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Section 10.2 Introduction to Conics: Parabolas 735

10.2 Introduction to Conics: Parabolas

What you should learn
• Recognize a conic as the
Conics
intersection of a plane and Conic sections were discovered during the classical Greek period, 600 to 300 B.C.
a double-napped cone. The early Greeks were concerned largely with the geometric properties of conics.
• Write equations of parabolas It was not until the 17th century that the broad applicability of conics became
in standard form and graph apparent and played a prominent role in the early development of calculus.
parabolas. A conic section (or simply conic) is the intersection of a plane and a double-
• Use the reflective property of napped cone. Notice in Figure 10.8 that in the formation of the four basic
parabolas to solve real-life conics, the intersecting plane does not pass through the vertex of the cone. When
problems.
the plane does pass through the vertex, the resulting figure is a degenerate conic,
Why you should learn it as shown in Figure 10.9.
Parabolas can be used to
model and solve many types of
real-life problems. For instance,
in Exercise 62 on page 742, a
parabola is used to model the
cables of the Golden Gate
Bridge.

Circle Ellipse Parabola Hyperbola

FIGURE 10.8 Basic Conics

Cosmo Condina /Getty Images

Point Line Two Intersecting

FIGURE 10.9 Degenerate Conics Lines

There are several ways to approach the study of conics. You could begin by
defining conics in terms of the intersections of planes and cones, as the Greeks
did, or you could define them algebraically, in terms of the general second-
degree equation
Ax 2  Bxy  Cy 2  Dx  Ey  F  0.
This study of conics is from a locus-of- However, you will study a third approach, in which each of the conics is defined
points approach, which leads to the
development of the standard equation as a locus (collection) of points satisfying a geometric property. For example, in
for each conic. Your students should Section 1.2, you learned that a circle is defined as the collection of all points
know the standard equations of all
x, y that are equidistant from a fixed point
h, k. This leads to the standard form
conics well. Make sure they understand of the equation of a circle
the relationship of h and k to the
horizontal and vertical shifts.
x
h 2 
y
k 2  r 2. Equation of circle
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736 Chapter 10 Topics in Analytic Geometry

Parabolas
In Section 2.1, you learned that the graph of the quadratic function
f
x  ax2  bx  c
is a parabola that opens upward or downward. The following definition of a
parabola is more general in the sense that it is independent of the orientation of
the parabola.

Definition of Parabola
A parabola is the set of all points
x, y in a plane that are equidistant from
a fixed line (directrix) and a fixed point (focus) not on the line.

y
The midpoint between the focus and the directrix is called the vertex, and the
line passing through the focus and the vertex is called the axis of the parabola.
d2 Note in Figure 10.10 that a parabola is symmetric with respect to its axis. Using
Focus
the definition of a parabola, you can derive the following standard form of the
d1 equation of a parabola whose directrix is parallel to the x-axis or to the y-axis.
d2
Vertex d1
Standard Equation of a Parabola
Directrix
x
The standard form of the equation of a parabola with vertex at
h, k is as
follows.

x
h 2  4p
y
k, p  0 Vertical axis, directrix: y  k
p
FIGURE 10.10 Parabola

y
k2  4p
x
h, p  0 Horizontal axis, directrix: x  h
p

The focus lies on the axis p units (directed distance) from the vertex. If the
vertex is at the origin
0, 0, the equation takes one of the following forms.
x 2  4py Vertical axis

y 2  4px Horizontal axis

See Figure 10.11.

For a proof of the standard form of the equation of a parabola, see Proofs in
Mathematics on page 807.

Axis: Axis: x = h Directrix: Directrix: x = h − p

x=h Directrix: y = k − p x=h−p p<0
Focus: Vertex: (h, k) p>0
(h , k + p )
p<0 Focus:
(h + p, k)
Axis: Axis:
p>0 Focus: y=k y=k

Vertex: Directrix: (h + p , k)
Focus: Vertex:
(h , k) y=k−p (h, k + p) Vertex: (h, k) (h, k)
(a) x
h2  4p  y
k (b) x
h2  4p  y
k (c)  y
k2  4p x
h (d)  y
k2  4p x
h
Vertical axis: p > 0 Vertical axis: p < 0 Horizontal axis: p > 0 Horizontal axis: p < 0
FIGURE 10.11
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Section 10.2 Introduction to Conics: Parabolas 737

