Concept:
In the complex plane, an equation of the form \( |z - z_1| + |z - z_2| = 2a \) represents an ellipse with foci at points \( z_1 \) and \( z_2 \), provided that the constant length of the major axis \( 2a \) is strictly greater than the distance between the two foci \( |z_1 - z_2| \).
The distance between the foci is given by \( 2ae = |z_1 - z_2| \), where \( e \) is the eccentricity.
Step 1: Identifying the focus points and constants.
Let us rewrite the given expression to fit the standard form:
\[
|z - 2i| + |z - (-4i)| = 10
\]
Comparing this to the standard ellipse formula:
• Foci: \( z_1 = 2i \equiv (0, 2) \) and \( z_2 = -4i \equiv (0, -4) \)
• Major axis length: \( 2a = 10 \implies a = 5 \)
Step 2: Calculating the distance between the foci and verifying consistency.
The distance between the focal points is:
\[
|z_1 - z_2| = |2i - (-4i)| = |6i| = 6
\]
Since \( 2a = 10 > 6 \), the condition for an ellipse is perfectly satisfied.
Step 3: Finding the eccentricity \( e \).
The focal distance formula states:
\[
2ae = |z_1 - z_2| \implies 2(5)e = 6 \implies 10e = 6 \implies e = \frac{6}{10} = \frac{3}{5}
\]
Thus, the locus is an ellipse with an eccentricity value of \( 3/5 \).