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Parabola: Definition and Term Inology

A parabola is defined as the locus of a point whose distance from a fixed point (the focus) is equal to its perpendicular distance from a fixed line (the directrix). Some key properties of the parabola y2 = 4ax are: 1) The vertex is at (0,0), the focus is at (a,0), the axis is y=0, and the directrix is x+a=0. 2) The latus rectum has a length of 4a and its ends are at (a,2a) and (a,-2a). 3) A point (x1,y1) lies inside, on, or outside

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79 views3 pages

Parabola: Definition and Term Inology

A parabola is defined as the locus of a point whose distance from a fixed point (the focus) is equal to its perpendicular distance from a fixed line (the directrix). Some key properties of the parabola y2 = 4ax are: 1) The vertex is at (0,0), the focus is at (a,0), the axis is y=0, and the directrix is x+a=0. 2) The latus rectum has a length of 4a and its ends are at (a,2a) and (a,-2a). 3) A point (x1,y1) lies inside, on, or outside

Uploaded by

Arya Nair
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PARABOLA

Definition and terminology


A parabola is the locus of a point, whose distance
from a fixed point (focus) is equal to perpendicular
distance from a fixed straight line (directrix).
Four standard forms of the parabola are
y² = 4ax; y² =  4ax; x² = 4ay; x² =  4ay
For parabola y2 = 4ax:
(i) Vertex is (0, 0) (ii) focus is (a, 0)
(iii) Axis is y = 0 (iv) Directrix is x + a = 0

Focal Distance: The distance of a point on the parabola from the focus.
Focal Chord : A chord of the parabola, which passes through the focus.
Double Ordinate: A chord of the parabola perpendicular to the axis of the symmetry.
Latus Rectum: A double ordinate passing through the focus or a focal chord perpendicular to the axis
of parabola is called the Latus Rectum (L.R.).
For y² = 4ax.  Length of the latus rectum = 4a.
 ends of the latus rectum are L(a, 2a) & L’ (a,  2a).
NOTE :
(i) Perpendicular distance from focus on directrix = half the latus rectum.
(ii) Vertex is middle point of the focus & the point of intersection of directrix & axis.
(iii) Two parabolas are said to be equal if they have the same latus rectum.

Parametric representation:
The simplest & the best form of representing the coordinates of a point on the parabola is (at², 2at)
i.e. the equations x = at² & y = 2at together represents the parabola y² = 4ax, t being the parameter.
Parametric form for : y2 = – 4ax (–at2, 2at)
2
x = 4ay (2at , at2)
2
x = – 4ay (2at , – at2)

Position of a point relative to a parabola:


The point (x 1 , y1) lies outside, on or inside the parabola y² = 4ax according as the expression y1²  4ax 1
is positive, zero or negative.
Outside

Inside

P(x1, y1)

S1 : y12 – 4ax1
S1 < 0  Inside
S1 > 0  Outside

Line & a parabola:


The line y = mx + c meets the parabola y² = 4ax in two points real, coincident or imaginary according
as a  cm  condition of tangency is, c = a/m.

Tangent

Length of the chord intercepted by the parabola Secant


A

on the line y = m x + c is :

 4  B
 2 a(1  m 2 )(a  mc ) .
m 
NOTE :
1. The equation of a chord joining t 1 & t 2 is 2x  (t 1 + t 2) y + 2 at 1 t 2 = 0.

2. If t 1 & t 2 are the ends of a focal chord of the parabola y² = 4ax then t 1t 2 = 1. Hence the
a 2a
coordinates at the extremities of a focal chord can be taken as (at², 2at) &  ,  
2 t t 

Focal chord
A

S (focus)
B

3. Length of the focal chord making an angle  with the x axis is 4acosec² 

Tangents to the parabola y² = 4ax :


Equation of tangent at a point on the parabola can be obtained by replacement method or using derivatives.
In replacement method, following changes are made to the second degree equation to obtain T.
x2  x x1, y2  y y1, 2xy  xy1 + x1y, 2x  x + x1, 2y  y + y1
So, it follows that the targents are :

(i) y y1 = 2 a (x + x 1) at the point (x 1, y 1) ;

(ii) y = mx +
a
(m  0) at
 a , 2 a 
m  m2 m 
(iii) t y = x + a t² at (at², 2at).
(iv) Point of intersection of the tangents at the point t 1 & t 2 is { at 1 t 2 , a(t 1 + t 2) }.

Normals to the parabola y² = 4ax :

Normal is obtained using the slope of tangent.

2a P
Slope of tangent at (x1 , y1) =
y1 Normal

y1
 Slope of normal = –
2a

y1
(i) y  y1 = – (x  x 1) at (x 1, y 1) ;
2a
(ii) y = mx  2am  am 3 at (am 2,  2am)
(iii) y + tx = 2at + at 3 at (at 2, 2at).

NOTE :
(i) Point of intersection of normals at t 1 & t 2 is (a (t 12 + t 22 + t 1t 2 + 2),  a t 1 t 2 (t 1 + t 2)).
(ii) If the normals to the parabola y² = 4ax at the
point t 1, meets the parabola again at the point P(t1)

 2
t 2, then t 2 = –  t 1   .
 t 1

Q(t2)

(iii) If the normals to the parabola y² = 4ax at the points t 1 & t 2 intersect again on the parabola at the
point 't 3' then t 1 t 2 = 2; t 3 =  (t 1 + t 2) and the line joining t 1 & t 2 passes through a fixed point
(2a, 0).

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