Final answer:
The length of the minor axis of the ellipse is 9.6 cm.
Step-by-step explanation:
The length of the minor axis of an ellipse can be found using the formula: Length of minor axis = 2 * sqrt(semimajor axis^2 - focal length^2)
In this case, the semimajor axis is half the major axis, which is 16 cm/2 = 8 cm. The focal length can be found using the formula: focal length = sqrt( (semimajor axis)^2 - (semiminor axis)^2 )
Since the eccentricity is 0.8, the eccentricity formula, e = c/a, can be used to find the value of c. We know that the eccentricity is 0.8, so 0.8 = c/8. Solving for c, we find that c = 0.8 * 8 = 6.4 cm.
Substituting the values into the formula, we get: Length of minor axis = 2 * sqrt(8^2 - (6.4)^2) = 2 * sqrt(64 - 40.96) = 2 * sqrt(23.04) = 2 * 4.8 = 9.6 cm.