from 0 to a this traces the first-quadrant arc, so
Area=4∫0aaba2−x2dx.
The integral ∫0aa2−x2dx is the area of a quarter-circle of radius a, which equals 4πa2. (You may also get it from the standard result ∫a2−x2dx=2xa2−x2+2a2sin−1ax+C.) Therefore
Area=a4b⋅4πa2=πab.
The intuition
The factor ab in front is exactly the vertical stretch that turns a circle of radius a into this ellipse: it scales every height by b/a, and scaling all heights scales the area by the same ratio. Multiplying the circle's area πa2 by b/a gives πab.
In problems you are usually handed a and b directly from the equation: read off a2 under x2 and b2 under y2, take square roots, and the area is just πab. Only fall back to full integration when a portion of the ellipse (say, a region cut off by a line) is asked for.
So the whole story is one clean formula, πab, backed by the idea that an ellipse is a uniformly stretched circle.
If you're searching for "Area of Ellipse: Definition, Formula & Real-World Examples" or preparing area-under-curve questions for CBSE Class 12 Maths, this integration-based derivation is exactly the kind of proof asked in board exams and JEE Main. The topic sits at the intersection of the NCERT Class 11 Conic Sections chapter and the Class 12 Application of Integrals chapter, so it's worth revising both syllabus sections together. Practicing "area of ellipse important questions" alongside circle-area problems is a reliable way to build integration speed for exams.
The region is an ellipse centred at the origin with semi-major axis a=4 (along x) and semi-minor axis b=3 (along y).
The area of an ellipse is given by the formula A=πab.
Substituting the values:
A=π×4×3=12π
The area of the ellipse is 12π square units.
The area of an ellipse a2x2+b2y2=1 is πab. For 16x2+9y2=1, a=4 and b=3, so the area is 12π square units.
The problem asks for the area enclosed by the ellipse 16x2+9y2=1. This is a standard result, but let's build it from first principles so you see why the formula πab works — and so you can handle any ellipse question in your exam.
An ellipse is essentially a stretched circle. If you take a circle of radius r and stretch it horizontally by a factor a/r and vertically by a factor b/r, you get an ellipse with semi-axes a and b. Since area scales by the product of the stretch factors, the area of the ellipse is πr2⋅(a/r)(b/r)=πab. That's the intuition.
Now let's do it rigorously using integration — the method your exam expects.
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Identify the semi-axes.
The given equation is 16x2+9y2=1. Comparing with the standard form a2x2+b2y2=1, we get a2=16 so a=4, and b2=9 so b=3. The ellipse is centered at the origin, symmetric about both axes.
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Set up the area using symmetry.
The ellipse is symmetric about the x-axis and the y-axis. So the total area is 4 times the area in the first quadrant.
In the first quadrant, x goes from 0 to a=4, and for each x, y goes from 0 to the upper half of the ellipse. Solve for y from the equation:
9y2=1−16x2⇒y=31−16x2=4316−x2.
So the area in the first quadrant is
∫044316−x2dx.
- Evaluate the integral. The integral ∫16−x2dx is a standard form. Use the substitution x=4sinθ, so dx=4cosθdθ. When x=0, θ=0; when x=4, θ=2π. Then
16−x2=16−16sin2θ=4cosθ.
The integral becomes
∫0π/243⋅(4cosθ)⋅(4cosθ)dθ=43⋅16∫0π/2cos2θdθ=12∫0π/2cos2θdθ.
Use the identity cos2θ=21+cos2θ:
12∫0π/221+cos2θdθ=6[θ+2sin2θ]0π/2=6(2π+0−0−0)=3π.
So the first-quadrant area is 3π.
- Multiply by 4 for the total area. Total area =4×3π=12π.
Once you know the formula πab, you can skip the integration entirely for a standard ellipse. But if the exam asks you to "find the area using integration," you must show the setup and the substitution as above.
