Lesson 1.2 Parabolas Introduction Apparabola is one of the conic sections. We have already seen parabolas wh 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, 1.2.1. Definition and Equation of a Parabola Consider the point F(0,2) and the line ¢having equation y =-2, as shown in Figure 1.16. What are the distances of A(4,2) from F and from @ (The latter is taken as ‘the distance of A fram A, the point on ¢clasest to A). How about the distances of Bi-8,8) from F and from ¢(from 8)? AFS4 and AA, ar-VC8-0F + B= 2 ‘There are other points P such that P 4, The collection of all such points forms a shape called a parabola. 10 and BB= 10 P, (where P,is the closest point on line Figure 1.16 Figure 1.17 Let F be a given point, andéa given line not containing F. The set of all points P ‘such that its distances from F and from ¢are the same, is called @ parabola. The point Fis its focus and the line ¢its directrix. Consider a parabole with focus F(0,c) and directrix having equation x=-c. See Figure 1.17. 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 éclosest to P. ‘The point P has to be on the same side of the directrix as the focus (if P was below, it ‘would be claser to /than it is from F),The vertex V is the point midway between the focus and the directrix. This ‘equation, x° ~Acy, is then 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. In this case, a point P on the resulting parabola would be below the directrix just lke the focus). Instead of ‘opening upward, it will open downward. Consequently, PF =/2 > (+ © and PP= € ~y (you may draw a version of Figure 1.17 for this case). Computations similar to the ‘one done above will ead to the equation x2 = Ay ‘We collect here the features of the graph of a parabola with standard equation xd = dcy or x= -Acy, where o>0. 1. vertex: origin V (0,0) ‘+ Ifthe parabola opens upward, the vertexis the lowest point. Ifthe parabola opens downward, the vertex is the highest point. 2. directrix: the line y=-c ory ‘* The directrixis c units below or above the vertex. 3. focus: F(0,e) 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 (they-2xis) ‘+ This ine 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. = 12y 2. X=-6ySolution, 1. The vertex is V (0,0) and the parabole opens upward. From 4c = 12, 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 isx= 0. 2. The vertex is V (0,0) and the parabola opens downward. From 4c The focus, ¢ = 3 units below the vertex, is F(O, - 3). The directrix, = units above the vertex, isy =. The axis of symmetry is x Exomple: ‘What is the standard equation of the parabola in Figure 1.15? Solution. From the figure, we deduce that c = 2. The equation is thus x? = By. 1.2.2. 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, 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 ¢. The focus F is ¢ units away from the vertex V, and the directrix is ¢ 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. (x — hj? = ~4e(y — k) (y=)? = ~Ae(a ~ h) directrix ¢: horizontal directrix €: vertical axis of symmetry: x=h, vertical axis of symmetry: horizontal ‘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)? =4c(y - k) (parabole ‘opening upward) would yield x? =4cy, the first standard equation we encountered (parabola opening upwerd, vertex at the origin). + IF the xpart is squared, the parabola is “vertical”; if the y-part is ‘squared, the parabola is “horizontal.” In a horizontal parabola, the focus ison the left or right of the vertex, and the directrix is vertical.¢ If the coefficient of the linear (non-squered) part is positive, the parabola opens upward or to the right; if negative, downward or to the left. Exomple: Figure 1.18 shows the graph of parabola, with only its focus and vertex indicated. Find its standard equation. What is its directrix and its axis of symmetry? Solution. ‘The vertex is V (5, ~4) and the focus is F(3, ~4). From these, we deduce the following: h = 5,k=-4, c = 2 (the distance of the focus from the vertex). Since the parabola opens to the left, we use the template (y - k)® = ~4¢(x- h). Qur equation (y +4)? = -8ix-5). 7. Its axis is the horizontal Its directrix is ¢= 2 units to the right of V, which is line through V: y= 4. Figure 1.18 The standard equation (y + 4)? = -8{x - 5) from the preceding example can be rewritten as y? + 8x +8y ~ 24 = 0, an equation of the parabola in general form. If the ‘equation is given in the general form Ax? +Cx+Dy4E =0 (A and C are nonzero) or By? +Cx+Dy#E =0(8 and C are nonzera), we can determine the standard form by completing the square in both variables. 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. yP-Sx4a2y=-16 2. Sx + 30x + 24y = 51.Solution. 1. We complete the square an y, and move x to the other side. v4 12y =5x-16 Vie 12y+36=5x-16+36=5x+20 (y +6) = 5x44) ‘The parabols opens to the right. It has vertex V (-4, -6). From 44 £1.25. The focus is ¢ =1 .25 units to the right of V : F(-2.75, -6)-The (vertical) directrix is ¢=1 .25 units to the left of V : x= 5.25. The (horizontal) axis is through Vy =-6. |, we get 2 2ay +96 =-24ly -4) (c+ ayF= Biya) In the last line, we divided by 5 for the squared part not to have any coefficient. ‘The parabols opens downward. Ithas vertex V (-3,4). : -2units below V :F(-3,2.8). ‘The (horizontal) directrix is ¢ =1.2 units above V: y through Vx 2. The (vertical) axisExomple: Aparabola has focus F(7,9) and directrix y = . Find its standard equation. Solution. ‘The directrix is horizontal, and the focus is above it. The parabola then opens upward and its standard equation has the form (x - h)? =4 c(y - k) Since the distance from the focus to the directrix is 2c =9 - 3 = 6, then c = 3.Thus, the vertex is V (7,6), the point 3 units below F. The standard equation is then (x - 7)? = 12(y-6). Exampl Asatellite dish has a shape called a paraboloid, where each cross-section is a parabola. Since radio signals (parallel to the axis) will bounce o# 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, ifthe 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 @ rectangular coordinate system, with the vertex at the origin. From the problem, ‘we deduce that (6,4.5) isa point on the parabola. We need the distance of the focus from the vertex, i., the value of cin x” =4cy. (4.5) ‘Thus, the receiver should be 2 ft away from the vertex.Exomple: ‘The cable of a suspension bridge hangs in the shape of parabola. The towers supporting the cable are 400 ft apart and 150 ft high. Ifthe 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 above, 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)? = aly ~ 30); since we don't need the focal distance, we use the simpler variable ain 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? = aly-30) The parabola has equation x? = * (y - 30}, or equivalently, For the two points on the parabola 50 ft away from the towers, x = 150 or x =~ 150. If x= 150, then 0 .003x* + 30. y=0 .003(150") +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.]