Example 1 Vertex at the Origin

Te c h n o l o g y
Use a graphing utility to confirm Find the standard equation of the parabola with vertex at the origin and focus
the equation found in Example 1.
2, 0.
In order to graph the equation,
you may have to use two separate Solution
equations: The axis of the parabola is horizontal, passing through
0, 0 and
2, 0, as shown
in Figure 10.12.
y1  8x Upper part

and y

y2 
8x. Lower part 2

y 2 = 8x
1
Focus
Vertex (2, 0)
x
1 2 3 4
(0, 0)
−1

−2
You may want to review the
technique of completing the FIGURE 10.12
square found in Appendix A.5,
which will be used to rewrite So, the standard form is y 2  4px, where h  0, k  0, and p  2. So, the
each of the conics in standard equation is y 2  8x.
form.
Now try Exercise 33.

Example 2 Finding the Focus of a Parabola

Find the focus of the parabola given by y 
12 x 2
x  12.

Solution
To find the focus, convert to standard form by completing the square.

y
y 
12 x 2
x  12 Write original equation.

2y  x 2  2x
1 Multiply each side by –2.

2
Vertex (−1, 1) 1
2y  x2  2x Add 1 to each side.
(
Focus −1, 12 ) 1 1  1
2y  x 2  2x  1 Complete the square.

2
2y  x2  2x  1 Combine like terms.

x
−3 −2 −1 1
2
y
1 
x  1 2 Standard form
−1 Comparing this equation with
y = − 12 x2 − x + 1
2
−2

x
h 2  4p
y
k
you can conclude that h 
1, k  1, and p 
12. Because p is negative,
FIGURE 10.13 the parabola opens downward, as shown in Figure 10.13. So, the focus of the
parabola is
h, k  p 

1, 12 .
Now try Exercise 21.
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738 Chapter 10 Topics in Analytic Geometry

y
Example 3 Finding the Standard Equation of a Parabola
8 (x − 2)2 = 12(y − 1)
Find the standard form of the equation of the parabola with vertex
2, 1 and
6 Focus focus
2, 4.
(2, 4)
4 Solution
Vertex
(2, 1) Because the axis of the parabola is vertical, passing through
2, 1 and
2, 4,
consider the equation
x
−4 −2 2 4 6 8
x
h 2  4p
y
k
−2
where h  2, k  1, and p  4
1  3. So, the standard form is
−4

x
2 2  12
y
1.
FIGURE 10.14
You can obtain the more common quadratic form as follows.

x
22  12
y
1 Write original equation.

x 2
4x  4  12y
12 Multiply.

x 2
4x  16  12y Add 12 to each side.

1 2

x
4x  16  y Divide each side by 12.
Light source 12
at focus
The graph of this parabola is shown in Figure 10.14.
Now try Exercise 45.
Focus Axis
Application
A line segment that passes through the focus of a parabola and has endpoints on
the parabola is called a focal chord. The specific focal chord perpendicular to the
axis of the parabola is called the latus rectum.
Parabolic reflector: Parabolas occur in a wide variety of applications. For instance, a parabolic
Light is reflected reflector can be formed by revolving a parabola around its axis. The resulting
in parallel rays. surface has the property that all incoming rays parallel to the axis are reflected
FIGURE 10.15 through the focus of the parabola. This is the principle behind the construction of
the parabolic mirrors used in reflecting telescopes. Conversely, the light rays
Axis emanating from the focus of a parabolic reflector used in a flashlight are all
parallel to one another, as shown in Figure 10.15.
P A line is tangent to a parabola at a point on the parabola if the line intersects,
but does not cross, the parabola at the point. Tangent lines to parabolas have spe-
α cial properties related to the use of parabolas in constructing reflective surfaces.
Focus

Reflective Property of a Parabola

α Tangent
line The tangent line to a parabola at a point P makes equal angles with the
following two lines (see Figure 10.16).
1. The line passing through P and the focus
2. The axis of the parabola
FIGURE 10.16
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Section 10.2 Introduction to Conics: Parabolas 739

Example 4 Finding the Tangent Line at a Point on a Parabola

y
Find the equation of the tangent line to the parabola given by y  x 2 at the point

