Parabolas

PRE-CALCULUS
OUTLINE
•Definition of the parabola
•Derivation of the standard equation of a
parabola
•Graphing parabolas
•Solving situational problems involving
parabolas
definition
•The conic section formed when a tilted plain
intersects only one cone to form an
unbounded curve.
•The graph of a quadratic function.
Application of parabolas
A more complicated definition
A more complicated definition
Let F be a given point, and l a given line not
containing F. The set of all points P such that
its distances from F and from l are the same, is
called a parabola. The point F is its focus and
the line l its directrix.
Parts of the parabola
•Vertex:
• If the parabola opens upward, the vertex is the
lowest point. If the parabola opens downward,
the vertex is the highest point.
•Directrix: the line y = c or y = c
• The directrix is c units below or above the
vertex
Parts of the parabola
•Focus: F(0, c) or F(0, c)
• The focus is c units above or below the vertex.
•Any point on the parabola has the same distance
from the focus as it has from the directrix.
Axis of symmetry: x = 0 (the y-axis) • This line
divides the parabola into two parts which are
mirror images of each other.
A more complicated definition
• What is are the
distances of A(4,2)
from F and l?
AF = 4 , Al = 4
A more complicated definition
How about B(-8,8)?
𝐵𝐹 = −8 − 0 2 + 8 − 2 2
= 10
𝐵𝑙 = 8 − −2 = 10
There are other points P such
that PF = PPl (where P is the
closest point on line l). The
collection of all such points
forms a shape called a parabola.
A more complicated definition
• Consider the figure on the
right
• Focus = F(0, c)
• Directrix l: y = -c
A more complicated definition
𝑃𝐹 = 𝑃𝑃𝑙
𝑃𝐹 = 𝑥 − 0 2 + 𝑦 − 𝑐 2
𝑃𝑃𝑙 = 𝑦 − −𝑐 = 𝑦 + 𝑐
𝑥−0 2+ 𝑦−𝑐 2 =y+c
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 − 2𝑐𝑦 + 𝑐 2 = 𝑦 2 + 2𝑐𝑦 + 𝑐 2
𝑥 2 = 4𝑐𝑦
A more complicated definition
2
𝑥 = 4𝑐𝑦
The vertex V is the point
midway between the focus and
the directrix. This equation is
the standard equation of a
parabola opening upward with
vertex V (0, 0).
•Suppose the focus is F(0, -c) and the directrix
is y = c. What will be the orientation of the
parabola?
 Example 1
Sketch the graph, and indicate the focus, directrix,
vertex, and axis of symmetry.
2
𝑥 = 12𝑦
Orientation:
opens upward
Vertex:
(0,0)
Example 1
Sketch the graph, and indicate the focus,
directrix, vertex, and axis of symmetry.
2
𝑥 = 12𝑦
Focus: c = 3 →F is 3 units above the vertex
F(0, 3)
Directrix is a horizontal line 3 units below the
vertex:
y = -3
Example 1
2
𝑥 = 12𝑦
example 2
Sketch the graph, and indicate the focus,
directrix, vertex, and axis of symmetry.
2
𝑥 = −6𝑦
Orientation:
opens downward
Vertex:
(0,0)
example 2
Sketch the graph, and indicate the focus, directrix,
vertex, and axis of symmetry.
2
𝑥 = −6𝑦
3 3
Focus: c = − →F is units below the vertex
2 2 3
F(0, − )
2
Directrix is a horizontal line 3/2 units above the
vertex:
3
y=
2
example 2
𝑥 2 = −6𝑦
Example 3
•What is the
standard equation
of the parabola in
Figure 1.17?
•Vertex:
(0, 0)
•c
2
c=2 𝑥 = 8𝑦
Parabolas: other cases
•Parabolas can also be horizontal and open to
the left, or right.
•The vertex is not always located at the origin.
•Generally, we denote the vertex as:
𝑉(ℎ, 𝑘)
•The focus is ___c units away from the vertex.
•The directrix is ___c away from the vertex.
Match the equation to the graph of the parabola

B A C D

2 𝐶: 𝑥 − ℎ 2 = −4𝑐 𝑦 − 𝑘
𝐴: 𝑦 − 𝑘 = 4𝑐(𝑥 − ℎ)
2 𝐷: 𝑦 − 𝑘 2 = −4𝑐(𝑥 − ℎ)
𝐵: 𝑥 − ℎ = 4𝑐 𝑦 − 𝑘
•Axis of symmetry
x = h (vertical)
y = k (horizontal)
Example 4
•Find the standard equation,
axis of symmetry, and
directrix.
𝑦 + 4 2 = −8(𝑥 − 5)
𝑙: 𝑥 = 7
𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑦𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑦: 𝑦 = −4
More examples
•Determine the vertex, focus, directrix, and
axis of symmetry of the parabola with
equation x2−6x+5y = −34. Sketch the graph,
and include these points and lines.

Answer: vertex (3,−5), focus (3,−6.25),

directrix y = −3.75, axis x = 3
•Determine the vertex,
focus, directrix, and
axis of symmetry of
the parabola with
equation x2−6x+5y =
−34. Sketch the
graph, and include
these points and lines.
•A satellite dish has a shape called a
paraboloid, where each cross-section is a
parabola. Since radio signals (parallel to the
axis) will bounce off the surface of the dish
to the focus, the receiver should be placed at
the focus. How far should the receiver be
from the vertex, if the dish is 12 ft across, and
4.5ft deep at the vertex?
solution
• To simplify the solution, we use the
vertex V(0,0).
• Since th antenna is oriented to open
upward, it will follow the form
𝑥 2 = 4𝑐𝑦
From the measurements, we know
that (6, 4.5) is a part of the parabola.
62 = 4𝑐 4.5
2
6
𝑐= = 2 𝑓𝑡
4 ∙ 4.5
A physics application: projectile motion
•The trajectory of a projectile thrown from the
1 2
ground can be described by 𝑦 = − 𝑔𝑡 +
2
𝑣0 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃𝑡. Show that the maximum point is
2 2
𝑣0 sin θ
𝑦𝑚𝑎𝑥 = and that the time to reach
2𝑔
𝑣0 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
that is 𝑡𝑚𝑎 = .
𝑔