PARABOLA

Single Correct Type Questions :

1. If y = mx + 4 is a tangent to both the parabolas, y2 = 4x and x2 = 2by, then b is equal to :

(1) 128 (2) –64 (3) –128 (4) –32

1 
2. If one end of a focal chord AB of the parabola y2 = 8x is at A  , −2  , then the equation of the
2 
tangent to it at B is :
(1) 2x + y – 24 = 0 (2) x – 2y + 8 = 0 (3) 2x – y – 24 = 0 (4) x + 2y + 8 = 0

3. The area (in sq. units) of an equilateral triangle inscribed in the parabola y2 = 8x, with one of
its vertices on the vertex of this parabola, is :
(1) 64 3 (2) 256 3 (3) 192 3 (4) 128 3

4. The area (in sq. units) of the largest rectangle ABCD whose vertices A and B lie on the x-axis
and vertices C and D lie on the parabola, y= x2 –1 below the x-axis, is :
4 1 4 2
(1) (2) (3) (4)
3 3 3 3 3 3 3

5. If the common tangent to the parabolas, y2 = 4x and x2 = 4y also touches the circle, x2 + y2 = c2,
then c is equal to :
1 1 1 1
(1) (2) (3) (4)
2 2 2 2 4

6. Let L1 be a tangent to the parabola y2 = 4(x + 1) and L2 be a tangent to the parabola

y2 = 8(x + 2) such that L1 and L2 intersect at right angles. Then L1 and L2 meet on the straight
line :
(1) x + 3 = 0 (2) x + 2y = 0 (3) 2x + 1 = 0 (4) x + 2 = 0

7. The centre of the circle passing through the point (0, 1) and touching the parabola y = x2 at the
point (2, 4) is :
 3 16   −16 53   6 53   −53 16 
(1)  ,  (2)  ,  (3)  ,  (4)  , 
 10 5   5 10   5 10   10 5 

Plot No. R-4, Opposite Railway Track, Zone-2, MP Nagar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (India) - 462011
 1 3 1
8. Consider the parabola with vertex  ,  and the directrix y = . Let P be the point where the
2 4 2
1
parabola meets the line x = – . If the normal to the parabola at P intersects the parabola again
2
at the point Q, then (PQ) is equal to :
2

75 125 25 15
(1) (2) (3) (4)
8 16 2 2

9. Let C be the locus of the mirror image of a point on the parabola y2 = 4x with respect to the line
y = x. Then the equation of tangent to C at P(2,1) is :
(1) x – y = 1 (2) 2x + y = 5 (3) x + 3y = 5 (4) x + 2y = 4

10. If the three normals drawn to the parabola, y2 = 2x pass through the point (a, 0) a  0, then 'a'
must be greater than :
1 1
(1) (2) – (3) –1 (4) 1
2 2

11. Let P be a variable point on the parabola y = 4x2 +1. Then, the locus of the mid-point of the point
P and the foot of the perpendicular drawn from the point P to the line y = x is :
(1) (3x – y)2 + (x – 3y) + 2 = 0 (2) 2(3x – y)2 + (x – 3y) + 2 = 0
(3) (3x – y)2 + 2(x – 3y) + 2 = 0 (4) 2(x – 3y)2 + (3x – y) + 2 = 0

12. If P is a point on the parabola y = x2 + 4 which is closest to the straight line y = 4x – 1, then the
co-ordinates of P are :
(1) (3, 13) (2) (1, 5) (3) (–2, 8) (4) (2, 8)

13. The locus of the mid-point of the line segment joining the focus of the parabola y2 = 4ax to a
moving point of the parabola, is another parabola whose directrix is :
a a
(1) x = − (2) x = (3) x = 0 (4) x = a
2 2

14. The shortest distance between the line x – y = 1 and the curve x2 = 2y is :
1 1 1
(1) (2) (3) (4) 0
2 2 2 2

15. Let a parabola P be such that its vertex and focus lie on the positive x–axis at a distance 2 and
4 units from the origin, respectively. If tangents are drawn from O(0, 0) to the parabola P which
meet P at S and R, then the area (in sq. units) of SOR is equal to :
(1) 16 2 (2) 16 (3) 32 (4) 8 2

