HANDOUT IN ADVANCED MATHEMATICS (PARABOLA PART 1)

THE FAMILY OF CONIC SECTIONS (Circle, Ellipse, Parabola, and Hyperbola)

DEFINITIONS OF A PARABOLA: It is a two – dimensional, mirror – symmetrical curve, which is

approximately U – shaped, in its plane. It is a member of the family of conic sections. It is the LOCUS
of POINTS in the plane that are equidistant from both the DIRECTRIX (a line) and the FOCUS
(a point). It is a conic section, created from the intersection of a right circular conical surface and a
plane which is parallel to another plane which is tangential to the conical surface. In algebra, it is the
graph of a quadratic function y = ax2 + bx + c.
COMPONENTS OF A PARABOLA

VERTEX – the point at which a parabola changes direction, corresponding to the minimum or
maximum value of the quadratic function. The vertex is at point (h, k).
- the point on the parabola that intersects the axis of symmetry.
- the point where the parabola is most sharply curved.
FOCUS – is the point whose distance from the vertex is equal to the distance of the vertex from the
directrix.
DIRECTRIX – is a line parallel to the x – or y – axes, whose distance from the vertex is equal to the
distance from the vertex to the focus.
AXIS OF SYMMETRY – is the line perpendicular to the directrix and passing through the focus. (that
is, the line splits the parabola through the middle.
FOCAL LENGTH – the distance between the vertex and the focus, measured along the axis of
symmetry.
LATUS RECTUM – is the chord of the parabola which is parallel to the directrix and passes through
the focus.
PARABOLAS CAN OPEN UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT or IN SOME OTHER ARBITRARY
DIRECTION.
Any parabola can be repositioned and rescaled to fit exactly on any other parabola – that is, all
parabolas are geometrically similar. Parabolas have the property that, if they are made of material
that reflects light, then the light which travels parallel to the axis of symmetry of the parabola and
strikes its concave side is reflected to its focus, regardless of where on the parabola the reflection
occurs. Conversely, light that originates from a point source at the focus is reflected into a parallel
(collimated) beam, leaving the parabola parallel to the axis of symmetry. The same effects occur with
the sound and other forms of energy. This reflective property is the basis of many practical uses of
parabolas. The parabola has many important applications, from a parabolic antenna or parabolic
microphone to automobile headlight reflectors to the design of ballistic missiles. They are frequently
used in physics, engineering, and many other areas.
HANDOUT IN ADVANCED MATHEMATICS (PARABOLA PART 2)

EQUATIONS OF A PARABOLA

VERTEX (h, k) IS AT THE ORIGIN (0,0):

x2 = 4py the parabola opens upward (+4p) or downward (-4p)
y = 4px
2
the parabola opens right (+4p) or left (-4p)
VERTEX (h, k) IS NOT AT THE ORIGIN:
(x – h)2 = 4p (y – k) the parabola opens upward (+4p) or downward (-4p)
(y – k) = 4p (x – h)
2
the parabola opens right (+4p) or left (-4p)

COMPONENTS OF A PARABOLA

OPENING OF THE PARABOLA /

COMPONENT UPWARD DOWNWARD RIGHT LEFT
VERTEX (h, k) (h, k) (h, k) (h, k)
FOCUS (h, k + p) (h, k – p) (h + p, k) (h – p , k)
DIRECTRIX y=k–p y=k+p x=h–p x=h+p
AXIS OF SYMMETRY x=h x=h y=k y=k

STEPS IN GRAPHING THE PARABOLA:

1. Find the vertex.
2. Determine the opening of the parabola.
3. Find the x – and y – intercepts.
4. Plot and connect the points.
EXERCISES
A. FIND the components of the parabola (VERTEX, FOCUS, DIRECTRIX, AXIS OF SYMMETRY,
INTERCEPTS and LATUS RECTUM) of each given equation and graph:

1. x 2 = 4y 2. x 2 = -12y 3. y2 = 16x 4. y2 = - 4x

5. x2 + y – 1 = 0 6. y2 + 6x + 3 = 0 7. x2 + 8x + 6y – 4 = 0 8. y2 – 12y – 10x + 20 = 0

9. y2 = 3x 10. x2 = 8y 11. x2 – 2y – 10 = 0 12. y2 – 10x + 40 = 0

13. x2 + 8y = 0 14. 24x + 2y2 = 0 15. y2 – 4y + 2x – 10 = 0

PARABOLAS IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD:

Approximations of parabolas are found in many diverse situations. The best – known instance of the
parabola in the history of physics is the trajectory of a particle or body in motion under the influence of
a uniform gravitational field without air resistance. For instance, a ball flying through the air,
neglecting air friction, parabolic trajectories of water in a fountain, the path of Comet Kohoutek as it
passed through the inner solar system, the supporting cables of suspension bridges follow a curve
which is intermediate between a parabola and catenary, the Rainbow Bridge across Niagara River,
parabolic arches used in architecture, parabolic shape formed by a liquid surface under rotation, solar
cooker with parabolic reflector, parabolic antenna, parabolic microphone with optically transparent
reflector, used to overhear referee conversations at an American college football game, array of
parabolic troughs to collect solar energy.