1, 1.
y = x2
1 d2 Solution
(1, 1)
(0, ) 1 For this parabola, p  14 and the focus is
0, 14 , as shown in Figure 10.17. You
4 α can find the y-intercept
0, b of the tangent line by equating the lengths of the
x two sides of the isosceles triangle shown in Figure 10.17:
−1 1
d1 α 1
d1 
b
4
(0, b) and


1
0  1
14 5
2
d2  2
 .
FIGURE 10.17 4
Note that d1  14
b rather than b
14. The order of subtraction for the distance
is important because the distance must be positive. Setting d1  d2 produces
1 5

b
Te c h n o l o g y 4 4
Use a graphing utility to confirm b 
1.
the result of Example 4. By
graphing So, the slope of the tangent line is

y1  x 2 and y2  2x
1 1


1
m 2
1
0
in the same viewing window, you
should be able to see that the line and the equation of the tangent line in slope-intercept form is
touches the parabola at the point
y  2x
1.

1, 1.
Now try Exercise 55.

W RITING ABOUT MATHEMATICS

Television Antenna Dishes Cross sections of television antenna dishes are parabolic
in shape. Use the figure shown to write a paragraph explaining why these dishes
are parabolic.

Activities
1. Find the vertex, focus, and directrix of Amplifier
the parabola x 2
6x
4y  5  0.
Answer: Vertex
3,
1; Focus
3, 0;
Directrix y 
2 Dish reflector
2. Find the standard form of the equa-
tion of the parabola with vertex
4, 0
and directrix x  5. Cable to radio
Answer: y 2 
4
x
4 or TV
3. Find an equation of the tangent line
to the parabola y  2x 2 at the point

1, 2.
Answer: y  4x
2
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740 Chapter 10 Topics in Analytic Geometry

10.2 Exercises
VOCABULARY CHECK: Fill in the blanks.
1. A ________ is the intersection of a plane and a double-napped cone.
2. A collection of points satisfying a geometric property can also be referred to as a ________ of points.
3. A ________ is defined as the set of all points
x, y in a plane that are equidistant from a fixed line,
called the ________, and a fixed point, called the ________, not on the line.
4. The line that passes through the focus and vertex of a parabola is called the ________ of the parabola.
5. The ________ of a parabola is the midpoint between the focus and the directrix.
6. A line segment that passes through the focus of a parabola and has endpoints on the parabola is called
a ________ ________ .
7. A line is ________ to a parabola at a point on the parabola if the line intersects, but does not cross, the parabola at the point.
PREREQUISITE SKILLS REVIEW: Practice and review algebra skills needed for this section at www.Eduspace.com.

In Exercises 1– 4, describe in words how a plane could (e) y (f) y

intersect with the double-napped cone shown to form the 4 4
conic section.

x x
−6 −4 −2 −4 −2 2

−4

5. y 2 
4x 6. x 2  2y
7. x 2 
8y 8. y 2 
12x
9.
y
1  4
x
3
2 10.
x  3 2 
2
y
1
1. Circle 2. Ellipse
3. Parabola 4. Hyperbola In Exercises 11–24, find the vertex, focus, and directrix of
the parabola and sketch its graph.
In Exercises 5–10, match the equation with its graph. [The 11. y  12x 2 12. y 
2x 2
graphs are labeled (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f).] 13. y 2 
6x 14. y 2  3x
(a) y (b) y 15. x  6y  0
2
16. x  y 2  0
17.
x
1 2  8
y  2  0
4 6
18.
x  5 
y
1 2  0
19.
x  2   4
y
2 20.
x  2   4
y
1
3 2 1 2
2 4

21. y  4
x 2
2x  5 22. x  4
y 2  2y  33

1 1
x 2
2 6
−2 x 23. y 2  6y  8x  25  0
−4 −2 2 4
24. y 2
4y
4x  0
(c) y (d) y
In Exercises 25–28, find the vertex, focus, and directrix of
2
2
the parabola. Use a graphing utility to graph the parabola.
x
−6 −4 −2 x 25. x 2  4x  6y
2  0
−4 4 26. x 2
2x  8y  9  0
−2
−4 27. y 2  x  y  0
−4
−6
28. y 2
4x
4  0
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Section 10.2 Introduction to Conics: Parabolas 741

