Algebra 2 Name_________________________________________

Unit 12 – Conic Sections

Day 1 – Identify Parabolas

Bell Work: Pick up a set of cards (share with a partner) and locate the four cards
with only one word. Write those words below, you’ll be learning more about each.

A few rules for Conic Cards:

1. Be nice to the cards. They need to be re-used.
2. Make sure both partners participate (don’t hog the cards!).
3. Be actively involved (Your participation is essential to your learning. You
must touch the cards and answer the questions, and THINK!)

1.You will notice that most of your cards have a letter, number, or symbol in the
corner. Find the eight cards that do not.

2. These eight cards are the formula/reference cards. Find at least 10 similarities
and/or differences on them. (Skip the obvious, like “the cards are all blue”.)

3. The cards with only one squared term are the parabola cards. Notice the words
“vertex”, “focus”, and “directrix” are unique to these cards.

4. Separate the remaining cards into three stacks of 20 – Graphs, information, and
equations.

5. Look at the stack of graph cards. Do you remember what makes a parabola?
Separate the five parabola cards and discard the rest.

6. Look at the stack of information cards. What makes a parabola? Separate the five
parabola cards and discard the rest.

7. Look at the stack of equation cards. What makes a parabola? Separate the five
parabola cards and discard the rest.

8. Try to match each graph with the corresponding information and equation cards.
You might be guessing a little here, but look for clues and do your best to match
them correctly.
Notes: Consider the following equations for parabolas:

1
2 x =- ( y +3 )2 + 1
y=2 ( x−2 ) +3 2

Vertex?

Opens?

Double-check your matching, make adjustments if necessary, and raise your

hand to check!

Circle any equation, info, or graph that represents a parabola.

2 2
y2 x2 15. x + y =9 28. center is (0, 0); The
− =1 3
1. 4 25 x=−2( y +4 )2−1 y=± x
16. asymptotes are 4 .
x2 y2 x2 y2 The vertices are (4, 0) and
− =1 − =1
2. 8 15 121 9 (-4, 0).
2 2
17.
3. ( x+ 2 ) + ( y−3 ) =4
2 29. vertex is (-2, 2); opens
x2 y
 1 down; focus is
4. y=8 (x −7)2 +10 18. 169 144 (-2, 0); directrix y = 4
5. x2 y2 30. center is (-2, -6); r = 4
− =1
( x−1 )2 + ( y +3 )2 =100 19. 9 144 31. center is (0, 0); The
2 2 asymptotes are
6. ( x+ 4 ) + ( y−4 ) =81 20. x=3( y−1 )2 +4 y=±(1/2)x . The
2 2
x y
− =1 y2 x2 vertices are (0, 5) and (0,
− =1
7. 1 25 21. 9 16 -5).
2
2 2 32. vertex is (2, 4); opens
x y
+ =1 x2 y
+ =1 right; focus is (3, 4);
8. 256 1 22. 36 16 directrix is x = 1
2 2 2
9. ( x−3 ) + ( y+ 9 ) =64 x2 y 33.
+ =1
x2 y2 23. 100 36
− =1
10. 3 2 24. y=2( x−1 )2 +1
2
x2 y 25.
+ =1 2 2
49 81 2 5 4 34.
11.
y2 x2
− =1
( ) ( )
x+ + y+ =
9 9 9
12. 7 10 26. center is (3, 4); r = 3
27. vertex is (2, 6); opens
13. y=−3 (x +2 )2−4 up; focus is (2, 7);
14. 35.
directrix is y = 5
( x−6 )2 + ( y−6 )2=144