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In the definition of an ellipse, what name is given to each of the two fixed points?
AEach one is called a vertex
BEach one is called a focus
CEach one is called a center
DEach one is called an axis
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Each one is called a focus
1. The two fixed points hold the string that traces the curve.
2. Each of them is called a focus, and the pair together are the foci.
3. The vertices sit at the ends of the major axis, so they are a different pair of points.
4. The center is the single midpoint of both axes, so it cannot be one of the pair.
_Source: OpenStax College Algebra (CC BY 4.0), Ch 8 "Analytic Geometry", section 8.1 The Ellipse_
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