In Exercises 29–40, find the standard form of the equation In Exercises 51 and 52, change the equation of the parabola
of the parabola with the given characteristic(s) and vertex so that its graph matches the description.
at the origin.
51.
y
3 2  6
x  1; upper half of parabola
29. y 30. y
52.
y  1 2  2
x
4; lower half of parabola
8
6
(3, 6)
(−2, 6) In Exercises 53 and 54, the equations of a parabola and a
4 tangent line to the parabola are given. Use a graphing
x
−8 −4 4
utility to graph both equations in the same viewing win-
2
dow. Determine the coordinates of the point of tangency.
x
−4 −2 2 4 −8 Parabola Tangent Line
53. y2
8x  0 x
y20
31. Focus:
0,
32  54. x2  12y  0 xy
30
32. Focus:
52, 0
33. Focus:

2, 0 In Exercises 55–58, find an equation of the tangent line to
34. Focus:
0,
2 the parabola at the given point, and find the x -intercept of
the line.
35. Directrix: y 
1
36. Directrix: y  3 55. x 2  2y,
4, 8
56. x 2  2y,

3, 2 
9
37. Directrix: x  2
38. Directrix: x 
3 57. y 
2x 2,

1,
2
39. Horizontal axis and passes through the point
4, 6 58. y 
2x 2,
2,
8
40. Vertical axis and passes through the point

3,
3 59. Revenue The revenue R (in dollars) generated by the sale
of x units of a patio furniture set is given by
In Exercises 41–50, find the standard form of the equation
of the parabola with the given characteristics. 4

x
1062 

R
14,045.
5
41. y 42. y
Use a graphing utility to graph the function and approxi-
(2, 0) (4, 0) (4.5, 4)
2 (3, 1) mate the number of sales that will maximize revenue.
x 60. Revenue The revenue R (in dollars) generated by the sale
4
2 4 6 (5, 3) of x units of a digital camera is given by
−2 2
5
−4 x
x
1352 

R
25,515.
7
2 4
Use a graphing utility to graph the function and approxi-
43. y 44. y mate the number of sales that will maximize revenue.
8 12 61. Satellite Antenna The receiver in a parabolic television
(−4, 0) dish antenna is 4.5 feet from the vertex and is located at the
(0, 4) 8
focus (see figure). Write an equation for a cross section of
x the reflector. (Assume that the dish is directed upward and
4 8
(0, 0)
x the vertex is at the origin.)
−4 8
(3, −3) y
−8 −4

45. Vertex:
5, 2; focus:
3, 2

46. Vertex:

1, 2; focus:

1, 0 Receiver
47. Vertex:
0, 4; directrix: y  2 4.5 ft
x
48. Vertex:

2, 1; directrix: x  1
49. Focus:
2, 2; directrix: x 
2
50. Focus:
0, 0; directrix: y  8
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742 Chapter 10 Topics in Analytic Geometry

y
Model It Interstate
800
62. Suspension Bridge Each cable of the Golden Gate (1000, 800)
Bridge is suspended (in the shape of a parabola)
400
between two towers that are 1280 meters apart. The top
of each tower is 152 meters above the roadway. The
cables touch the roadway midway between the towers. x
400 800 1200 1600
(a) Draw a sketch of the bridge. Locate the origin of a
rectangular coordinate system at the center of the − 400
roadway. Label the coordinates of the known points.
(b) Write an equation that models the cables. (1000, −800)
− 800 Street
(c) Complete the table by finding the height y of the
suspension cables over the roadway at a distance of FIGURE FOR 64
x meters from the center of the bridge.
65. Satellite Orbit A satellite in a 100-mile-high circular
orbit around Earth has a velocity of approximately 17,500
Distance, x Height, y miles per hour. If this velocity is multiplied by 2, the
satellite will have the minimum velocity necessary to
0 escape Earth’s gravity and it will follow a parabolic path
250 with the center of Earth as the focus (see figure).
400 Circular y
500 orbit Parabolic
1000 path
4100
miles
x
63. Road Design Roads are often designed with parabolic
surfaces to allow rain to drain off. A particular road that is
32 feet wide is 0.4 foot higher in the center than it is on the Not drawn to scale
sides (see figure).
(a) Find the escape velocity of the satellite.
(b) Find an equation of the parabolic path of the satellite
(assume that the radius of Earth is 4000 miles).
66. Path of a Softball The path of a softball is modeled by

