SAINT ANTHONY’S COLLEGE

SANTA CRUZ, SANTA ANA, CAGAYAN I FAS SCHOOL SYSTEM

SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

LEARNING MODULE 2
SUBJECT: PRE-CALCULUS
YEAR AND SECTION: GRADE 11 - STEM
SUBJECT TEACHER: ALEJANDRO Y. GONZALES III
TOPIC: PARABOLAS

INTRODUCTION
A parabola is one of the conic sections. We have already seen parabolas which open
upward or downward, as graphs of quadratic functions. Here, we will see parabolas
opening to the left or right. Applications of parabolas are presented at the end.

Definition and Equation of a Parabola

Consider the point F (0,2) and the line ℓ having equation y  2 , as shown in the figure.
What are the distances of A(4,2) from F and ℓ? (the latter is taken as the distance of A
from A , the point on ℓ closest to A). How about the distances of B (8,8) from F and
from ℓ (from B )?

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 parabola. The point F is its
focus and the line ℓ its directrix
1 |PRE CALCULUS SAC2020
 Consider a parabola with focus F (0, c) and directrix ℓ having equation x  c . the
focus and directrix are c units above and below, respectively, the origin. Let P ( x, y ) be a
point on the parabola so PF  PP where P is the point on ℓ closest to P. the point P has
on the same side of the directrix as the focus (if P was below, it would be closer to ℓ than
it is from F).
PF  PP
x 2   y  c   y  ( c )  y  c
2

x 2  y 2  2cy  c 2  y 2  2cy  c 2
x 2  4cy

The vertex V is the point midway between the focus and the directrix. This equation,
x  4cy , is then the standard equation of a parabola opening upward with vertex V (0,0)
2

Suppose the focus is F (0,c ) and the directrix is y  c . in this case, a point P on the
resulting parabola would be below the directrix (just like the focus). instead of opening

upward, it will open downward. Consequently, PF  x  ( y  c ) and PP  c  y .

2 2

computations similar to the one done above will lead to the equation x  4cy .
2

We will collect here the features to the graph of a parabola with the standard
equation x  4cy or x  4cy , where c  0 .
2 2

(1) vertex : origin V (0,0)

• If the parabola opens upward, the vertex is the lowest point. If the parabola opens
downward, the vertex is the highest point.

(2) directrix : the line y  c or y  c

• The directrix is c units below or above the vertex.

2 |PRE CALCULUS SAC2020

(3) 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.
(4) axis of symmetry: x = 0 (the y-axis)
• This line divides the parabola into two parts which are mirror images of each other.

Example: Determine the focus and directrix of the parabola with the given equation.
Sketch the graph, and indicate the focus, directrix, vertex, and axis of symmetry.

1. x 2  12 y

2. x 2  6 y

Solution.

1. The vertex is V (0,0) and the parabola opens

upward. From 4c  12 , c  3 . the focus, c  3 units
above the vertex, is F (0,3) . the directrix, 3 units
below the vertex, is y  3 . the axis of symmetry is
x  0.

2. The vertex is V (0,0) and the parabola opens

3 3
c c
downward. From 4c  6 , 2 . the focus, 2
3 3
F (0, )
units below the vertex, is 2 . the directrix, 2
3
y
units below the vertex, is 2 . the axis of
symmetry is x  0.

More properties of Parabolas

The parabolas we considered so far are “vertical” and have their vertices at the
origin. Some parabolas open instead horizontally (to the left or right), and some have
vertices not at the origin. Their standard equations and properties are given in the box.
The corresponding computations are more involved, but are similar to the one above,

3 |PRE CALCULUS SAC2020

and so are not shown anymore.

In all four cases below, we assume that c  0 . The vertex is V (h, k ) , and it lies
between the focus F and the directrix ℓ. The focus F is c units away from the vertex V ,
and the directrix is c units away from the vertex. Recall that, for any point on the
parabola, its distance from the focus is the same as its distance from the directrix.
The following observations are
worth noting.

