Conic Sections:

The PARABOLA
Precalculus

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 OUR LEARNING
GOALS In the next two sessions, you
are expected to develop the
ability to…
PARABOLAS: 1. define a parabola;
Equations and Graphs 2. Determine the standard form of
equation of a parabola;
3. Graph a parabola in a
rectangular coordinate system;
and
4. Solve situational problems
involving parabolas.
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DEFINITION

PARABOLA
Let be a given point, and ℓ a given
line not containing . The set of all
points such that its distances from
and from ℓ are equal, is called a
parabola. The point is its focus and
the line ℓ its directrix.
 EQUATION of a
axis of
PARABOLA symmetry

The standard form of the

equation of a parabola with
𝑃 (𝑥 , 𝑦 )
vertex is at the point of origin
and opens upward or
downward is

If a parabola with its vertex at 𝐹 ( 0 , 𝑝)

the opens sideways, the
standard form of its equation is
vertex
𝐷(𝑥 ,− 𝑝)
4 4
 SIDE
QUESTION:

What do you notice

about the position of
the focus with
respect to the graph?
𝑥2 =4 𝑝𝑦 , 𝑝> 0 𝑥2 =4 𝑝𝑦 , 𝑝< 0

1 When the parabola 2 When the parabola

opens upward opens downward

4 PARABOLA
TYPES of 𝑦 2 =4 𝑝𝑥 ,𝑝 > 0

When the parabola 3

𝑦 2 =4 𝑝𝑥 ,𝑝 < 0

4 When the parabola

opens to the right opens to the left
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 LET’S
DISCUSS Determine the Orientation

To which direction does each of the following

parabolas open to?
Opens upward
Opens to the left
Opens to the right
Opens downward
Opens to the left
EXAMPLE Focus & Directrix

How do we determine the focus and directrix of a

parabola with vertex at the origin?

Since the quadratic variable is and the coefficient of is positive,

the parabola opens upward.
The vertex is at and
the axis of symmetry is the -axis or
Compared to , we can determine that
The focus of the parabola is therefore at and its directrix is the
line
SUMMARY

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EXAMPLE Give the focus and directrix of the
parabola with equation

Focus (0, p) Directrix:

F: (0, ) Directrix:
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YOUR
TURN! Focus & Directrix

Determine the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis

of symmetry of the following parabola based
from the given equation.
YOUR
TURN! Focus & Directrix

Vertex Focus Directrix Axis of symmetry

(0,0) (-4,0) x=4 y=0

(0,0) (9/2, 0) x = -9/2 y=0

(0,0) (0,-3) y=3 x=0

(0,0) (-7/12) x = 7/12 y=0

EXAMPLE Find the standard equation of the
parabola with focus F(0, -3.5) and
directrix y = 3.5

Focus (0, p) 𝒙 𝟐
=𝟒 𝒑𝒚
𝟐
𝒙 =− 𝟏𝟒 𝒚
𝒑 =−𝟑 . 𝟓
𝟒 𝒑 =𝟒(− 𝟑 .𝟓)
𝟒 𝒑 =−𝟏𝟒
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EXAMPLE Find the standard equation of the
parabola with vertex at origin and
focus

Focus (p, 0) 𝒚 𝟐
=𝟒 𝒑 𝐱
𝟑 𝟐
𝒑 =− 𝒚 =− 𝟑 𝒙
𝟒

𝟒 𝒑 =𝟒 −
𝟑
𝟒( )
𝟒 𝒑 =− 𝟑 13
EXAMPLE Find the standard equation of the
parabola with vertex at origin and
focus

Focus (p, 0) 𝒚 𝟐
=𝟒 𝒑 𝐱
𝟏𝟓 𝟐
𝒑= 𝒚 =𝟏𝟓 𝒙
𝟒

𝟒 𝒑 =𝟒
𝟏𝟓
𝟒 ( )
𝟒 𝒑 =𝟏𝟓 14
EXAMPLE Find the standard equation of the
parabola with vertex at origin, opens
up and unit between the vertex and
focus.
Focus (0, p) 𝒙 𝟐
=𝟒 𝒑 𝐲
𝟏
𝒑=
𝟖 𝟐 𝟏
𝒙 = 𝐲
𝟐
𝟒 𝒑 =𝟒
𝟏
𝟖 ( )
𝟏
𝟒𝒑=
𝟐
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 WHAT IF…
!
But what if the
parabola does not
have its vertex at the
point of origin?
WHAT IF…
PARABOLAS
with Vertex NOT on

