1/18/2021

GRASPS
WORKSHEET
Fahad 10Bi
Integrated Math, Abdul Rahman Al Baki

What are parabolas?

We find examples of Parabolas all around us, both from nature (i.e
rainbows), and architecture (i.e bridges). When I was assigned this
project, I began thinking about the examples of parabolas I encounter in
every day life, and I was amazed at how many things I could think of,
especially in architecture and engineering. Parabolas are used in
parabolic arches, which are arches usually placed under bridges, they are
used because they are able to sustain high load better than regular pillars.
They are also sometimes placed on the bridges as that spreads the load
across the entire bridge, which keeps the bridge from falling apart due to
excessive load in a single area.
What are example of parabolas in real life?
When looking for examples of parabolas near me, my mind immediately
went to bridges. The first bridge that came to mind was the Sheikh
Khalifa bin Salman bridge, that connects Manama to the south of
Muharraq. The bridge has a parabolic arch on top of it, unlike the King
Fahd Causeway, which has a parabolic arch under it. I plan to graph the
parabola of this bridge by creating a quadratic function which would
mimic the bridge when graphed. I will do this by using online tools such
as the Desmos calculator. When I have acquired the characteristics of the
bridge's parabolic arch, I will calculate the vertex, standard, and factored
form of this parabola in the form of a quadratic equation.