698 (1310) Chapter 13 Nonlinear Systems and the Conic Sections

49. Fencing a rectangle. If 34 ft of fencing are used to en-

close a rectangular area of 72 ft2, then what are the di-
mensions of the area?

50. Real numbers. Find two numbers that have a sum of 8

and a product of 10. 10 ft

x ft
51. Imaginary numbers. Find two complex numbers
whose sum is 8 and whose product is 20.

52. Imaginary numbers. Find two complex numbers x ft

whose sum is 6 and whose product is 10. FIGURE FOR EXERCISE 53
53. Making a sign. Ricos Sign Shop has a contract to
make a sign in the shape of a square with an isosceles G R A P H I N G C ALC U L ATO R
triangle on top of it, as shown in the figure. The contract
EXERCISES
calls for a total height of 10 ft with an area of 72 ft2.
How long should Rico make the side of the square and 55. Solve each system by graphing each pair of equations on
what should be the height of the triangle? a graphing calculator and using the intersect feature to es-
timate the point of intersection. Find the coordinates of
54. Designing a box. Angelina is designing a rectangular each intersection to the nearest hundredth.
box of 120 cubic inches that is to contain new Eaties a) y  e x  4 b) 3y1  x
breakfast cereal. The box must be 2 inches thick so that y  ln(x  3) y  x2
it is easy to hold. It must have 184 square inches of sur- c) x 2  y 2  4
face area to provide enough space for all of the special y  x3
offers and coupons. What should be the dimensions of
the box?

13.2 T H E P A R A B O L A
The parabola is one of four different curves that can be obtained by intersecting a
In this cone and a plane as in Fig. 13.3. These curves, called conic sections, are the
section parabola, circle, ellipse, and hyperbola. We graphed parabolas in Sections 10.3 and
11.2. In this section we learn some new facts about parabolas.
The Geometric Definition
Developing the Equation
Parabolas in the Form
y  a(x  h)2  k
Finding the Vertex, Focus, and
Directrix
Axis of Symmetry
Changing Forms

Parabola Circle Ellipse Hyperbola

FIGURE 13.3
 13.2 The Parabola (1311) 699

The Geometric Definition

In Section 10.3 we called the graph of y  ax2  bx  c a parabola. This equa-
tion is the standard equation of a parabola. In this section you will see that the fol-
lowing geometric definition describes the same curve as the equation.

Parabola
Given a line (the directrix) and a point not on the line (the focus), the set of
all points in the plane that are equidistant from the point and the line is called
a parabola.

In Section 10.3 we defined the vertex as the highest point on a parabola that
opens downward or the lowest point on a parabola that opens upward. We learned
that x  b(2a) gives the x-coordinate of the vertex. We can also describe the ver-
tex of a parabola as the midpoint of the line segment that joins the focus and direc-
trix, perpendicular to the directrix. See Fig. 13.4.
The focus of a parabola is important in applications. When parallel rays of light
travel into a parabolic reflector, they are reflected toward the focus as in Fig. 13.5.
This property is used in telescopes to see the light from distant stars. If the light
source is at the focus, as in a searchlight, the light is reflected off the parabola and
projected outward in a narrow beam. This reflecting property is also used in camera
lenses, satellite dishes, and eavesdropping devices.

Parabola

Focus Vertex

Focus

Directrix
FIGURE 13.4 FIGURE 13.5

Developing the Equation

y To develop an equation for a parabola, given the focus and directrix, choose the
p>0
point (0, p), where p 0 as the focus and the line y  p as the directrix, as
shown in Fig. 13.6. The vertex of this parabola is (0, 0). For an arbitrary point (x, y)
(0, p) on the parabola the distance to the directrix is the distance from (x, y) to (x, p).
(x, y) The distance to the focus is the distance between (x, y) and (0, p). We use the fact
(0, 0) x that these distances are equal to write the equation of the parabola:
y = p (x, p)

(x  0)
2
 (y
 p)2  
(x  x)
2
 (y
 (p
))2
FIGURE 13.6 To simplify the equation, first remove the parentheses inside the radicals:


x2  y2
 2p
y  p2  
y2  2
py  p2
x2  y2  2py  p2  y2  2py  p2 Square each side.

x  4py
2
Subtract y2 and p2 from each side.
1
y  x2
4p
700 (1312) Chapter 13 Nonlinear Systems and the Conic Sections

y
So the parabola with focus (0, p) and directrix y  p for p 0 has equation y 
y = p (x, p) 1x2. This equation has the form y  ax2  bx  c, where a  1, b  0, and c  0.
4p 4p
(0, 0) If the focus is (0, p) with p
0 and the directrix is y  p, then the parabola
(x, y) x opens downward as shown in Fig. 13.7. Deriving the equation using the distance
(0, p) formula again yields y  41p x2.

p<0
Parabolas in the Form y  a(x  h)2  k
FIGURE 13.7 The simplest parabola, y  x2, has vertex (0, 0). The transformation y  a(x  h)2  k
is also a parabola and its vertex is (h, k). The focus and directrix of the transformation
are found as follows:

Parabolas in the Form y  a(x  h)2  k

The graph of the equation y  a(x  h)2  k (a  0) is a parabola with
vertex (h, k), focus (h, k  p), and directrix y  k  p, where a  41p.
If a 0, the parabola opens upward; if a
0, the parabola opens downward.

