CONIC SECTIONS.

THE PARABOLA
CHAPTER 6
CONIC SECTIONS. THE PARABOLA
CONIC SECTIONS
DEFINITIONS
THE PARABOLA
PARABOLA WITH VERTEX AT (h, k)
GENERAL FORMS OF THE PARABOLA
 CONIC SECTIONS
If a plane is made to cut a right circular cone, the section
obtained is called a conic section, or simply a conic.

1. Circle- The shape of the conic will depend on the position

of the cutting plane. If the plane is parallel to the base of
the cone, we have a circle.
• the standard equation for a circle is (x-h)²+(y-k)²=r²
• (h,k) represents the coordinates of the center of the circle.
• (r) represents the radius of the circle.
 CONIC SECTIONS
2. Parabola- If the cutting planeis parallel to a plane
tangent to the cone, the section is called a parabola. If the
cutting plane is not parallel.
- It is also defined as the set of all points in a plane that
are equidistant from a fixed point (the focus) and a fixed
line (the directrix).
 CONIC SECTIONS
3. Ellipse- a conic section formed by a plane intersecting a
cone at an angle, creating a closed, oval-shaped curve.
- It can also be defined as the set of all points where the
sum of the distances to two fixed points (the foci) is a
constant.
- The shape is defined by its two axis: a longer major axis
and a shorter minor axis.
 CONIC SECTIONS
4. Hyperbola- A right circular cone is actually the surface
generated by an oblique line, rotated about a vertical axis
at the point of intersection V.
- The surface has two nappes or sheets joined at V. If the
cutting plane intersects both nappes, the conic section is
called a hyperbola.
 DEFINITIONS

A conic section is defined as the path of a point

that moves so that its distance from a fixed point
(the focus) is in a constant ratio to its distance from
a fixed line (the directrix). This constant ratio is
called the eccentricity (e).
 DEFINITIONS
Key Components:
• Directrix (d): A fixed line.
• Focus (F): A fixed point.
• Vertex (V): The point where the axis of the conic intersects the conic.
• Latus Rectum: The line through the focus F parallel to the directrix,
intersecting the curve at points R1 and R2. - Axis of
• Conic: The line through the focus F perpendicular to the directrix.
• Equation of a Conic: The equation is given as FP/SP = e, which means
the ratio of the distance from a point P on the conic to the focus F,
divided by the distance from P to a point S on the directrix, equals the
eccentricity e.
 DEFINITIONS
Classification of Conic Sections:
• Conic sections are classified according to the value of the eccentricity
e.
• When e < 1: The conic is an ellipse.
• When e = 1: The conic is a parabola.
• When e > 1: The conic is a hyperbola.
• When e = ∞: The definition fails.
• When e → 0: The ellipse approaches a circle as a limiting shape.

The circle can be considered a special case of the ellipse. Also, the
parabola is a conic section whose eccentricity is 1.
 THE PARABOLA
A parabola is a U-shaped curve that is a conic section
formed when a plane cuts a cone parallel to its side. It is
defined as the set of all points in a plane that are
equidistant from a fixed point (the focus) and a fixed line
(the directrix).
 THE PARABOLA
We shall now derive the equation of the parabola. Let
us denote the undirected distance from the vertex to the
focus by the letter p.
• p will always be considered as positive.
• the vertex of the parabola to be at the origin and the focus at (p,
0).
• The x-axis will be the axis of the parabola and the line x= -p will
be the directrix.
• Take a point P(x, y) on the parabola.
Squaring both sides and simplifying,

This is the standard equation of a parabola with vertex at the origin, axis on
the x-axis, focus at (p, 0), directrix at x = -p and opening to the right. When
x=p, y=2p. The length of the latus rectum is therefore equal to 4p.
 THE PARABOLA
• If the curve opens to the left, focus is at (-p,o) directrix at x=p,
vertex at 0 and axis on the x-axis, the equation of the parabola
is

• The parabola whose vertex is at 0, axis on the y-axis, focus at

(0,p), directrix y= -p and opening upward has the equation of
 THE PARABOLA

• The parabola, whose vertex is 0, axis on the y-axis, focus

at (0,-p), directrix y= p and opening downward has the
equation of
PARABOLA WITH VERTEX AT (h, k)
PARABOLA WITH VERTEX AT (h, k)
Determine the coordinates of the vertex, focus, ends of the latus
rectum, equation of the directrix, and the line of symmetry. Sketch
the Graph.

Step 1: Determine and plot the vertex (h,k)

Vertex: (-3, 1)
Step 2: Solve for p, determine where the parabola opens,
determine the case number, determine and plot the focus.

