Question

The figure shows the elliptical orbit of Mars, where each unit of the coordinate plane represents 1 million kilometers. As shown, the planet's maximum distance from the sun is 249 million kilometers and its minimum distance from the Sun is 207 million kilometers. The Sun is at one focus of the ellipse and the center of the ellipse is at (0, 0). The coordinates of the Sun are (?, 0). (Hint: Find the x-coordinate of the Sun.)

Answer 1

The sun is at the major axis of the ellipse.
The length of the major axis = 249 + 207 = 456 million kilometers.
Major radius of the ellipse = 456/2 = 228 million kilometers.
Position of the sun = 228 - 207 = 21 million kilometers.

Therefore, the coordinates of the Sun are (-21, 0)