Plot No. R-4, Opposite Railway Track, Zone-2, MP Nagar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (India) - 462011
16. The locus of the mid points of the chords of the hyperbola x2 – y2 = 4, which touch the parabola
y2 = 8x, is :
(1) y3(x − 2) = x2 (2) x3(x − 2) = y2 (3) y2(x − 2) = x3 (4) x2(x − 2) = y3

17. If a line along a chord of the circle 4x2 + 4y2 + 120x + 675 = 0, passes through the point (–30, 0)
and is tangent to the parabola y2 = 30x, then the length of this chord is :
(1) 5 (2) 7 (3) 5 3 (4) 3 5

18. If two tangents drawn from a point P to the parabola y2 = 16(x – 3) are at right angles, then the
locus of point P is :
(1) x + 3 = 0 (2) x + 1 = 0 (3) x + 2 = 0 (4) x + 4 = 0

19. The equation of a common tangent to the parabolas y = x2 and y = -(x-2)2 is

(1) y = 4(x-2) (2) y = 4 (x-1) (3) y = 4 (x+1) (4) y = 4 (x+2)

20. If the tangents drawn at the points P and Q on the parabola y2 = 2x – 3 intersect at the point
R(0, 1), then the orthocentre of the triangle PQR is :
(1) (0, 1) (2) (2, –1) (3) (6, 3) (4) (2, 1)

21. Let x2 + y2 + Ax + By + C = 0 be a circle passing through (0, 6) and touching the parabola y = x 2
at (2, 4). Then A + C is equal to______ .
(1) 16 (2) 88/5 (3) 72 (4) –8

t2
22. Let x = 2t, y = be a conic. Let S be the focus and B be the point on the axis of the conic such
3
that SA ⊥ BA, where A is any point on the conic. If k is the ordinate of the centroid of SAB, then
lim k is equal to
t →

17 19 11 13
(1) (2) (3) (4)
18 18 18 18

23. If the equation of the parabola, whose vertex is at (5, 4) and the directrix is 3x + y − 29 = 0 , is
x2 + ay2 + bxy + cx + dy + k =0 then a + b + c +d + k is equal to
(1) 575 (2) –575 (3) 576 (4) –576

24. Let P : y2 = 4ax, a > 0 be a parabola with focus S.Let the tangents to the parabola P make an

angle of with the line y = 3x + 5 touch the parabola P at A and B. Then the value of a for which
4
A,B and S are collinear is:
1
(1) 8 only (2) 2 only (3) only (4) any a > 0
4

Plot No. R-4, Opposite Railway Track, Zone-2, MP Nagar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (India) - 462011
Integer Type Questions :

25. Let P1 be a parabola with vertex (3, 2) and focus (4, 4) and P2 be its mirror image with respect to the
line x + 2y = 6. Then the directrix of P2 is x + 2y = _____.

26. The sum of diameters of the circles that touch (i) the parabola 75x2 = 64(5y – 3) at the point
8 6
 5 , 5  and (ii) the y-axis, is equal to _______.
 

27. A line is a common tangent to the circle (x – 3)2 + y2 = 9 and the parabola y2 = 4x.
If the two points of contact (a, b) and (c, d) are distinct and lie in the first quadrant, then
2(a + c) is equal to ______.

28. Let y = mx + c, m > 0 be the focal chord of y2 = –64x, which is tangent to (x + 10)2 + y2 = 4. Then,
the value of 4 2 (m + c) is equal to_______.

29. Let a line y = mx (m > 0) intersect the parabola, y2 = x at a point P, other than the origin. Let the
tangent to it at P meet the x-axis at the point Q. If area (OPQ) = 4 sq. units, then m is equal to.

 3
30. If the point on the curve y2 = 6x, nearest to the point  3,  is ( ), then 2( + ) is equal to.
 2

Plot No. R-4, Opposite Railway Track, Zone-2, MP Nagar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (India) - 462011
Plot No. R-4, Opposite Railway Track, Zone-2, MP Nagar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (India) - 462011