Solve for p:

the F is above the vertex

Focus: (-3, 3)
Step 3: Determine the two ends of the latus rectum and sketch the
graph.

• One end of the latus rectum has a distance of

2p from the focus

Coordinate of Ends of the latus rectum:

(-7, 3) & (1, 3)
Step 4: Determine the directrix and the line of symmetry.

Length of latus rectum = 4p = 4(2) =8

Equation of directrix: y = -1

Line of Symmetry: x = -3
Summary
Summary
 GENERAL FORMS OF THE PARABOLA

• Axis parallel to the y-axis (opens up/down)

• Axis parallel to the x-axis (opens right/left)

 STANDARD FORMS OF THE PARABOLA

• Axis parallel to the y-axis (opens up/down)

(x-h) = 4p(y-k)

• Axis parallel to the x-axis (opens right/left)

(y-k) = 4p(x-h)
Compare the answer to the standard form.

Then, distribute
Compare the answer to the standard form.

Then, distribute
1. Reduce 8𝑥 2 + 64𝑥 − 32𝑦 + 63 = 0 to standard form.

65
The vertex is at (-4,− ), axis parallel to the y-axis and opening upward.
32
4p = 4 length of latus rectum
p = 1 distance from vertex to the focus and
from the vertex to the directrix
± 2 distance from the focus to the ends of the
latus rectum

65 33 33
y-coordinate of focus= − 32 + 1 = − 32 𝐹: − 4 − 32
33
x-coordinate of 𝑅1 = −4 + 2 = −2 𝑅1 : − 2 − 32
33
x-coordinate of 𝑅2 = −4 − 2 = −6 𝑅2 : − 6 − 32
65 97
Equation of directrix is 𝑦 = − 32 − 1 𝑜𝑟 𝑦 = − 32
2. Find the equation of a parabola with axis parallel to y-axis and passing
3
through 𝑃1 (-1, ), 𝑃2 (1, 0), and 𝑃3 (-3, -1).
2
 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0
𝐴𝑥 2 𝐷𝑥 𝐸𝑦 𝐹
+ + + =0
𝐴 𝐴 𝐴 𝐴
2
𝐷𝑥 𝐸𝑦 𝐹
𝑥 + + + =0
𝐴 𝐴 𝐴
𝑥 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0

Substitute the coordinates of the given points.

(𝑃1) (𝑃2) (𝑃3)
Solve the three equations to find the d, f, and e. (𝑃1 )
(𝑃2 )
(𝑃3 )
 5 3
We obtain F=− 2, D=2, and E=2.
So, the equation of the parabola is
 ALTERNATE SOLUTION
From the positions of the given points and with
the condition that the axis is parallel to the y-axis,
the parabola has to be of type

2
൫𝑥 − ℎ) = −4𝑝 𝑦 − 𝑘
 ALTERNATE SOLUTION
3
Equation 1: −1, Equation 2: (1, 0) Equation 3: (-3, -1)
2
 Find p, h, and k.

EQ 2 in EQ 1 EQ 2 in EQ 3 EQ 4 in EQ 5

EQ 4 EQ 5
 1 3 49
Substitute 𝑝 = , ℎ = − , a𝑛𝑑 𝑘 =
Find p, h, and k. 2 4 32

P in EQ 4 H and P in EQ 2
3. Find the vertex of the parabola given by the equation 𝑦 = 2𝑥 2 + 8𝑥 − 3.

𝑏
To find the x-coordinate of the vertex, use the given formula ℎ = −
2𝑎
Substitute the x-coordinate back into the original equation to find the y-
coordinate of the vertex.

Therefore, the y-coordinate of the vertex is -11.

The vertex of the parabola 𝑦 = 2𝑥 2 + 8𝑥 − 3 is −2, −11 .

 4. Find the focus of the parabola given by the equation 𝑦 = 2𝑥 2 +
8𝑥 − 3, where the vertex at −2, −11 .
1
Formula: 𝐹 ℎ, 𝑘 + 𝑝 , 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑝 = . Solve for p.
4𝑎

Then, substitute the value of p to F(h, k + p).

2 87
The focus of the parabola 𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 8𝑥 − 3 is −2, − .
8
5. Find the directrix of the parabola 𝑦 = 2𝑥 2 + 8𝑥 − 3, where the vertex at
−2 − 11

The equation of the directrix is given by y= k-p.

2 89
The directrix of the parabola 𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 8𝑥 − 3 is 𝑦 = − .
8
6. Find the coordinates of the ends of the latus rectum of the parabola
2 87
𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 8𝑥 − 3, with focus on −2, − .
8

87
Formula: ℎ ± 2𝑝, −
8
Summary
Summary
Summary
THANK
YOU!