PARABOLA - is defined as a conic whose

eccentricity is equal to 1. This conic has its

distance from the vertex to a fixed point (
called the focus), equal to its equal to its
distance from the vertex to a fixed line
called the directrix ).
Parabola – set of points in a plane that are equidistant
from a fixed point (d(F, P)) and a fixed line (d (P, D)).
Focus - the fixed point of a parabola.
Directrix - the fixed line of a parabola. Axis of Symmetry

Axis of Symmetry – The line that Focus

goes through the focus and is Latus Rectum
perpendicular to the directrix.
Vertex – the point of intersection of
the axis of symmetry and the
parabola.
Latus Rectum – the line segment
through the focus and parallel to the Vertex Directrix
directrix.
 Equations and Graphs of Parabolas
Equation Vertex Focus Directrix Description
𝑦 2 = 4𝑎𝑥 (0,0) (𝑎, 0) 𝑥 = −𝑎 𝑆𝑦𝑚: 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡

𝑦 2 = −4𝑎𝑥 (0,0) (−𝑎, 0) 𝑥=𝑎 𝑆𝑦𝑚: 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠

𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡
 Equations and Graphs of Parabolas
Equation Vertex Focus Directrix Description
𝑥 2 = 4𝑎𝑦 (0,0) (0, 𝑎) 𝑦 = −𝑎 𝑆𝑦𝑚: 𝑦 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑢𝑝

𝑥 2 = −4𝑎𝑦 (0,0) (0, −𝑎) 𝑦=𝑎 𝑆𝑦𝑚: 𝑦 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠

𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛
 Equations and Graphs of Parabolas
Equation Vertex Focus Directrix Description
(𝑦 − 𝑘)2 = 4𝑎(𝑥 − ℎ) (ℎ, 𝑘) (ℎ + 𝑎, 𝑘) 𝑥 =ℎ−𝑎 𝑆𝑦𝑚:  𝑡𝑜 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡

(𝑦 − 𝑘)2 = −4𝑎(𝑥 − ℎ) (ℎ, 𝑘) (ℎ − 𝑎, 𝑘) 𝑥 =ℎ+𝑎 𝑆𝑦𝑚:  𝑡𝑜 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠

𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡
 Equations and Graphs of Parabolas
Equation Vertex Focus Directrix Description
(𝑥 − ℎ)2 = 4𝑎(𝑦 − 𝑘) (ℎ, 𝑘) (ℎ, 𝑘 + 𝑎) 𝑦 =𝑘−𝑎 𝑆𝑦𝑚:  𝑡𝑜 𝑦 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑢𝑝

(𝑥 − ℎ)2 = −4𝑎(𝑦 − 𝑘) (ℎ, 𝑘) (ℎ, 𝑘 − 𝑎) 𝑦 =𝑘+𝑎 𝑆𝑦𝑚:  𝑡𝑜 𝑦 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠

𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛
Complete the table

vertex focus directrix Axis of opening

symmetry

x2 = -4y

3y2 = 24x

(y-5/2) 2 =
-5(x-9/2)
Complete the table

vertex focus directrix Axis of opening

symmetry

x2 = -4y (0,0) (o,-1) y=1 x=0 downw

ard
3y2 = 24x (0,0) (2,0) x=-2 y=0 right

(y-5/2) 2 = (9/2,5/2) (3.25, x=5.75 y=0 left

-5(x-9/2) 5/2)
SEATWORK # 4
Complete the table
vertex focus directrix Axis of opening
symmet
ry
y2 = 8x

3x2 = 8y

(x-2) 2 =
2(y+3)
SEATWORK #4
Complete the table
vertex focus directrix Axis of opening
symmet
ry
y2 = 8x (0,0) (2,0) x = -2 y=0 Right

3x2 = 8y

(x-2) 2 =
2(y+3)
 directrix axis of opening
equation vertex focus
symmetry

(y-k)2 =
+4a(x- (h,k) (h+a,k) x=h-a y=k Right(+a)
h) x=h+a Left(-a)

(x-h)2 =
+4a(y-k) (h,k) (h,k+a) y=k-a x=h Up(+a)
y=k+a Down(-)
 GRAPHS of PARABOLAS
Ends of Latus
equation vertex focus directrix Rectum
R1 R2

(y-k)2 =
+4a(x- (h,k) (h+a,k) x=h-a (h+a, (h+a,
h) x=h+a k+2a) k-2a)

(x-h)2 =
+4a(y-k) (h,k) (h,k+a) y=k-a (h+2a (h+2a
y=k+a ,k+a) ,k+a)
Find the vertex, focus, directrix and the latus rectum for each equation
𝑥 2 = 16𝑦
𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑎, 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑢𝑝
𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑥: (0,0) 

𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑎 
16 = 4𝑎
𝑦 = −4
𝑎=4
𝑓𝑜𝑐𝑢𝑠
(0,0 + 𝑎)
𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑚
(0,4)
𝑥 2 = 16𝑦
𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑥
𝑥 2 = 16(4)
𝑦 = 0−𝑎
𝑥 2 = 64
𝑦 = −4
𝑥 = ±8
(−8,4) (8,4)
 Analyzing a Parabola
Find the coordinates of the vertex and focus,
the equation of the directrix, the axis of symmetry,
and the direction of opening of (x + 1)2 = (y - 2)

4a = 1
a = 0.25
parabola opens to upward.
vertex is (-1, 2).
focus is ( -1, 2.25 ).
directrix is y = 1.75 .
axis of symmetry is x = -1 .
Find the vertex and the focus given: 𝑦 2 + 10𝑦 + 𝑥 + 20 = 0
𝑦 2 + 10𝑦 + 𝑥 + 20 = 0
𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑥
𝑦2 + 10𝑦 = −𝑥 − 20
(5, −5)
𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒
𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑎
10
=5 52 = 25 1 = 4𝑎
2
1
𝑦 2 + 10𝑦 + 25 = −𝑥 − 20 + 25 𝑎=
4
(𝑦 + 5)2 = −𝑥 + 5
𝑓𝑜𝑐𝑢𝑠
(𝑦 + 5)2 = −(𝑥 − 5)
1
𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 (5 − , −5)
4
3
(4 , −5)
4



Find the equation given the focus (0, -2) and the directrix, x = 2

𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑎
2+0
𝑎=
2
𝑎=1

𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑥
(1, −2)
𝑥=2
𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 = −4𝑎(𝑥 − ℎ)
(𝑦 − −2)2 = −4(1)(𝑥 − 1)
(𝑦 + 2)2 = −4(𝑥 − 1)
Find the equation given the vertex (3, 1) and the focus (3, 5)

 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑎
𝑎 =5−1
 𝑎=4
𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝑦 = −3
(𝑥 − 𝑘)2 = 4𝑎(𝑦 − ℎ)
(𝑥 − 3)2 = 4(4)(𝑦 − 1)
(𝑥 − 3)2 = 16(𝑦 − 1)
𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑢𝑝

𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑥
𝑦 =1−4
𝑦 = −3