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Ellipse: JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026)

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JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026): 
Ellipse  
 
(January 2026) 
Q1: An ellipse has its center at (1, -2), one focus at (3, -2) and one vertex at (5, 
-2). Then the length of its latus rectum is: 
A: 6 
B: 6v3 
C: 16/v3 
D: 4v3 
Answer: A 
Explanation: 
Given 
Center of ellipse : (1, -2) 
Focus : (3, -2) 
Vertex : (5, -2) 
 
The center, focus, and vertex all have the same y-coordinate (-2), which means the 
major axis of the ellipse is horizontal (parallel to the x-axis). 
Find a (semi-major axis) 
Distance from center to vertex : 
a = |5 - 1| = 4 
Page 2


JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026): 
Ellipse  
 
(January 2026) 
Q1: An ellipse has its center at (1, -2), one focus at (3, -2) and one vertex at (5, 
-2). Then the length of its latus rectum is: 
A: 6 
B: 6v3 
C: 16/v3 
D: 4v3 
Answer: A 
Explanation: 
Given 
Center of ellipse : (1, -2) 
Focus : (3, -2) 
Vertex : (5, -2) 
 
The center, focus, and vertex all have the same y-coordinate (-2), which means the 
major axis of the ellipse is horizontal (parallel to the x-axis). 
Find a (semi-major axis) 
Distance from center to vertex : 
a = |5 - 1| = 4 
Find c (distance from center to focus) 
c = |3 - 1| = 2 
Find b using ellipse relation 
c² = a² - b² 
? 2² = 4² - b² 
? 4 = 16 - b² 
? b² = 12 
? b = 2v3 
Length of latus rectum 
For an ellipse : 
Length of latus rectum = 2b²/a 
= 2(12)/4 = 6 
 
Q2: Let the length of the latus rectum of an ellipse x²/a² + y²/b² = 1, (a > b), be 30. If 
its eccentricity is the maximum value of the function 
is equal to 
A: 276 
B: 516 
C: 256 
D: 496 
Answer: D 
Explanation: 
Page 3


JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026): 
Ellipse  
 
(January 2026) 
Q1: An ellipse has its center at (1, -2), one focus at (3, -2) and one vertex at (5, 
-2). Then the length of its latus rectum is: 
A: 6 
B: 6v3 
C: 16/v3 
D: 4v3 
Answer: A 
Explanation: 
Given 
Center of ellipse : (1, -2) 
Focus : (3, -2) 
Vertex : (5, -2) 
 
The center, focus, and vertex all have the same y-coordinate (-2), which means the 
major axis of the ellipse is horizontal (parallel to the x-axis). 
Find a (semi-major axis) 
Distance from center to vertex : 
a = |5 - 1| = 4 
Find c (distance from center to focus) 
c = |3 - 1| = 2 
Find b using ellipse relation 
c² = a² - b² 
? 2² = 4² - b² 
? 4 = 16 - b² 
? b² = 12 
? b = 2v3 
Length of latus rectum 
For an ellipse : 
Length of latus rectum = 2b²/a 
= 2(12)/4 = 6 
 
Q2: Let the length of the latus rectum of an ellipse x²/a² + y²/b² = 1, (a > b), be 30. If 
its eccentricity is the maximum value of the function 
is equal to 
A: 276 
B: 516 
C: 256 
D: 496 
Answer: D 
Explanation: 
 
= (16)² + 15 × 16 
= 256 + 240 = 496 
 
Q3: Let each of the two ellipses E 1 : x²/a² + y²/b² = 1, (a > b) and E 2 : x²/A² + y²/B² = 
1, (A < B) have eccentricity 4/5. Let the lengths of the latus recta of E 1 and E 2 be l 1 
and l 2, respectively, such that 2l 1² = 9l 2. If the distance between the foci of E 1 is 8, 
then the distance between the foci of E 2 is 
A: 96/5 
B: 8/5 
C: 16/5 
D: 32/5 
Page 4


JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026): 
Ellipse  
 
(January 2026) 
Q1: An ellipse has its center at (1, -2), one focus at (3, -2) and one vertex at (5, 
-2). Then the length of its latus rectum is: 
A: 6 
B: 6v3 
C: 16/v3 
D: 4v3 
Answer: A 
Explanation: 
Given 
Center of ellipse : (1, -2) 
Focus : (3, -2) 
Vertex : (5, -2) 
 
The center, focus, and vertex all have the same y-coordinate (-2), which means the 
major axis of the ellipse is horizontal (parallel to the x-axis). 
Find a (semi-major axis) 
Distance from center to vertex : 
a = |5 - 1| = 4 
Find c (distance from center to focus) 
c = |3 - 1| = 2 
Find b using ellipse relation 
c² = a² - b² 
? 2² = 4² - b² 
? 4 = 16 - b² 
? b² = 12 
? b = 2v3 
Length of latus rectum 
For an ellipse : 
Length of latus rectum = 2b²/a 
= 2(12)/4 = 6 
 
Q2: Let the length of the latus rectum of an ellipse x²/a² + y²/b² = 1, (a > b), be 30. If 
its eccentricity is the maximum value of the function 
is equal to 
A: 276 
B: 516 
C: 256 
D: 496 
Answer: D 
Explanation: 
 
= (16)² + 15 × 16 
= 256 + 240 = 496 
 
Q3: Let each of the two ellipses E 1 : x²/a² + y²/b² = 1, (a > b) and E 2 : x²/A² + y²/B² = 
1, (A < B) have eccentricity 4/5. Let the lengths of the latus recta of E 1 and E 2 be l 1 
and l 2, respectively, such that 2l 1² = 9l 2. If the distance between the foci of E 1 is 8, 
then the distance between the foci of E 2 is 
A: 96/5 
B: 8/5 
C: 16/5 
D: 32/5 
Answer: D 
Explanation: 
Given, for ellipse E 1 and E 2 eccentricity is 4/5. 
E 1 : x²/a² + y²/b² = 1 a > b 
distance between foci = 8 
2ae = 8 ? ae = 4 
? a × 4/5 = 4 ? a = 5 
 
