Learning Outcomes

 Illustrate the geometric definition of a

parabola
 Determine the standard form of the
equation of a parabola
 Graph the parabola in a rectangular
coordinate system
 Solve real-life problems involving
parabola
 San Juanico Bridge
The portion
of the bridge
as shown in
the picture
depicts one
of the conic
sections.
Can you tell
which conic
section it is?

The San Juanico bridge connects the provinces of Samar and Leyte. The
bridge was built in 1969 and was opened to public use in 1973. It is the
second longest bridge in the Philippines and is considered to be one of the
most beautiful structures built.
Definition
 A parabola is a set of points
on the coordinate plane that are
of equal distance from a fixed
point and a fixed line.
 The fixed point is called the focus of the
parabola and the fixed line is called directrix.
 The line connecting two points on the parabola
and passing through the focus is called the
latus rectum.
 The axis of symmetry is the line which divides
the parabola into two equal parts and passes
through the vertex and the focus.
Equation of the Parabola in
General Form

 The equation of the parabola is the

second-degree polynomial in two
variables; that is
𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0
C𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0
where 𝐴, 𝐷, 𝐸, 𝐹 ∈ ℝ.
Example 1 (Use graphing calculator)
 Consider the following equations and
their graphs:
1. 𝑥 2 + 8𝑦 = 0
2. 𝑥 2 − 8𝑦 = 0
3. 𝑦 2 − 8𝑥 = 0
4. 𝑦 2 + 8𝑥 = 0
Example 2 (Use graphing calculator)
 Consider the following equations and their
graphs:
1. 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 0
2. 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 − 8𝑦 = 0
3. 𝑦 2 − 4𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 0
4. 𝑦 2 + 4𝑥 − 8𝑦 = 0
Equation of the Parabola in
Standard Form

Vertex (h,k) Vertex (0,0)

either opens
upward or
(𝒙 − 𝒉)𝟐 = 𝟒𝒑(𝒚 − 𝒌) 𝒙𝟐 = 𝟒𝒑𝒚 downward

either opens to
the left or to
(𝒚 − 𝒌)𝟐 = 𝟒𝒑 𝒙 − 𝒉 𝒚𝟐 = 𝟒𝒑𝒙 the right

where 4p is the length of the latus rectum and p

is the distance of the vertex from the directrix
and from the focus.
Deriving Equation of a Parabola

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDh
57N7U2BU
Equation of the
Parabola (with Condition Remarks
vertex (0, 0))
𝑥 2 = 4𝑝𝑦 𝑝>0 Opens upward; Coordinates (0, p) of the
focus which is above the vertex; Axis of
symmetry is x = 0 and directrix is y= -p
𝑝<0 Opens downward; Coordinates (0, p) of the
focus which is below the vertex; Axis of
symmetry is x = 0 and directrix is y = p
𝑦 2 = 4𝑝𝑥 𝑝>0 Opens to the right; Coordinates (p, 0) of the
focus which is to the right of the vertex; Axis
of symmetry is y=0 and directrix is x= -p
𝑝<0 Opens to the left; Coordinates (p, 0) of the
focus which is to the left of the vertex; Axis
of symmetry is y=0 and directrix is x= p

4p is the length of the latus rectum and

p is the distance of the vertex from the directrix and from the focus
 Equation of the
Parabola (with Condition Remarks
vertex (h, k))
(𝑥 − ℎ)2 = 4𝑝(𝑦 − 𝑘) 𝑝>0 Opens upward; Coordinates (h, k+p) of the
focus which is above the vertex; Axis of
symmetry is x = h and directrix is y= k-p
𝑝<0 Opens downward; Coordinates (h, k+p) of the
focus which is below the vertex; Axis of
symmetry is x = h and directrix is y = k-p
(𝑦 − 𝑘)2 = 4𝑝(𝑥 − ℎ) 𝑝>0 Opens to the right; Coordinates (h+p, k) of the
focus which is to the right of the vertex; Axis of
symmetry is y=k and directrix is x= h-p
𝑝<0 Opens to the left; Coordinates (h+p, k) of the
focus which is to the left of the vertex; Axis of
symmetry is y=k and directrix is x= h-p

