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(Solved): Question 10 a) Show that the polar equation of an ellipse with one focus at the pole and major axis ...
Question 10 a) Show that the polar equation of an ellipse with one focus at the pole and major axis lying along the polar axis is given by
r=(a(1-e^(2)))/(1-ecos\theta )where
eis the eccentricity of the ellipse and
2ais the length of its major axis. b) The planets revolve about the sun in elliptical orbits with the sun at one focus. The points on the orbit where a planet is nearest to and farthest from the sun are called the perihelion and the aphelion of the orbit, respectively. Use the result of part (a) to show that the perihelion distance (minimum distance from the planet to the sun) is
a(1-e).
