Name __________________________________

Period __________

Date: Essential Question: What is the relationship among the

focus, directrix, and vertex of a parabola?
9-3
Topic:
Parabolas

Standard: G-GPE.2 Derive the equation of a parabola given a focus and directrix.

Objective: To learn the relationship between the focus, directrix, vertex,

and axis of a parabola and the equation of the parabola.

Suppose that you draw the line and plot the point
( ). Then plot several points P that appear to be the same
distance from the line as they are from the point F.

In the diagram, the distance from point P to the line is

measured along the perpendicular PD. To find an equation of
the path of P, you use the distance formula.

√( ) ( ) √( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
( )

Summary
 The last equation is of the form ( ) . In Lesson
7-5, you learned that the graph of such an equation is a
parabola with vertex ( ) and axis . Therefore, the
graph of the set of points P is a parabola with vertex ( ) and
axis . The following general definition of a parabola is
stated in terms of distance.
Parabola:
A parabola is the set of all points equidistant from a fixed
line, called the directrix, and a fixed point not on the line,
called the focus.
The important features of a parabola are shown in the diagram
below. Notice that the vertex is midway between the focus and
the directrix.

Example 1: The vertex of a parabola is ( ) and the directrix is the line

. Find the focus of the parabola.

Solution It is helpful to make a sketch. The

vertex is 3 units above the directrix.
Since the vertex is midway between
the focus and the directrix, the focus
is ( ). Answer

2
Exercise 1: The vertex of a parabola is ( ) and the directrix is the line
. Find the focus of the parabola. Draw a sketch

The vertex of a parabola is ( ) and the focus is ( ). Find

the directrix of the parabola. Draw a sketch

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Example 2: Find an equation of the parabola having the point ( ) as
focus and the line as directrix. Draw the curve and label
the vertex V, the focus F, the directrix, and the axis of
symmetry.

Solution From the definition, ( ) is on the parabola if and only if

, where PD is the perpendicular distance from P to
the directrix.

√( ) ( ) √( ) ( ( ))

( ) ( )
( )

( ) ( )

( )

To plot a few points, choose convenient values of y and

compute the corresponding values of x

x y

8

0 5

2

0 1

Notice that the parabola in Example 2 has a horizontal axis and

an equation of the form ( ) where the point
( ) is the vertex. This is similar to the equation of a
parabola that has a vertical axis, except that the roles of x and y
are reversed.

4
Exercise 2: Find an equation of the parabola that has focus ( ) and
directrix . Then graph the parabola.

5
Exercise 2 Find an equation of the parabola that has focus ( ) and directrix
continued: . Then graph the parabola.

6
Exercise 2 Find an equation of the parabola that has focus ( ) and
continued: vertex ( ). Then graph the parabola.

7
If the distance between the vertex and the focus of a parabola
is | |, then it can be shown that in the equation of the
parabola

The parabola whose equation is

( ) , where
,

opens upward if , downward if

; has
vertex ( ),

focus ( ),

directrix ,

and

axis of symmetry .

The parabola whose equation is

( ) , where
,

opens upward if , downward

if ; has
vertex ( ),

focus ( ),

directrix ,

and

axis of symmetry .

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Example 3: Find the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of the
parabola . Then graph the parabola.

Solution Complete the square using the terms in y:

( ) ( )

( )

Comparing this equation with ( ) , you can see

that

Since,

Thus, the parabola opens to the right (since ).

The vertex is ( ), the focus is ( ), the directrix is

, and the axis of symmetry is . The graph is
shown above.

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Exercise 3: Find the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of the
parabola . Then graph the parabola.

10
Exercise 3, Find the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of the
continued: parabola . Then graph the parabola.

11
Exercise 3, Find the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of the
continued: parabola . Then graph the parabola.

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Example 4: Find an equation of the parabola that has vertex (4, 2) and
directrix .

Solution The distance from the vertex to the

directrix is 3, so | | Since the
directrix is above the vertex, the
parabola opens downward.
Therefore the squared term is the
term with x, and c is negative. If
,then . Thus the
equation is ( ) .

Exercise 4: Find an equation of the parabola that has vertex (3, 1) and
directrix . Graph the result.

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Exercise 4, Find an equation of the parabola that has vertex (3,-5) and
continued: directrix . Graph the result.

Class work: p 415 Oral Exercises: 1-12

Homework: p 415 Written Exercises: 2-24 even

p 411 Written Exercises: 43-46
p 415 Written Exercises: 26-36 even
p 417 Mixed Review: 1-6

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