A common mistake is to confuse a and b with the denominators. Remember: a2 is the denominator under x2, so a is the semi-major axis if a>b, but the formula πab works regardless of which is larger. Here a=4, b=3, so area is π⋅4⋅3=12π.
The area of the region bounded by the ellipse is 12π square units.
Method: Area of an ellipse by symmetry and integration
This is the technique for finding the whole area enclosed by a conic centred at the origin (ellipse or circle) using a definite integral, rather than just quoting a formula.
Steps
Step 1: Read the semi-axes off the standard form.
Write the curve as
a2x2+b2y2=1.
The number under x2 is a2 and the number under y2 is b2, so a and b are just the square roots. (For a circle a=b=r.)
Step 2: Use the two axes of symmetry.
The curve is symmetric about both the x- and y-axes, so the total area is four times the first-quadrant piece. Solve the upper half for y:
y=aba2−x2,
which runs over x from 0 to a.
Step 3: Integrate using the standard square-root form.
Set up
A=4∫0aaba2−x2dx,
and evaluate with the standard result
∫a2−x2dx=2xa2−x2+2a2sin−1ax+C.
Between 0 and a this quarter-circle integral is 4πa2, so the area collapses to A=πab (which becomes πr2 for a circle). Quote πab directly only if the question does not demand the integration steps.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using the denominators directly as a and b
A student reads 16x2+9y2=1 and writes area =π×16×9. Why it's wrong: 16 and 9 are a2 and b2, not a and b. Correct approach: take square roots first — a=16=4, b=9=3, so area =πab=12π.
Mistake 2: Forgetting the factor of 4 when integrating
When deriving the area by integration, some compute only the first-quadrant piece ∫044316−x2dx=3π and report 3π as the answer. Why it's wrong: that integral covers just one of the four symmetric quadrants. Correct approach: multiply by 4 to get 12π.
Mistake 3: Mishandling the 16−x2 integral
Students forget the standard form ∫a2−x2dx=2xa2−x2+2a2sin−1ax (or the substitution x=4sinθ) and try to integrate the square root term by term. Correct approach: use the standard result or the trig substitution — never distribute the square root over the subtraction.
- TG EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-04-FN1 markMCQQ.The area (in square units) of the quadrilateral formed by joining the focii of the two ellipses 9x2+5y2=1 and 5x2+9y2=1 is (A) 4 (B) 2 (C) 6 (D) 8
›Reveal solutionSolution
The four foci are (±2,0) and (0,±2); they form a square of area 8 — option (D).
Step 1 — Foci of the first ellipse. 9x2+5y2=1 has a2=9, b2=5, major axis along x, so c2=a2−b2=4, c=2. Foci: (±2,0).
Step 2 — Foci of the second ellipse. 5x2+9y2=1 has larger denominator under y2, so major axis along y, c2=9−5=4, c=2. Foci: (0,±2).
Step 3 — Area. The four foci (2,0),(0,2),(−2,0),(0,−2) form a square (rhombus) with perpendicular diagonals each of length 4.
Area=21d1d2=21(4)(4)=8.
✓Final answerArea =8 square units — option (D).
- TG EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-12-AN1 markMCQQ.Tangents are drawn to the ellipse 9x2+5y2=1 at all the ends of its latus recta. The area of the quadrilateral so formed (in sq. units) is (A) 27 (B) 36 (C) 42 (D) 45
›Reveal solutionSolution
The tangents at the four ends of the latus recta of an ellipse form a rhombus whose diagonals are the axes; the area is half the product of the intercepts, giving 27 square units.
Concept & Intuition
The latus rectum of an ellipse is a chord through a focus perpendicular to the major axis. Its endpoints are symmetric about both axes. Tangents at these four points will be symmetric as well, so the quadrilateral they form is actually a rhombus centered at the origin, with its diagonals along the coordinate axes. The area of such a rhombus is simply half the product of the lengths of its diagonals — which here are the intercepts cut off on the x‑axis and y‑axis by the four tangents. So we just need the equations of the tangents at one latus‑rectum endpoint, find where they hit the axes, and double appropriately.
