Critique of area of ellipse
We've found the area of an ellipse to be a simple generalization of the area of a circle. In the special case of the circle, r = a = b, so the area (pi)ab becomes (pi)r 2.
The derivation was difficult, however. Would it have been easier perhaps with the polar equation of an ellipse? Or could it have been done directly from the conic or cylindrical section property?