The standard form of the

equation of a parabola that
opens upward or downward is
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( 𝑥 −h) =4 𝑝( 𝑦 −𝑘)
If a parabola opens sideways,
v the standard form of its
equation is
( 𝑦 −𝑘)2=4 𝑝 ( 𝑥 − h)
EXAMPLE

Describe the parabola,

.
What is its graph’s orientation? The graph opens upward.
What are the coordinates of its vertex? Its vertex is at
What is the value of in the equation? If , then
So, if , what are the coordinates of the The coordinates of the
focus? focus are
What is the equation of the line that is The directrix is .
the directrix?
EXAMPLE

Describe the parabola,

.
What is its graph’s orientation? The graph opens to the left.
What are the coordinates of its vertex? Its vertex is at
What is the value of in the equation? If , then
So, if , what are the coordinates of the The coordinates of the focus
focus? are
What is the equation of the line that is The directrix is .
the directrix?
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Axis of symmetry Axis of symmetry

focus directrix
focus

v
v

directrix

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Axis of symmetry Axis of symmetry
yk

focus

focus
v
v

directrix directrix
x
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DEFINITION
General Equation of the Parabola
In the general equation of a conic section, , if
B=0 and if exactly one of A or C is equal to 0,
then the equation becomes,
(equation of a parabola with axis parallel to y-axis)

(equation of a parabola with axis parallel to x–axis)

EXAMPLE

Describe the parabola,

.
What is its graph’s orientation? The graph opens downward.
What are the coordinates of its vertex? Its vertex is at
What is the value of in the equation? If , then
So, if 2, what are the coordinates of The coordinates of the focus
the focus? are
What is the equation of the line that is The directrix is .
the directrix?
What is the axis of symmetry? Axis of symmetry: x = -3
EXAMPLE

Describe the parabola,

.
What is its graph’s orientation? The graph opens to the right.
What are the coordinates of its vertex? Its vertex is at
What is the value of in the equation? If , then
So, if , what are the coordinates of the The coordinates of the focus
focus? are
What is the equation of the line that is The directrix is .
the directrix?
What is the axis of symmetry? Axis of symmetry: y = - 4
EXAMPLE

Describe the parabola,

.
What is its graph’s orientation? The graph opens downward.
What are the coordinates of its vertex? Its vertex is at
What is the value of in the equation? If , then
So, if , what are the coordinates of the The coordinates of the focus
focus? are
What is the equation of the line that is The directrix is .
the directrix?
What is the axis of symmetry? Axis of symmetry: x = -1
EXAMPLE

Describe the parabola,

.
What is its graph’s orientation? The graph opens upward.
What are the coordinates of its vertex? Its vertex is at
What is the value of in the equation? If , then
So, if , what are the coordinates of the The coordinates of the focus
focus? are
What is the equation of the line that is The directrix is .
the directrix?
What is the axis of symmetry? Axis of symmetry: x = -2.25
 EXAMPLE Find the standard equation of the
parabola with vertex at (-3, 4) and
focus .
𝟐
The vertex is (-3, 4) ( 𝒚 − 𝒌) =− 𝟒 𝒑 ( 𝐱 −𝐡)
and focus (-5, 4) is 2
𝟐
units on the left side ( 𝒚 − 𝟒) =−𝟖 ( 𝒙 +𝟑)
of the vertex (p=2),
thus the equation is

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 EXAMPLE Find the standard equation of the
parabola with focus at (-5, 3) and
directrix x = -1.
The distance from
The directrix x = -1 the directrix and
lies on the right side the focus is 2p or 4
of the focus, hence and p = 2.
the equation is 𝟐
( 𝒚 − 𝟑) =−𝟒 (𝟐)( 𝒙 +𝟑)
𝟐
𝟐
( 𝒚 − 𝒌) =− 𝟒 𝒑 ( 𝐱 −𝐡) ( 𝒚 − 𝟑) =− ( 𝒙 +𝟑)
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 EXAMPLE Determine the equation of a
parabola whose axis of symmetry is
x = 5, length of the latus rectum is 8
and focus at (5,7).
The axis of symmetry is x = 5,
hence the parabola either opens
upward or downward

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