12.5
y
7.125 
x
6.252
where the coordinates x and y are measured in feet, with
x  0 corresponding to the position from which the ball
was thrown.
32 ft 0.4 ft (a) Use a graphing utility to graph the trajectory of the
softball.
Not drawn to scale
(b) Use the trace feature of the graphing utility to approx-
Cross section of road surface imate the highest point and the range of the trajectory.
(a) Find an equation of the parabola that models the road
surface. (Assume that the origin is at the center of the Projectile Motion In Exercises 67 and 68, consider the
road.) path of a projectile projected horizontally with a velocity of
(b) How far from the center of the road is the road surface v feet per second at a height of s feet, where the model for
0.1 foot lower than in the middle? the path is
v2
64. Highway Design Highway engineers design a parabolic x2 
 y
s.
16
curve for an entrance ramp from a straight street to an
interstate highway (see figure). Find an equation of the In this model (in which air resistance is disregarded), y is
parabola. the height (in feet) of the projectile and x is the horizontal
distance (in feet) the projectile travels.
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Section 10.2 Introduction to Conics: Parabolas 743

67. A ball is thrown from the top of a 75-foot tower with a (a) Find the area when p  2 and b  4.
velocity of 32 feet per second.
(b) Give a geometric explanation of why the area
(a) Find the equation of the parabolic path. approaches 0 as p approaches 0.
(b) How far does the ball travel horizontally before 73. Exploration Let
x1, y1 be the coordinates of a point on
striking the ground? the parabola x 2  4py. The equation of the line tangent to
68. A cargo plane is flying at an altitude of 30,000 feet and a the parabola at the point is
speed of 540 miles per hour. A supply crate is dropped from
x1
the plane. How many feet will the crate travel horizontally y
y1 
x
x1.
2p
before it hits the ground?
What is the slope of the tangent line?
Synthesis 74. Writing In your own words, state the reflective property
of a parabola.
True or False? In Exercises 69 and 70, determine whether
the statement is true or false. Justify your answer. Skills Review
69. It is possible for a parabola to intersect its directrix.
In Exercises 75–78, list the possible rational zeros of f
70. If the vertex and focus of a parabola are on a horizontal
given by the Rational Zero Test.
line, then the directrix of the parabola is vertical.
75. f
x  x3
2x 2  2x
4
71. Exploration Consider the parabola x 2  4py.
76. f
x  2x3  4x 2
3x  10
(a) Use a graphing utility to graph the parabola for p  1,
77. f
x  2x 5  x 2  16
p  2, p  3, and p  4. Describe the effect on the
graph when p increases. 78. f
x  3x 3
12x  22
(b) Locate the focus for each parabola in part (a). 79. Find a polynomial with real coefficients that has the zeros
(c) For each parabola in part (a), find the length of the 3, 2  i, and 2
i.
chord passing through the focus and parallel to the 80. Find all the zeros of
directrix (see figure). How can the length of this chord
be determined directly from the standard form of the f
x  2x 3
3x 2  50x
75
equation of the parabola? 3
if one of the zeros is x  2.
y
81. Find all the zeros of the function
Chord g
x  6x 4  7x 3
29x 2
28x  20
Focus
if two of the zeros are x  ± 2.
x 2 = 4py
82. Use a graphing utility to graph the function given by
x
h
x)  2x 4  x 3
19x 2
9x  9.
Use the graph to approximate the zeros of h.
(d) Explain how the result of part (c) can be used as a
sketching aid when graphing parabolas.
In Exercises 83–90, use the information to solve the trian-
72. Geometry The area of the shaded region in the figure is gle. Round your answers to two decimal places.
8 83. A  35, a  10, b  7
A  p1
2 b 3
2.
3
84. B  54, b  18, c  11
y
85. A  40, B  51, c  3
x2 = 4py 86. B  26, C  104, a  19
87. a  7, b  10, c  16
y=b 88. a  58, b  28, c  75
89. A  65, b  5, c  12
90. B  71, a  21, c  29
x