Section 6-5: Parabolas

A parabola is the set of all points P in the plane that are equidistant from a fixed point F (focus) and a fixed line d (directrix).

Demonstration of Focus Point for a Parabola (Manipula Math) Drawing a Parabola (Manipula Math)

The equations of the parabola are as follows:

For parabolas opening up/down, the directrix is a horizontal line in the form y = + p For parabolas opening right/left, the directrix is a vertical line in the form x=+p The vertex point for all of the above is (0, 0) Sample Problems 1) Find the focus point and directrix and graph the parabola: y = x2/8 Solution: The parabola opens up. 1/4p = 1/8 means 4p = 8 and p = 2. This is the distance from the vertex to the directrix or to the focus point. The focus point is 2 units up so it is (0, 2). The directrix is a horizontal line 2 units down from the vertex. The equation is y = -2

To determine how wide the parabola opens, the distance |4p| is the distance of the chord connecting the two sides of the parabola through the focus point perpendicular to the axis of symmetry. In this case 4p = 8, so the parabola is 4 units from the focus point both right and left. The two points are given on the graph. 2) Find the focus point and the directrix and graph the parabola: x = -2y2
Solution: This parabola opens to the left. 1/4p = -2 -8p = 1 p = -1/8 The focus point is at (-1/8, 0) and the directrix is a vertical line at x = 1/8 The distance across the parabola through the focus is 1/2, so the parabola is one-fourth unit up and down from the focus point.

3) Find the equation of the parabola with vertex at (0, 0) and directrix y = 2. Solution: Since the directrix is a horizontal line and is above the vertex, the parabola opens down. p = 2 (distance from directrix to vertex), so 4p = 8. Thus the equation is y = (1/8)x2 4) Find the equation of a parabola with focus at (2, 0) and directrix at x = -2 Solution: The vertex for this parabola is inbetween the directrix and focus. So the vertex is (0, 0). The parabola opens to the right with p = 2. So 4p = 8. Thus the equation is x = (1/8)y2 Translations of the parabola The equations of the parabola with vertex (h, k) are:

5) Find the vertex, focus and directrix and graph the parabola y = 2x2 - 8x + 1 Solution: Put the equation in the correct form. y - 1 = 2(x2 - 4x ) Complete the square y - 1 + 8 = 2(x2 - 4x + 4) added 8 to both sides! y + 7 = 2(x - 2)2 The parabola opens up with vertex at (2, -7) 1/4p = 2 8p = 1 p = 1/8 Focus point at (2, -6 7/8) directrix at y = -7 1/8

6) Find the equation of the parabola with focus ( 1, 3) and directrix x = -3. Solution: The parabola opens to the right. The vertex is midway between the focus and directrix. The vertex is at (-1, 3). p = 2 so 4p = 8 The equation is: (x + 1) = (1/8)(y - 3)2

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