Parts and

characteristics of a
parabola
Case 1: Characteristic of a parabola with vertex at the origin.
PARABOLA AXIS OF OPENING FOCUS LATUS DIRECTRI
SYMMETR RECTUM X
Y

Horizontal Right, (p,0) Length: 4p Equation:

if p > 0 Equation: x = -p
Left, x= ±p
if p < 0 Endpoints:
(p, ±2p)

Vertical Upward, if p (0,p) Length: 4p Equation:

>0 Equation: y = -p
Downward, if y= ±p
p<0 Endpoints:
(±2p, p)
EXAMPLE 1. GRAPH THE PARABOLA WITH AN EQUATION
STEP 1: LOCATE THE VERTEX OF THE PARABOLA. SINCE BELONG TO THE CASE 1, ITS
VERTEX IS AT ORIGIN (0,0).
STEP 2: DETERMINE ITS AXIS OF SYMMETRY BY CONSIDERING THE VARIABLE WITH
THE SECOND DEGREE.
IN THE EQUATION , THE VARIABLE x HAS THE SECOND DEGREE WHICH IMPLIES
THAT THE GIVEN PARABOLA HAS VERTICAL AXIS OF SYMMETRY.
STEP 3: IDENTIFY THE OPENING OF THE PARABOLA BY EXAMINING THE VALUE OF
ITS FOCUS (p).
* I l
* 4py = 20y l 4p = 20
p = 5 - SINCE P > 0, THEN THE PARABOLA OPENS UPWARD.
STEP 4: LOCATE THE FOCUS OF THE PARABOLA.
SINCE P = 5, THE FOCUS OF THE PARABOLA IS 5 UNITS ABOVE THE VERTEX. THUS,
THE FOCUS IS AT (0,5)
STEP 5: LOCATE ENDPOINTS OF THE LATUS RECTUM.
TO LOCATE THE ENDPOINTS OF THE LATUS RECTUM , WE USE ±2P = ±10.
THIS MEANS THAT FROM THE FOCUS (0,5), WE MOVE 10 UNITS TO THE RIGHT AND
ANOTHER 10 UNITS TO THE LEFT. THEREFORE , THE ENDPOINTS OF THE LATUS
RECTUM ARE LOCATED AT (-10,5) AND (10,5).
ALSO, THE LENGTH OF THE LATUS RECTUM IS 20 UNITS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE
VALUE OF 4p (COEFFICIENT OF x IN THE GIVEN EXAMPLE).
 Case 2: Characteristic of a parabola with vertex at point (h,k).
PARABOLA AXIS OF OPENING FOCUS LATUS DIRECTRIX
SYMMETRY RECTUM

Horizontal Right, (h + p,k) Length: 4p Equation:

if p > 0 Equation: x=h-p
Left, x= h + p
if p < 0 Endpoints:
(h + p, k ±2p)

Vertical Upward, if p (h,k+p) Length: 4p Equation:

>0 Equation: y=k-p
Downward, if y= k + p
p<0 Endpoints:
(h ±2p, k + p)
EXAMPLE 2. SKETCH THE GRAPH OF THE PARABOLA THAT HAS AN
EQUATION
STEP 1: LOCATE THE VERTEX OF THE PARABOLA. SINCE BELONGs TO THE
CASE 2, ITS VERTEX IS DETERMINED BY THE VALUES OF h AND k.
* ͢
• ͢ , HERE , k = -3 AND h = 2
• THUS, THE VERTEX OF THE PARABOLA IS AT (2,-3).
STEP 2: DETERMINE ITS AXIS OF SYMMETRY BY CONSIDERING THE
VARIABLE OF THE SECOND DEGREE.
IN THE EQUATION , THE VARIABLE y HAS THE SECOND DEGREE WHICH
IMPLIES THAT THE GIVEN PARABOLA HAS A HORIZONTAL AXIS OF
SYMMETRY.
STEP 3: IDENTIFY THE OPENING OF THE PARABOLA BY EXAMINING THE
VALUE OF ITS FOCUS (p).
*
• *
• * 4p = 4
p =1
p = 1 - SINCE P > 0, THEN THE PARABOLA OPENS TO THE RIGHT.
STEP 4: LOCATE THE FOCUS OF THE PARABOLA.
SINCE P = 1, THE FOCUS OF THE PARABOLA IS 1 UNIT TO THE RIGHT OF THE
VERTEX. THUS, THE FOCUS IS AT (3,-3).
STEP 5: LOCATE ENDPOINTS OF THE LATUS RECTUM.
TO LOCATE THE ENDPOINTS OF THE LATUS RECTUM , WE USE ±2P = ±2.
THIS MEANS THAT FROM THE FOCUS (3,-3), WE MOVE 2 UNITS UPWARD
AND ANOTHER 2 UNITS DOWNWARD. THEREFORE, THE ENDPOINTS OF
THE LATUS RECTUM ARE LOCATED AT (3,-1) AND (3, -5).
ALSO, THE LENGTH OF THE LATUS RECTUM IS 4 UNITS, WHICH IS
ACTUALLY THE VALUE OF 4p (COEFFICIENT OF (x-h) ON THE GIVEN
EXAMPLE).
 BABALA! BASAHIN NG
MATIWASAY,PARA HUMABA
ANG BUHAY 