Any Sound from One Focus of an Ellipse Reflects Off

question 51

Multiple Choice

Any sound from one focus of an ellipse reflects off the ellipse directly back to the other focus. This property explains whispering galleries such as Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. The whispering gallery shown in illustration has the shape of a semi-ellipse. Find the distance sound travels as it leaves focus F and returns to focus F'.

• A) 28.3 meters
• B) 28.6 meters
• C) 29.1 meters
• D) 30.1 meters
• E) 57.2 meters

---

Definitions:

Edward L. Thorndike

A prominent American psychologist known for his work in behaviorism and the development of the Law of Effect, which suggests that responses to stimuli that are followed by satisfaction are more likely to recur.

Environmental Contingencies

External conditions or situations that affect the outcome of certain behaviors or processes.

Cognitive Maps

The mental representations of physical locations, spaces, or the environment that an individual has.

Animal Learning

The process by which animals acquire new behaviors through interaction with their environment, often studied to understand cognitive processes.