Step‑by‑step solution
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Identify the ellipse parameters
The ellipse is 9x2+5y2=1.
So a2=9⇒a=3, b2=5⇒b=5.
Eccentricity: e=1−a2b2=1−95=94=32.
Foci are at (±ae,0)=(±2,0).
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Endpoints of the latus recta
For the right focus (2,0), the latus rectum is the vertical line x=2.
Substitute into the ellipse: 94+5y2=1⇒5y2=95⇒y2=925⇒y=±35.
So the four endpoints are:
(2,35),(2,−35),(−2,35),(−2,−35).
- Equation of the tangent at one endpoint For an ellipse a2x2+b2y2=1, the tangent at (x1,y1) is
a2xx1+b2yy1=1.
Take (x1,y1)=(2,35). Then
9x⋅2+5y⋅35=1⇒92x+3y=1.
Multiply by 9: 2x+3y=9.
So the tangent line is 2x+3y=9.
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Find the intercepts of this tangent
- x‑intercept (set y=0): 2x=9⇒x=29.
- y‑intercept (set x=0): 3y=9⇒y=3.
By symmetry, the tangent at (2,−35) will be 2x−3y=9, giving x‑intercept 29 and y‑intercept −3.
The tangents at the left‑side endpoints (−2,±35) will be −2x±3y=9, giving x‑intercept −29 and y‑intercepts ±3.
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Shape of the quadrilateral
The four tangents are:
2x+3y=9,2x−3y=9,−2x+3y=9,−2x−3y=9.
These are four lines symmetric about both axes. They intersect pairwise to form a rhombus whose vertices lie on the axes:
- On the positive x‑axis: intersection of 2x+3y=9 and 2x−3y=9 gives y=0, x=29.
- On the negative x‑axis: intersection of −2x+3y=9 and −2x−3y=9 gives x=−29.
- On the positive y‑axis: intersection of 2x+3y=9 and −2x+3y=9 gives x=0, y=3.
- On the negative y‑axis: intersection of 2x−3y=9 and −2x−3y=9 gives y=−3.
So the diagonals of the rhombus lie along the axes:
- Horizontal diagonal length = 29−(−29)=9.
- Vertical diagonal length = 3−(−3)=6.
- Area of the rhombus Area = 21×(product of diagonals)=21×9×6=27.
TipYou don’t need to find all four intersection points. Because of symmetry, the quadrilateral is a rhombus with axes as diagonals. The intercepts of any one tangent give half of each diagonal.
Watch outA common mistake is to think the quadrilateral is a rectangle or square. The tangents are not perpendicular to each other; they form a rhombus, not a rectangle. Always check symmetry.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (A).
ANSWER: A
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- TG EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-05-AN1 markMCQQ.If a circle (x−1)2+y2=r2 touches the ellipse x2+4y2=16 internally, then r= (A) 311 (B) 311 (C) 215 (D) 2
›Reveal solutionSolution
The circle is centred at (1,0) and must lie entirely inside the ellipse, touching it at exactly one point. The condition for internal tangency is that the distance from the circle’s centre to the ellipse, along the line joining their centres, equals r. Solving gives r=311, which is option (A).
The key idea: a circle touching an ellipse internally means the circle lies completely inside the ellipse and meets it at exactly one point. For a circle centred at (1,0), the ellipse is centred at (0,0) with semi-axes 4 (along x) and 2 (along y). Since the circle’s centre is on the x-axis, the point of tangency will also lie on the x-axis — the line joining the centres is the natural direction for the shortest distance from the centre to the ellipse.
-
Write the ellipse in standard form.
x2+4y2=16 becomes 16x2+4y2=1. So a=4, b=2.
-
Identify the geometry of internal tangency.