• The equations are in terms of x  h

and y  k : the vertex coordinates are
subtracted from the corresponding
variable. Thus, replacing both h and
k with 0 would yield the case where
the vertex is the origin. For instance,
this replacement applied to
( x  h) 2  4c( y  k ) (parabola opening

upward) would yield x  4cy , the

2

first standard equation we

encountered (parabola opening
upward, vertex at the origin).
• If the x-part is squared, the
parabola is “vertical”; if the y-part is
squared, the parabola is “horizontal.”
In a horizontal parabola, the focus is on the left or right of the vertex, and the directrix is
vertical.
• If the coefficient of the linear (non-squared) part is positive, the parabola opens
upward or to the right; if negative, downward or to the left.
Example: Determine the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of the parabola
with the given equation. Sketch the parabola, and
include these points and lines.

1. y 2  5 x  12 y  16

2. 5 x 2  30 x  24 y  51

Solution.

1. We complete the square on y, and move x to

4 |PRE CALCULUS SAC2020

the other side.

y 2  12 y  5 x  16
y 2  12 y  36  5 x  16  36  5 x  20
 y  6 2  5 x  4
5
c   1.25
The parabola opens to the right. It has vertex V (  4,  6 ) . from 4c  5 , we get 4 .
V : F   2.75,6 
the focus is c  1.25 units to the right of . the (vertical) directrix is
c  1.25 units to the left V : x  5.25 . the (horizontal) axis is through V : y  6 .

2. We complete the square on x, and move y to the other side.

5 x 2  303x  24 y  51
 
5 x 2  6 x  9  24 y  51  5(9)
5 x  3  24 y  96  24( y  4)
2

 x  3 2   24 ( y  4)
5

In the last line, we divided by 5 for squared part not

to have any coefficient. The parabola opens
24
4c 
downward. It has vertex V (3,4) . from 5 , we
6
c  1.2 V : F   3,2.8
get 5 . the focus is c  1.2 units to the below of . the (horizontal)
V : y  5.2 V : x  3
directrix is c  1.2 units above . the (vertical) axis is through .

Situational problems involving circles

We now consider some situational problems involving parabolas.
Example:
1. A satellite dish has a shape called a paraboloid, where each cross-section is a

5 |PRE CALCULUS SAC2020

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 4.5 ft deep at the vertex?
Solution. The second figure above shows a cross-section of the satellite dish drawn on
a rectangular coordinate system, with the vertex at the origin. From the problem, we
deduce that (6,4.5) is a point on the parabola. We need the distance of the focus from the
vertex, i.e., the value of c in x  4cy .
2

x 2  4cy
6 2  4c(4.5)
62
c 2
4  4.5

Thus, the receiver should be 2 ft away from the vertex.

2. The cable of a suspension bridge hangs in the shape of a parabola. The towers
supporting the cable are 400 ft apart and 150 ft high. If the cable, at its lowest, is 30 ft
above the bridge at its midpoint, how high is the cable 50 ft away (horizontally) from
either
tower?

Solution. Refer to the figure, where the parabolic cable is drawn with its vertex on the
y-axis 30 ft above the origin. We may write its equation as  x  0   a y  30 ; since we
2

don’t need the focal distance, we use the simpler variable a in place of 4c. Since the
towers are 150 ft high and 400 ft apart, we deduce from the figure that ( 200,150) is a
point on the parabola.

x 2  a y  30 
200 2  a150  30 
200 2 1000
a 
120 3

6 |PRE CALCULUS SAC2020

 1000
x2   y  30
, or equivalently, y  0.003 x  30 . for
2
The parabola has equation 3
the two points on the parabola 50 ft away from the towers, x  150 or x  150 . if
x  150 , then

 
y  0.003 150 2  30  97.5

Thus, the cable is 97.5 ft high 50 ft away from either tower. (as expected, we get the
same answer from x  150 )

STANDARDS
(1) define a parabola;
(2) determine the standard form of equation of a parabola;
(3) graph a parabola in a rectangular coordinate system; and
(4) solve situational problems involving conic sections (parabolas).