4p is the length of the latus rectum and

p is the distance of the vertex from the directrix and from the focus
Example 3
 Transform the following items to standard form,
then identify the (a) vertex, (b) coordinates of
the focus, (c) length of latus rectum, (d)
endpoints of the latus rectum, (e) equation of
the directrix, and the (f) axis of symmetry.
Then sketch each graph.
1. 𝑥 2 − 4𝑦 = 0
2. 𝑦 2 +16𝑥 = 0
3. 𝑥 2 + 16𝑦 = 0
4. 𝑦 2 − 4𝑥 = 0
1. 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟒𝒚 = 𝟎
2. 𝒚𝟐 + 𝟏𝟔𝒙 = 𝟎
3. 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏𝟔𝒚 = 𝟎
4. 𝒚𝟐 − 𝟒𝒙 = 𝟎
Example 4
 For the following items transform it to standard
form, then identify the (a) vertex, (b) coordinates
of the focus, (c) length of latus rectum, (d)
endpoints of the latus rectum, (e) equation of the
directrix, and the (f) axis of symmetry. Then
sketch each graph.
1. 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 0
2. 𝑦 2 + 4𝑥 − 8𝑦 = 0
3. 𝑦 2 + 6𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 25 = 0
4. 2𝑥 2 + 8𝑦 − 12𝑥 − 14 = 0
1. 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟒𝒙 + 𝟖𝒚 = 𝟎
 1. 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟒𝒙 + 𝟖𝒚 = 𝟎

opening

Vertex

Focus

Length of
LR

Endpoints
of LR

Directrix

Axis of
Symmetry
2. 𝒚𝟐 + 𝟒𝒙 − 𝟖𝒚 = 𝟎
2. 𝒚𝟐 + 𝟒𝒙 − 𝟖𝒚 = 𝟎

opening

Vertex

Focus

Length of
LR

Endpoints
of LR

Directrix

Axis of
Symmetry
3. 𝒚𝟐 + 𝟔𝒙 + 𝟐𝒚 + 𝟐𝟓 = 𝟎
3. 𝒚𝟐 + 𝟔𝒙 + 𝟐𝒚 + 𝟐𝟓 = 𝟎

opening

Vertex

Focus

Length of
LR

Endpoints
of LR

Directrix

Axis of
Symmetry
𝟒. 𝟐𝒙𝟐 + 𝟖𝒚 − 𝟏𝟐𝒙 − 𝟏𝟒 = 𝟎
𝟒. 𝟐𝒙𝟐 + 𝟖𝒚 − 𝟏𝟐𝒙 − 𝟏𝟒 = 𝟎

opening

Vertex

Focus

Length of
LR

Endpoints
of LR

Directrix

Axis of
Symmetry
Example 5
 Change the following equations from
general to vertex form.
1. 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 − 8𝑦 + 4 = 0
2. 𝑦 2 − 8𝑥 + 5𝑦 − 13 = 0
3. 𝑦 2 − 4𝑥 + 4 = 0
Example 6
 Write the following equations in general
form.
1. (𝑥 − 1)2 +(𝑦 − 2) = 20
2. (𝑥 + 3)2 +(𝑦 − 0) = 16
3. (y-6)+(𝑥 − 11)2 = 0
Finding Equation of the Parabola
Given Certain Conditions
Example 7
Find the equation of parabola given the following
conditions.

 1. Find the equation of the parabola with

vertex at the origin and focus at (2, 0).

 2. Find the equation of the parabola whose

vertex is at (3, 2) and with directrix y = 5.

 3. Find the equation of the parabola, with

vertical axis of symmetry, whose vertex
is at (-3, -2) and passes through (7, 3)
Example 7 (Solution)
 1. Find the equation of the parabola with vertex at the
origin and focus at (2, 0).
Example 7 (Solution)
2. Find the equation of the parabola whose vertex is at
(3, 2) and with directrix y = 5.
Example 7 (Solution)
3. Find the equation of the parabola, with vertical axis of
symmetry, whose vertex is at (-3, -2) and passes
through (7, 3)
 Application of Parabola
 The concept of parabola is depicted in
several real-life situations such as the
water trajectory from a fountain,
suspension bridges, reflectorized mirror
of the car headlights, and on objects
moving along a projectile.
Example 8
 A ball is thrown at 19.6 meters per second
from a 58.8-meter tall platform. The
equation of the object’s height h (in meters)
at time t (in seconds) after it is thrown is
given by ℎ 𝑡 = −4.9𝑡 2 + 19.6𝑡 + 58.8. After
how many seconds will the ball reach the
ground?
Example 9
 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 4.5 ft deep at
the vertex?
Example
 An arch in an amusement park has a
parabolic shape. It has a height of 74
feet and a base width of 38 feet. What is
the height of the arch 8 feet from its
vertex?
Exercises 1
 For the following items identify the (a) vertex,
(b) coordinates of the focus, (c) length of latus
rectum, (d) endpoints of the latus rectum, (e)
equation of the directrix, and the (f) axis of
symmetry. Then sketch each graph.
1. (𝑥 − 2)2 = 4(𝑦 − 1)
2. (𝑦 − 1)2 = 4(𝑥 − 2)
3. 𝑦 2 − 2𝑦 + 4𝑥 − 7 = 0
4. 2𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 − 2𝑦 + 16 = 0
Exercises 2
 A. Find the equation of the parabola satisfying
the following conditions:
1. vertex at the origin and focus at (0, -3)
2. vertex at (1, 5) and directrix is the x-axis

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