Obj.

28 Parabolas
Unit 7 - Conics

Concepts and Objectives

Parabolas (Obj. #28) Identify the vertex, directrix, focus and axis of a parabola Write the equation of a parabola in vertex form

Parabolas
The graph of the equation y k = a ( x h) is a parabola with vertex (h, k) and the vertical line x = h as axis. It opens up if a > 0 and down if a < 0. If we interchange (x h) and (y k), we get the equation x h = a( y k ) which is a parabola with vertex (h, k) and the horizontal line y = k as axis. It opens to the right if a > 0 and to the left if a < 0.
2 2

Parabolas
From a geometric standpoint, a parabola is the set of points in a plane equidistant from a fixed point and a fixed line. The fixed point is called the focus, and the fixed line is called the directrix of the parabola.

Parabolas
The parabola has only one squared term, and it opens in the direction of the nonsquared term. The parabola with focus (0, p) and directrix y = p has the equation
x 2 = 4py

Parabolas
Likewise, the parabola with focus (p, 0) and directrix x = p has the equation

y 2 = 4px

Parabolas
Example: Find the focus and directrix of the parabola whose equation is x 2 = 12 y x 2 = 4 py 4p = 12 p =3 Focus: (0, 3) Directrix: y = 3

Parabolas
For a parabola whose vertex is not at the origin, we can replace the x with (x h) and y with (y k):

( x h) = 4p ( y k )

or

( y k ) = 4p ( x h)

where the focus is distance p from the vertex.

Parabolas
Example: Identify the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry for the parabola.

( x 4)
vertex: (4, 1) (opens vertically)

= 8 ( y + 1)

4p = 8 p=2

focus: 1 + 2 = 1 (4, 1)

directrix: y = 1 2 = 3 axis of symmetry: x = 4

Parabolas
Example: Write an equation for the parabola with vertex (1, 3) and focus (1, 3). The distance between the focus and the vertex is p = 1 1 = 2, and the equation is

focus vertex

( y k ) = 4 p ( x h) 2 ( y 3) = 4 ( 2)( x 1) 2 ( y 3 ) = 8 ( x 1 )

Homework
College Algebra & Trigonometry Page 957: 21-42 (3s), 53-55 HW: 24, 30, 33, 42, 54, 55