Length of latus rectum for E 1, l 1 = 2b²/a 
l 1 = 2 × 3²/5 = 18/5 
For E 2 : x²/A² + y²/B² = 1 (A < B) 
eccentricity e = 4/5 
Page 5


JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026): 
Ellipse  
 
(January 2026) 
Q1: An ellipse has its center at (1, -2), one focus at (3, -2) and one vertex at (5, 
-2). Then the length of its latus rectum is: 
A: 6 
B: 6v3 
C: 16/v3 
D: 4v3 
Answer: A 
Explanation: 
Given 
Center of ellipse : (1, -2) 
Focus : (3, -2) 
Vertex : (5, -2) 
 
The center, focus, and vertex all have the same y-coordinate (-2), which means the 
major axis of the ellipse is horizontal (parallel to the x-axis). 
Find a (semi-major axis) 
Distance from center to vertex : 
a = |5 - 1| = 4 
Find c (distance from center to focus) 
c = |3 - 1| = 2 
Find b using ellipse relation 
c² = a² - b² 
? 2² = 4² - b² 
? 4 = 16 - b² 
? b² = 12 
? b = 2v3 
Length of latus rectum 
For an ellipse : 
Length of latus rectum = 2b²/a 
= 2(12)/4 = 6 
 
Q2: Let the length of the latus rectum of an ellipse x²/a² + y²/b² = 1, (a > b), be 30. If 
its eccentricity is the maximum value of the function 
is equal to 
A: 276 
B: 516 
C: 256 
D: 496 
Answer: D 
Explanation: 
 
= (16)² + 15 × 16 
= 256 + 240 = 496 
 
Q3: Let each of the two ellipses E 1 : x²/a² + y²/b² = 1, (a > b) and E 2 : x²/A² + y²/B² = 
1, (A < B) have eccentricity 4/5. Let the lengths of the latus recta of E 1 and E 2 be l 1 
and l 2, respectively, such that 2l 1² = 9l 2. If the distance between the foci of E 1 is 8, 
then the distance between the foci of E 2 is 
A: 96/5 
B: 8/5 
C: 16/5 
D: 32/5 
Answer: D 
Explanation: 
Given, for ellipse E 1 and E 2 eccentricity is 4/5. 
E 1 : x²/a² + y²/b² = 1 a > b 
distance between foci = 8 
2ae = 8 ? ae = 4 
? a × 4/5 = 4 ? a = 5 
 
Length of latus rectum for E 1, l 1 = 2b²/a 
l 1 = 2 × 3²/5 = 18/5 
For E 2 : x²/A² + y²/B² = 1 (A < B) 
eccentricity e = 4/5 
 
 
Q4: If the points of intersection of the ellipses x² + 2y² - 6x - 12y + 23 = 0 and 
4x² + 2y² - 20x - 12y + 35 = 0 lie on a circle of radius r and centre (a, b), then the 
value of ab + 18r² is: 
A: 53 
B: 52 
C: 55 
D: 51 
Answer: C 
Explanation: 
Let the given ellipses be : 
S 1 = x² + 2y² - 6x - 12y + 23 = 0 S 2 = 4x² + 2y² - 20x - 12y + 35 = 0 
The equation of a curve passing through the intersection of these two ellipses is given 
by the family of curves S 1 + ?S 2 = 0 : 
(x² + 2y² - 6x - 12y + 23) + ?(4x² + 2y² - 20x - 12y + 35) = 0 
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FAQs on Ellipse: JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026)

1. What are the key formulas and properties of ellipse that appear repeatedly in JEE Main exams?
Ans. Standard ellipse equation is x²/a² + y²/b² = 1, where a and b are semi-major and semi-minor axes. Critical formulas include eccentricity (e = √(1 - b²/a²)), focal distance (2ae), and latus rectum (2b²/a). Understanding parametric forms and tangent-normal equations proves essential for solving JEE Main previous year questions on ellipse effectively.
2. How do I identify whether a point lies inside, on, or outside an ellipse in JEE problems?
Ans. Substitute the point's coordinates into the ellipse equation x²/a² + y²/b² = 1. If the result equals 1, the point is on the ellipse; if less than 1, it's inside; if greater than 1, it's outside. This fundamental concept appears frequently across JEE Main question papers and helps solve intersection and position-based problems quickly.
3. What's the difference between finding the equation of tangent to an ellipse at a given point versus from an external point?
Ans. For tangents at a given point on the ellipse, use xx₁/a² + yy₁/b² = 1. For tangents from external points, apply the condition that the line touches the ellipse, creating a quadratic with discriminant zero. JEE Main exams test both approaches; mastering each method is crucial for maximising marks in ellipse problems.
4. Why do eccentricity values and focal chord calculations cause confusion in ellipse exam questions?
Ans. Eccentricity determines the ellipse's shape; students often confuse it with the relationship between semi-major and semi-minor axes. Focal chord length varies based on position, making calculations error-prone. Practising JEE Main previous year questions clarifies these relationships and builds confidence with standard results for focal chords and auxiliary circles.
5. How can I quickly solve problems involving auxiliary circles and director circles in ellipse questions?
Ans. The auxiliary circle has equation x² + y² = a², while the director circle is x² + y² = a² + b². These geometric properties simplify problems involving normals, chords, and pole-polar relationships. Familiarity with these standard results from JEE Main solved examples reduces calculation time and improves accuracy in competitive exams significantly.
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