The circle (x−1)2+y2=r2 has centre C=(1,0). For internal tangency, the circle must be inside the ellipse, so the distance from C to the ellipse along the x-axis (the line through both centres) must equal r. The ellipse extends from x=−4 to x=4 on the x-axis. Since C is at x=1, the nearest point on the ellipse to the right is at x=4 — but that’s too far. Actually, the point of tangency will be somewhere between C and the ellipse’s boundary on the same side.
Because the circle’s centre is inside the ellipse (check: 12+0<16), the circle can expand until it just touches the ellipse from inside. The tangency point lies on the line joining the centres — here the x-axis — so let the point be (x0,0) on the ellipse. Then x02=16, so x0=4 or x0=−4. But C is at x=1, so the nearer boundary is x=4. That would give r=4−1=3, which is not among the options. So the tangency is not at the vertex — it occurs at some other point where the circle’s curvature matches the ellipse’s curvature? No, that’s for osculating circles. For simple tangency, the condition is that the circle and ellipse share a common tangent at the point of contact.
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Set up the tangency condition.
Let the point of contact be (x1,y1) on the ellipse. Then:
- It lies on the ellipse: x12+4y12=16.
- It lies on the circle: (x1−1)2+y12=r2.
- The gradients (slopes of tangents) are equal at that point.
For the ellipse x2+4y2=16, differentiate implicitly: 2x+8yy′=0⇒y′=−4yx.
For the circle (x−1)2+y2=r2, differentiate: 2(x−1)+2yy′=0⇒y′=−yx−1.
Equate slopes at (x1,y1):
−4y1x1=−y1x1−1
Assuming y1=0, multiply both sides by −y1:
4x1=x1−1
Multiply by 4: x1=4x1−4⇒3x1=4⇒x1=34.
- Find y1 from the ellipse. Substitute x1=34 into x12+4y12=16:
916+4y12=16⇒4y12=16−916=9144−16=9128
y12=36128=932⇒y1=±342
- Find r from the circle equation. Using (x1−1)2+y12=r2:
x1−1=34−1=31
So (x1−1)2=91, and y12=932.
Hence r2=91+932=933=311.
Therefore r=311.
Watch outA common mistake is to assume the tangency occurs at the ellipse’s vertex (4,0), giving r=3. But that would mean the circle’s centre is at (1,0) and radius 3 — the circle would then extend to x=4 and x=−2, but at x=−2 the ellipse’s y-coordinate is 3, and the circle’s y at x=−2 is 9−9=0, so the circle does not actually touch the ellipse there — it would intersect elsewhere. The correct tangency point is not at the vertex.
TipThe slope equality condition is powerful: for two curves to be tangent, their derivatives must match at the common point. This gives a simple algebraic relation that bypasses messy distance minimisation.
✓Final answerThe value is 311, which corresponds to option (A).
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- TG EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-09-AN1 markMCQQ.The equations of the directrices of the ellipse 9x2+4y2−18x−16y−11=0 are (A) y=2±59 (B) x=1±56 (C) x=2±59 (D) y=1±56
›Reveal solutionSolution
The ellipse is vertical, centered at (1,2), with semi-major axis a=3 and semi-minor axis b=2. The directrices are horizontal lines y=2±ea=2±59, so the correct option is (A).
We start with the given equation:
9x2+4y2−18x−16y−11=0
This is a quadratic in x and y with both squared terms positive, so it’s an ellipse. The key is to rewrite it in standard form by completing the square — that reveals the center, orientation, and lengths of axes, which then give the directrices.
1. Complete the square for x and y.
Group the x terms and y terms:
(9x2−18x)+(4y2−16y)=11
Factor out the coefficients of the squares:
9(x2−2x)+4(y2−4y)=11
Complete each square:
- For x2−2x: add and subtract 1 → (x−1)2−1
- For y2−4y: add and subtract 4 → (y−2)2−4
Substitute:
9[(x−1)2−1]+4[(y−2)2−4]=11
9(x−1)2−9+4(y−2)2−16=11
9(x−1)2+4(y−2)2=36
Divide through by 36:
4(x−1)2+9(y−2)2=1
2. Identify the orientation and parameters.
The standard form is b2(x−h)2+a2(y−k)2=1 with a>b for a vertical major axis.
