Parabola as Locus

The Anatomy of a Parabola

Anatomy
Lesson?

The locus of a point P(x, y) moving so that it is equidistant from the point (0, a) and the line y = a
is a parabola with equation x2 = 4ay.

1.

Parabola

x2 = 4ay
The parabola x2 = 4ay has
1. focus at (0, a)
2. directrix with equation y = a
3. vertex at (0, 0).
4. axis with equation x = 0
5. focal length a

2.

Parabola

x2 = 4ay

If the parabola has a negative sign, the parabola is concave downwards

The parabola x2 = 4ay has
1. focus at (0, a)
2. directrix with equation y = a.
3. vertex at (0, 0).
4. axis with equation x = 0.
5. focal length a

The locus of a point P(x, y) moving so that it is equidistant from the point (a, 0 ) and the line x = a

is a parabola with equation y2 = 4ax.

3.

Parabola

y2 = 4ax
The parabola y2 = 4ax has
1. focus at (a, 0 )
2. directrix with equation x = a
3. vertex at (0, 0)
4. axis with equation y = 0.
5. focal length a.

4.

Parabola

y2 = 4ax

When there is a negative sign, the parabola turns the other way.
The parabola y2 = 4ax has
1. focus at (a, 0 )
2. directrix with equation x = a
3. vertex at (0, 0)
4. axis with equation y 0
5. focal length a

General Parabola
The parabola with vertex (h, k) and axis parallel to the y-axis has equation
(x h)2 = 4a(y k)

5.

Parabola

(x h)2 = 4a(y k)
The parabola (x h)2 = 4a(y k) has
1. axis parallel to the y-axis i.e. x = h
2. vertex at (h, k)
3. focus at (h, k + a)
4. directrix with equation y = k a
5. focal length a

6.

Parabola

(x h)2 = 4a(y k)

This parabola is concave downwards.

The parabola (x h)2 = 4a(y k) has
1. axis parallel to the y-axis i.e. x = h
2. vertex at (h, k)
3. focus at (h, k a)
4. directrix with equation y = k + a
5. focal length a

The parabola with vertex h, k and axis parallel to the x-axis has equation

y k

7.

Parabola

4a x h

2
y k 4a x h

The parabola y k 4a x h has

2

1. axis parallel to the x-axis i.e. y k

2. vertex at h, k
3. focus at h a, k
4. directrix with equation x h a
5. focal length a

8.

Parabola

2
y k 4a x h

When there is a negative sign, the parabola turns the other way.
The parabola y k 4a x h has
2

1. axis parallel to the x-axis i.e. y k

2. vertex at h, k
3. focus at h a, k
4. directrix with equation x h a
5. focal length a

Locus rule!