PARABOLA

Daisy A. Romeo
Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 1
 Definition
A parabola is the set of all 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.

CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 2
 Theorem
An equation of the parabola with focus at (h, k) and
open upward/downward is

(x − h)2 = 4a(y − k)

where a is the focal distance and 4a is the length of the

latus rectum.

CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 3
CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 4
 Theorem
An equation of the parabola with focus at (h, k) and
open to the left/right is

(y − k)2 = 4a(x − h)

where a is the focal distance and 4a is the length of the

latus rectum.

CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 5
CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 6
 Example
Find the equation of the parabola with focus at f and
length of latus rectum L and sketch the graph.
1 f (−5, 2) and L = 4 open to the right
2 f (0, 7) and L = 6 open downward

CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 7
CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 8
 Theorem
General equation of a parabola open upward/downward

x 2 + Cx + Dy + E = 0.

CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 9
 Theorem
General equation of a parabola open to the left/right

y 2 + Cx + Dy + E = 0.

CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 10
 Example
Reduce equation of the circle x 2 − 4x + 8y = 12 to
standard form.

CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 11
 Example
Determine the focus and length of latus rectum of the
parabola y 2 + 10x − 6y + 21 = 0.

CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 12
 Example
Determine the direction of the parabola
x 2 + 16x + 2y + 1 = 0.

CAL 1 - PRECALCULUS 13