Here:
- Center: (h,k)=(1,2)
- a2=9 → a=3 (semi-major axis, along y-direction)
- b2=4 → b=2 (semi-minor axis, along x-direction)
Since the larger denominator is under the y-term, the major axis is vertical.
3. Find the eccentricity e.
For an ellipse, e=1−a2b2:
e=1−94=95=35
4. Determine the directrices.
For a vertical ellipse, the directrices are horizontal lines given by:
y=k±ea
Substitute k=2, a=3, e=35:
ea=5/33=59
So the directrices are:
y=2±59
Watch outA common mistake is to confuse which axis the directrices are perpendicular to. For a vertical major axis, directrices are horizontal lines (constant y), not vertical. Also, don’t swap a and b: here a=3, not 2.
TipThe directrix formula y=k±a/e is easy to remember if you think: the foci are at k±ae, and the directrices are farther out by a factor of 1/e2 — but the simplest is just to recall the definition: directrix distance from center is a/e.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (A).
ANSWER: A
- TG EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-03-FN1 markMCQQ.If the perpendicular distance from the focus of an ellipse 9x2+b2y2=1 (b<3) to its corresponding directrix is 54, then the slope of the tangent to this ellipse drawn at (23,2b) is (A) −23 (B) 32 (C) 23 (D) −32
›Reveal solutionSolution
The focus–directrix distance ea−ae=54 with a=3 forces e=35 and hence b=2. Differentiating 9x2+4y2=1 at (23,2) gives slope −32 — option (D).
The concept first
For a2x2+b2y2=1 with b<a, the foci sit at (±ae,0) and the corresponding directrices at x=±ea (the directrix on the same side as its focus). So the perpendicular distance from a focus to its own directrix is
ea−ae=ea(1−e2)=aeb2.
That single relation contains everything the question hides: it pins down e, and e pins down b.
Step-by-step
Step 1 — set up the focus–directrix equation. Here a2=9⇒a=3:
e3−3e=54.
Multiply through by 5e:
35−35e2=4e⟹35e2+4e−35=0.
Step 2 — solve for e.
e=2⋅35−4±16+4⋅35⋅35=65−4±16+180=65−4±14.
Eccentricity is positive, so e=6510=355=35.
Step 3 — get b.
b2=a2(1−e2)=9(1−95)=4⟹b=2,
and indeed b=2<3, the condition stated in the question. The ellipse is
9x2+4y2=1.
Step 4 — check the point lies on it. The point is (23,2b)=(23,22):
99/2+44/2=21+21=1 ✓
Step 5 — differentiate implicitly for the slope.
92x+42y⋅dxdy=0⟹dxdy=−9y4x.
At (23,22),
dxdy=−9⋅224⋅23=−18/212/2=−1812=−32.
The point lies in the first quadrant on the falling part of the ellipse, so a negative slope is exactly what you should expect — that alone rules out (B) and (C).
✓Final answerWith e=35 and b=2, the tangent at (23,22) has slope −32, so the correct option is (D).
ANSWER: D
- TG EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-04-AN1 markMCQQ.P is a point on the conic a2x2+b2y2=a2(a2+b2−y2) and S is a focus of that conic. M is the foot of the perpendicular from P on to a directrix of that conic nearer to S. If PM = KSP, then K = (A) a2+b2b (B) ba2+b2 (C) a2+b2a (D) aa2+b2
›Reveal solutionSolution
The given equation simplifies to an ellipse. Using the ellipse’s focus-directrix property, the ratio SP/PM equals the eccentricity e, so K=1/e. The eccentricity is b/a2+b2, hence K=a2+b2/b.