TRANSFER
At the end of Learning module nos. 1-4, students are expected to model situations
appropriately and solve problems accurately using conic sections.

ACTIVITIES
Exercise #4 (answer the given task in your notebook)

1. Give the focus and directrix of the parabola with the equation x  10 y . sketch the
2

graph, and indicate the focus, directrix, vertex, and axis of symmetry.

2. Find the standard equation of the parabola with focus F (0,3.5) and directrix
y  3 .5

Exercise #5 (answer the given task in your notebook)

1. Determine the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of the parabola with
equation x  6 x  5 y  34 . Sketch the parabola, and include these points and lines.
2

2. A parabola has focus F (2,5) and directrix x  6 . find the standard equation of the
parabola.
7 |PRE CALCULUS SAC2020
Exercise #6 (answer the given task in your notebook)

1. A satellite dish in the shape of a paraboloid is 10 ft across, and 4 ft deep at its vertex.
How far in the receiver from the vertex, if it is placed at the focus? Round off your answer
to 2 decimal places.

SUMMARY

Orientation: Vertical Horizontal

Parabolas Centered at the Origin:
Standard Form of Equation x 2  4cy y 2  4cx
Axis of Symmetry x0 y0
Focus (0, c) (c,0)
Directrix y  c x  c
Parabolas centered at (h, k):
Standard Form of Equation ( x  h) 2  4c( y  h) ( y  k ) 2  4c ( x  h)
Axis of Symmetry xh yk
Focus ( h, k  c ) ( h  c, k )
Directrix y  k c x  hc
Upward if c  0 Right if c  0
Opening
Downward if c  0 Left if c  0

EVALUATION (answer the given task in separate sheet of letter sized bond paper)

1. Determine the focus and directrix of the parabola with the given equation. Sketch the
graph, and indicate the focus, directrix, vertex, and axis of symmetry
2
 5  9
 y    5 x  
a.  2  2

b. 16 x 2  72 x  112 y  221

2. Find the standard equation of the parabola which satisfies the given conditions.

a. Vertex (8,3) , directrix x  10.5

b. Focus (7,11) , directrix x  1

c. Vertex ( 5,7) , horizontal axis of symmetry, through point directrix P(7,11)

3. A flashlight is shaped like a paraboloid, so that if its light bulb is placed at the focus,

8 |PRE CALCULUS SAC2020

the light rays from the bulb will then bounce off the surface in a focused direction that is
parallel to the axis. If the paraboloid has a depth of 1.8 in and the diameter on its surface
is 6 in, how far should the light source be placed from the vertex?

REFLECTION (answer the given task in a separate sheet of letter sized bond paper)

A flashlight has a curved mirror with the light source at the focus. Sketch the
appropriate diagram and explain the benefits of having a parabolic mirror rather than a
lens with different shape.

REFERENCES

[1] R.N. Aufmann, V.C. Barker, and R.D. Nation, College Trigonometry, Houghton
Mifflin Company, 2008.
[2] E.A. Cabral, M.L.A.N. De Las Peñ as, E.P. De Lara-Tuprio, F.F. Francisco,
I.J.L. Garces, R.M. Marcelo, and J.F. Sarmiento, Precalculus, Ateneo de
Manila University Press, 2010.
[3] R. Larson, Precalculus with Limits, Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, 2014.
[4] L. Leithold, College Algebra and Trigonometry, Addison Wesley Longman
Inc., 1989, reprinted by Pearson Education Asia Pte. Ltd., 2002.
[5] M.L. Lial, J. Hornsby, and D.I. Schneider, College Algebra and Trigonometry
and Precalculus, Addison-Wesley Educational Publisher, Inc., 2001.
[6] J. Stewart, L. Redlin, and S. Watson, Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus,
Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, 2012.
[7] M. Sullivan, Algebra & Trigonometry, Pearson Education, Inc., 2012.
[8] C. Young, Algebra and Trigonometry, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2013.

9 |PRE CALCULUS SAC2020