Ellipse Calculator

Ellipse Calculator

Compute area, perimeter approximation, focal distance, and eccentricity of an ellipse.

Last updated: June 2026 | By Patchworkr Team

Ellipse Dimensions
Ellipse Properties

Enter both semi-axes as real numbers.

What is an Ellipse?

An ellipse has semi-major axis a and semi-minor axis b, with a >= b.

Area = piab
c = sqrt(a^2 - b^2)
eccentricity = c / a

How to Use

1. Enter the semi-major axis a and the semi-minor axis b.

2. Keep a greater than or equal to b so the focal-distance formula is valid.

3. Read the live area, perimeter approximation, and eccentricity.

Worked Example

For a = 5 and b = 3:

area = pi * 5 * 3 = 15pi

c = sqrt(25 - 9) = 4

FAQ

Why must a be at least b?

Because a is the semi-major axis and the focal-distance formula uses sqrt(a^2 - b^2).

What is the perimeter value?

It uses Ramanujan’s approximation, which is accurate for most practical cases.

What if a equals b?

The ellipse becomes a circle, with c = 0 and eccentricity 0.

Can the axes be decimal values?

Yes, as long as they are finite positive numbers.

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