Chapter 10: Problem 6
Find the vertex, focus, and directrix of the parabola and sketch its graph. $$ (y-2)^{2}=2 x+1 $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
Vertex: \((-\frac{1}{2}, 2)\); Focus: \((0, 2)\); Directrix: \(x = -1\).
Step by step solution
01
Convert the Equation to Standard Form
The given parabola equation is \((y-2)^2 = 2x+1\). We rewrite it to resemble the standard form of a parabola equation that opens horizontally: \((y-k)^2 = 4p(x-h)\). Start by rewriting the equation as \((y-2)^2 = 2(x+\frac{1}{2})\).
02
Identify Vertex Coordinates
The standard form of a horizontal parabola is \((y-k)^2 = 4p(x-h)\). From the equation \((y-2)^2 = 2(x+\frac{1}{2})\), compare and extract \(h = -\frac{1}{2}\) and \(k = 2\). Thus, the vertex is \((-\frac{1}{2}, 2)\).
03
Find the Value of p
In the standard horizontal form \((y-k)^2 = 4p(x-h)\), \(4p\) must equal the coefficient of \(x\), which is 2. Hence, \(4p = 2\), so \(p = \frac{1}{2}\).
04
Determine Focus Coordinates
For a parabola that opens horizontally, the focus is located \(p\) units from the vertex along the x-axis. Since the parabola opens to the right, the focus is given by \((h+p, k)\). Therefore, the focus is \((-\frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2}, 2) = (0, 2)\).
05
Identify the Equation of the Directrix
The directrix of a horizontally opening parabola is a vertical line \(p\) units before the vertex along the x-axis. The equation is \(x = h - p\). For this parabola, \(x = -\frac{1}{2} - \frac{1}{2} = -1\).
06
Sketch the Graph
The vertex is \((-\frac{1}{2}, 2)\), the focus at \((0, 2)\), and the directrix is the line \(x = -1\). The parabola opens to the right, so sketch it with the vertex at \((-\frac{1}{2}, 2)\), tending towards the focus and staying equidistant from it and the directrix.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Vertex
In the realm of parabolas, the vertex is a crucial point that symbolizes where the parabola changes direction. It's like the tip or the peak, depending on how the parabola opens. For the equation \((y-2)^2 = 2(x+\frac{1}{2})\), which resembles the standard form \((y-k)^2 = 4p(x-h)\), the vertex is identified as \((h, k)\).
- Extract \(h\) and \(k\) by comparing the equation. Here, \(h = -\frac{1}{2}\) and \(k = 2\).
- Thus, the vertex is \((-\frac{1}{2}, 2)\).
Focus
The focus of a parabola is a magnificent point. It's not on the curve itself but immensely important to its form. This point, along with the directrix, helps define the set of coordinates that make up a parabola.
- For a horizontally oriented parabola \((y-k)^2 = 4p(x-h)\), the focus is \((h+p, k)\).
- In our case, since \(h = -\frac{1}{2}\), \(p = \frac{1}{2}\), and \(k = 2\), the focus becomes \((0, 2)\).
Directrix
The directrix may sound complex, but it's simply a straight line. This line, together with the focus, dictates the parabola's shape.
- For a parabolic equation in the form \((y-k)^2 = 4p(x-h)\), the directrix has the equation \(x = h - p\).
- Applying these to our specific example, where \(h = -\frac{1}{2}\) and \(p = \frac{1}{2}\), gives us the directrix \(x = -1\).
Parabola equation
The parabola equation encodes all the details needed to sketch or understand this curve's nature. Its standard forms reveal insights into how a parabola opens and its key characteristics:
- A horizontal opening parabola uses the form \((y-k)^2 = 4p(x-h)\).
- Similarly, a vertical opening uses \((x-h)^2 = 4p(y-k)\).
- It mirrors the horizontal form, indicating it opens sideways, to the right.
- From this, the elements like \(4p = 2\) and position details \((h, k)\), \(p\) were used to locate the vertex, focus, and directrix.