How to make a parabola using a focus and a directrix.

GeoGebra has a built in method to make a parabola from a given focus and a directrix, but making the construction is much more interesting and provides an opportunity to explore why the construction works. 1.
Turn off the axis and the grid (right click in an empty space). Create a point, right click it and rename it to point F. This is your focus point. Construct a line which will be your directrix. You can put this line anywhere, at any inclination.

2.

3.

Create a point C on your directrix. Drag it a little to check it is locked onto the directrix. Construct a line perpendicular to the directrix, passing through C.

4.

Click on the perpendicular button, click on C, then click on the directrix.

Change the style of this line to a dashed construction line. Make the line segment CF. Change the style of this line to a dashed construction line.

5.

6.

Construct the perpendicular bisector of CF. Change the style of this line to a dashed construction line.
Find the intersection point of the perpendicular bisector line created in Step 6 with the line perpendicular to the directrix created in Step 4. Call this point P. (See diagram on back page). Drag the point C (the point on the directrix), and watch what happens to point P. Now right-click point P, set Trace On and explore.

7.

8.

Explore: Drag the focus point, watch how your parabola changes. Change the inclination of the directrix what the changes. Think: Why does this construction work? How does it ensure the point P is always equidistant to the focus point and the directrix?
http://exzuberant.blogspot.com.au/ GHT-03v1 Sep 2012

Step 4.

Step 5.

Step 7.

Step 8.

Notes:

If your window gets messy from too many traces, use the move button to shift the view a little this will erase the traces.
GeoGebra can trace the locus click on the Locus button then click on point P, and then on point C. The locus button is under the perpendicular/parallel lines menu. GeoGebra can create a parabola given a focus point and a directrix. This button is under the ellipse menu (next to the circle menu)

http://exzuberant.blogspot.com.au/