FINDING THE VERTEX

FOCUS AND DIRECTRIX OF

A PARABOLA FROM ITS
EQUATION
•In this section, you will learn how to
find vertex, focus, equation of
directrix and length of latus rectum of
the parabola.
•Before seeing example problems, let
us remember some basic concepts
about parabola.
PARABOLA SYMMETRIC ABOUT X-AXIS
AND OPEN RIGHT WARD :

Standard form of parabola

y2 = 4ax
PARABOLA SYMMETRIC ABOUT X-AXIS
AND OPEN LEFT WARD :

Standard form of parabola

y2 = -4ax
PARABOLA SYMMETRIC ABOUT Y-AXIS
AND OPEN UP WARD :
Standard form of parabola

x2 = 4ay
PARABOLA SYMMETRIC ABOUT Y-AXIS
AND OPEN DOWN WARD :
Standard form of parabola

x2 = -4ay
NOW LET US SEE SOME EXAMPLES BASED
ON THE ABOVE CONCEPT.

Example 1 :
Find the focus, vertex, equation of
directrix and length of the latus rectum of
the parabola
x2 = 5y
 SOLUTION :
From the given equation, the parabola is symmetric about y - axis
and it is open upward.
x2 = 5y
4a = 5
a = 5/4
Vertex : V (0, 0)
Focus : F (0, 5/4)
Equation of directrix : y = -5/4
Length of latus rectum : 4a = 4(5/4) ==> 5
 EXAMPLE 2 :

Find the focus, vertex, equation of directrix

and length of the latus rectum of the
parabola
x2 - 8y - 2x + 17 = 0
SOLUTION :
x2 - 8y - 2x + 17 = 0
x2 - 2x = 8y - 17
x2 - 2x + 12 - 12 = 8y - 17
(x - 1)2 = 8y - 17 + 1
(x - 1)2 = 8y - 16
(x - 1)2 = 8(y - 2)
 FROM THE GIVEN EQUATION, THE PARABOLA
IS SYMMETRIC ABOUT Y - AXIS AND IT IS OPEN
UPWARD.
Let X = x - 1 and Y = y – 2
X2 = 8Y

4a = 8

a = 2
 Referred to X and Y
X = x - 1 and Y = y - 2
Vertex (0, 0)
Focus (0, 2)
Equation of directrix
Y = -a
Y = -2
Length of latus rectum :
4a = 4(2) = 8
 Referred to x and y
x = X + 1 and y = Y + 2
Vertex (1, 2)
Focus (1, 4)
Equation of directrix
Y = 0
Length of latus rectum :
4a = 4(2) = 8
EXAMPLE 3 :
Find the focus, vertex, equation of
directrix and length of the latus rectum of
the parabola

x2 = -16y
 SOLUTION :
From the given equation, the parabola is symmetric about
y - axis and it is open downward.
x2 = -16y
4a = 16
a = 4
Vertex : V (0, 0)
Focus : F (0, -4)
Equation of directrix : y = a ==> y = 4
Length of latus rectum : 4a = 4(4) ==> 16