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The image shows a parabola with focus and directrix (the -axis). Points , , and are on the parabola.
Without using the Pythagorean Theorem, find the distance from each plotted point to the parabola’s focus. Explain your reasoning.
The image shows a parabola with focus and directrix (the -axis).
Your teacher will give you a set of cards. Take turns with your partner to match a graph with an equation.
The parabola in the image consists of all the points that are the same distance from the point as they are from the line .
Suppose we want to write an equation for the parabola—that is, an equation that says a given point is on the curve. We can draw a right triangle whose hypotenuse is the distance between point and the focus, .
The distance from to the directrix, or the line , is units. By definition, the distance from to the focus must be equal to the distance from the point to the directrix. So, the distance from to the focus can be labeled with . To find the lengths of the legs of the right triangle, subtract the corresponding coordinates of the point and the focus, .
Substitute the expressions for the side lengths into the Pythagorean Theorem to get an equation defining the parabola.
To get the equation looking more familiar, rewrite it in vertex form, or where is the vertex.