First, we need to identify the conic. The equation is
a2x2+b2y2=a2(a2+b2−y2).
Expand the right-hand side:
a2x2+b2y2=a4+a2b2−a2y2.
Bring all terms to one side:
a2x2+b2y2+a2y2=a4+a2b2.
Factor y2:
a2x2+(b2+a2)y2=a2(a2+b2).
Divide through by a2(a2+b2):
a2+b2x2+a2y2=1.
This is an ellipse centred at the origin, with semi-major axis along the x-axis of length a2+b2 and semi-minor axis along the y-axis of length a.
Watch outDon’t confuse the roles of a and b here — the standard ellipse form is A2x2+B2y2=1 with A>B. Here A=a2+b2 and B=a, so A>B as long as b=0.
Now, for an ellipse A2x2+B2y2=1 with A>B, the eccentricity is
e=1−A2B2=1−a2+b2a2=a2+b2b2=a2+b2b.
The foci are at (±Ae,0)=(±a2+b2⋅a2+b2b,0)=(±b,0).
The directrices are the lines x=±eA=±b/a2+b2a2+b2=±ba2+b2.
The focus S is one of (±b,0); the nearer directrix to S is the one on the same side of the centre. For S=(b,0), the nearer directrix is x=ba2+b2.
Now, the defining property of an ellipse: for any point P on the ellipse, the distance to a focus S divided by the perpendicular distance to the corresponding directrix equals the eccentricity e:
PMSP=e,
where M is the foot of the perpendicular from P onto that directrix.
The problem states PM=K⋅SP, i.e. PMSP=K1.
Comparing with the ellipse property, PMSP=e, so
K1=e⇒K=e1.
Since e=a2+b2b, we get
K=ba2+b2.
TipThe focus-directrix property is the fastest route — no need to compute coordinates of P or distances explicitly. The ratio SP/PM is constant for the whole conic, equal to e.
✓Final answerThe value of K is ba2+b2, which corresponds to option (B).
- TG EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-20-FN1 markMCQQ.Let e1 be the eccentricity of a hyperbola for which distance between its focii is 2 times the distance between its directrices and e2 be the eccentricity of another hyperbola for which the length of its transverse axis is twice the length of its the conjugate axis. Then e1e2= (A) 1 (B) 210 (C) 5 (D) 25
›Reveal solutionSolution
The problem gives two separate hyperbolas with different conditions. For the first, the relation between foci and directrices yields e1=2. For the second, the transverse axis being twice the conjugate axis gives e2=5/2. Their product is 10/2, which is option (B).
The key here is to recall the standard definitions and parameters of a hyperbola. Every hyperbola has a transverse axis (length 2a), a conjugate axis (length 2b), foci at distance c from the centre, and directrices at distance a/e from the centre. The eccentricity e is defined by c=ae, and the relation c2=a2+b2 always holds. The distance between the two foci is 2c, and the distance between the two directrices is 2a/e.
Once you translate each condition into an equation involving a, b, c, and e, the eccentricities come out cleanly.
- First hyperbola: The distance between its foci is 2c. The distance between its directrices is 2a/e1. The condition says 2c=2×(2a/e1), i.e. c=2a/e1. But we also know c=ae1. Equate:
ae1=e12a
Cancel a (non-zero) and multiply: e12=2, so e1=2 (eccentricity is positive).
- Second hyperbola: The length of the transverse axis is 2a, and the length of the conjugate axis is 2b. The condition says 2a=2×(2b), i.e. a=2b. Using c2=a2+b2, substitute b=a/2:
c2=a2+4a2=45a2
So c=2a5. Then e2=c/a=5/2.
- Product:
e1e2=2×25=210
Watch outA common mistake is to confuse the distance between directrices with the distance from centre to a directrix. The directrices are two lines symmetric about the centre, so the gap between them is 2a/e, not a/e.
✓Final answerThe value is 210, which corresponds to option (B).
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