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JEE Main 2026 Preparation: Question Papers, Solutions, Mock Tests & Strategy Unacademy » JEE Study Material » Mathematics » A Detailed Outline on Parabola

A Detailed Outline on Parabola

A planar curve that is mirror-symmetrical and has an approximation to the shape of a U is referred to as a parabola in mathematics. It agrees with a number of mathematical descriptions that, at first glance, appear to be quite distinct from one another, but which can be shown to define the same curves.

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A point, often known as the focus, and a line are two components of one definition of a parabola (the directrix). The directrix is not the primary point of attention. The parabola is the set of points in that plane which might be the equal distance from the directrix as they may be from the focus. These points are evenly spaced.

The point on the parabola that is most acutely bent is referred to as the “vertex,” and it is located at the point of intersection between the parabola and its axis of symmetry. The “focal length” is the space alongside the axis of symmetry this is measured from the vertex to the point of interest of the shape The chord of the parabola known as the “latus rectum” is the one that is perpendicular to the directrix and travels all the way through the focus. The opening of a parabola can occur in any arbitrary direction, including up, down, left, right, or any other direction. 

Any light that is travelling in a direction that is parallel to the axis of symmetry of a parabola and strikes its concave side is reflected in its focus. This is true regardless of where on the parabola the reflection occurs. Parabolas have the property that if they are made of material that reflects light, then the light that has this property is reflected in its focus. On the other side, the light which comes from a point source at the focus is reflected into a beam that is parallel to itself also known as collimated, which causes the parabola to remain parallel to the axis of symmetry. 

The parabola is utilized in a wide variety of significant contexts, such as in the construction of ballistic missiles, automotive headlight reflectors, parabolic antennas, microphones, and parabolic microphones. It finds common application in a wide variety of fields, including physics, engineering, and many more.

 Parabola: An overview

A parabola is obtained by cutting a right circular cone with a plane that is parallel to one of the cone’s generators. It is a locus of a point that travels in such a way that the distance from a focus point that is fixed remains equal to the distance from a line that is fixed (directrix)

The term “focus” refers to the fixed point.

The term “directrix” refers to a fixed-line.

 

 

 

Parabola Equation

The wellknown equation of a parabola is: y = a(x-h)2 + k or x = a(y-k)2 +h, where (h,k) denotes the vertex. y2 = 4ax is the equation that is used to explain a parabola that is regular.

Parabola conic section

 The curve that results from the intersection of a plane and a cone when the plane is inclined at the same angle as the side of the cone is known as a parabola.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The set of all factors on a plane which are the same distance farfar from a given point (that is termed the focus of the parabola) and a precise line is some other approach to explain a parabola. This second definition refers to the focus of the parabola (referred to as the directrix of the parabola).

 

When first learning algebra, it is common practice to focus on only those parabolas whose axis of symmetry runs vertically. These curves have equations that follow a general form, which can be found here.

y=ax2+bx+c ,

where the letters a, b, and c represent constants.

 Conclusion

The general form of the parabolic path in the plane can be represented with the assistance of the Parabola Formula. The following are the formulas that are used to get the parameters of a parabola.

 The direction of the parabola is determined by the value of a.

 The vertex is equal to (h,k), where h equals -b/2a and k equals f(h)

 Latus Rectum = 4a

 The emphasis is on: (h, k+ (1/4a))

 

The directrix is as follows: y = k – 1/4a

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the JEE Examination Preparation.

1 Which equation represents a parabola that has a focus of (0, 0) and a directrix of y = 5?

Solution: Given that, Focus = (0, 0) and directrix y = 5 ...Read full

What is parabola in conic section?

Parabola is an important curve of the conic section. It is the locus of a point that is equidistant from a fixed poi...Read full

What is the foci of a parabola?

The parabola has only one focus. For a standard equation of the parabola y2...Read full

What is the eccentricity of parabola?

The eccentricity of a parabola is equal to 1 (e = 1). The eccentricity of a parabola is the ratio of the distance of...Read full

What are the vertices of a parabola?

The point on the axis where the parabola cuts through the axis is the vertex of the parabola. The vertex of the para...Read full

Solution:

Given that, Focus = (0, 0) and directrix y = 5

Let us suppose that there is a point (x, y) on the parabola.

Its distance from the focus point (0, 0) is √((x − 0)2 + (y – 0)2 )

Its distance from directrix y =5 is |y – 5|

Therefore, the equation will be:

√[(x − 0)2 + (y – 0)2] = |y – 5|

Squaring on both sides.

(x − 0)2 + (y – 0)2 = (y – 5)2

x2 + y2 = y2 – 10y + 25

x2 + 10y – 25= 0

Answer: Hence, the equation of the parabola with a focus at (0, 0) and a directrix of y = 5 is x2 + 10y – 25 = 0.

Parabola is an important curve of the conic section. It is the locus of a point that is equidistant from a fixed point, called the focus, and the fixed-line is called the directrix. Many of the motions in the physical world follow a parabolic path. Hence learning the properties and applications of a parabola is the foundation for physicists.

The parabola has only one focus. For a standard equation of the parabola y2 = 4ax, the focus of the parabola is F(a, 0). It is a point lying on the x-ais and on the transverse axis of the parabola.

The eccentricity of a parabola is equal to 1 (e = 1). The eccentricity of a parabola is the ratio of the distance of the point from the focus to the distance of this point from the directrix of the parabola.

The point on the axis where the parabola cuts through the axis is the vertex of the parabola. The vertex of the parabola for a standard equation of a parabola y2 = 4ax is equal to (0, 0). The parabola cuts the x-axis at the origin.

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