Figure 13.8 shows the location of the focus and directrix for parabolas with ver-
tex (h, k) and opening either upward or downward. Note that the location of the
focus and directrix determine the value of a and the shape and opening of the
parabola.

y y
1
a>0 a  4p a<0
(h, k + p) Directrix: y = k p
(h, k)
y = a(x h)2 + k y = a(x h)2 + k
(h, k)
Directrix: y = k p (h, k + p)

x x
FIGURE 13.8

CAUTION For a parabola that opens upward, p 0, and the focus

(h, k  p) is above the vertex (h, k). For a parabola that opens downward, p
0,
and the focus (h, k  p) is below the vertex (h, k). In either case the distance from
the vertex to the focus and the vertex to the directrix is p.

Finding the Vertex, Focus, and Directrix

In Example 1 we find the vertex, focus, and directrix from an equation of a parabola.
In Example 2 we find the equation given the focus and directrix.

E X A M P L E 1 Finding the vertex, focus, and directrix, given an equation

Find the vertex, focus, and directrix for the parabola y  x 2.
 13.2 The Parabola (1313) 701

y Solution
1 Compare y  x 2 to the general formula y  a(x  h)2  k. We see that h  0,
y = x2
k  0, and a  1. So the vertex is (0, 0). Because a  1, we can use a  41p to
(0, 14 ( get
1
1 1 x 1  ,
1
4p
y=
4
or p  14. Use (h, k  p) to get the focus
0, 14. Use the equation y  k  p to
1
get y   14 as the equation of the directrix. See Fig. 13.9.
FIGURE 13.9

E X A M P L E 2 Finding an equation, given a focus and directrix

Find the equation of the parabola with focus (1, 4) and directrix y  3.

Solution
Because the vertex is halfway between the focus and directrix, the vertex is

y

1, 72. See Fig. 13.10. The distance from the vertex to the focus is 1. Because the
2
focus is above the vertex, p is positive. So p  12, and a  41p  12. The equation is

(1, 72 ( 1 7
(1, 4) y   (x  (1))2  .
2 2

y=3
Convert to y  ax2  bx  c form as follows:
1 7
x
y   (x  1)2  
2 2
1 2 7
FIGURE 13.10 y   (x  2x  1)  
2 2
1 2
y   x  x  4
2

Axis of Symmetry
The graph of y  x2 shown in Fig. 13.9 is symmetric about the y-axis because the
y two halves of the parabola would coincide if the paper were folded on the y-axis. In
general, the vertical line through the vertex is the axis of symmetry for the
b
parabola. See Fig. 13.11. In the form y  ax2  bx  c the x-coordinate of the ver-
x =
2a tex is b(2a) and the equation of the axis of symmetry is x  b(2a). In the
or x = h (h, k) form y  a(x  h)2  k the vertex is (h, k) and the equation for the axis of symme-
try is x  h.

x
Axis of Changing Forms
symmetry
Since there are two forms for the equation of a parabola, it is sometimes useful to
change from one form to the other. To change from y  a(x  h)2  k to the form
y  ax2  bx  c, we square the binomial and combine like terms, as in Exam-
ple 2. To change from y  ax2  bx  c to the form y  a(x  h)2  k, we com-
FIGURE 13.11 plete the square, as in the next example.
702 (1314) Chapter 13 Nonlinear Systems and the Conic Sections

E X A M P L E 3 Converting y  ax2  bx  c to y  a(x  h)2  k

Write y  2x2  4x  5 in the form y  a(x  h)2  k and identify the vertex,
calculator focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of the parabola.

Solution
close-up Use completing the square to rewrite the equation:
The graphs of y  2(x 2  2x)  5
y1  2x  4x  5
2
y  2(x 2  2x  1  1)  5 Complete the square.
and y  2(x  2x  1)  2  5
2
Move 2(1) outside the parentheses.
y2  2(x  1)2  3 y  2(x  1)  3 2

appear to be identical. This

supports the conclusion that The vertex is (1, 3). Because a  41p, we have
the equations are equivalent.
1
10   2,
4p
and p  18. Because the parabola opens upward, the focus is 18 unit above the vertex
5 5
at
1, 3 18, or
1, 285, and the directrix is the horizontal line 18 unit below the vertex,

5 y  2 78 or y  283. The axis of symmetry is x  1.

10
CAUTION Be careful when you complete a square within parentheses as
in Example 3. For another example, consider the equivalent equations
5 5
y  3(x2  4x),
y  3(x2  4x  4  4),
5
and
y  3(x  2)2  12.

E X A M P L E 4 Finding the features of a parabola from standard form

Find the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of the parabola y  3x 2 
9x  5, and determine whether the parabola opens upward or downward.
calculator Solution
The x-coordinate of the vertex is
b 9 9 3
close-up x        .
2a 2(3) 6 2
A calculator graph can be
used to check the vertex and To find the y-coordinate of the vertex, let x  32 in y  3x 2  9x  5:
opening of a parabola.



3 2 3 27 27 7
5
y  3   9   5      5  
2 2 4 2 4
The vertex is
32, 74. Because a  3, the parabola opens downward. To find the
5 5
focus, use 3  41p to get p  112. The focus is 112 of a unit below the ver-
tex at
32, 74  112 or
32, 53. The directrix is the horizontal line 112 of a unit above
10
the vertex, y  74  112 or y  161. The equation of the axis of symmetry is x  32.
 13.2 The Parabola (1315) 703

WARM-UPS
True or false? Explain your answer.
1. There is a parabola with focus (2, 3), directrix y  1, and vertex (0, 0).

2. The focus for the parabola y  14 x2  1 is (0, 2).

3. The graph of y  3  5(x  4)2 is a parabola with vertex (4, 3).
4. The graph of y  6x  3x  2 is a parabola.
5. The graph of y  2x  x 2  9 is a parabola opening upward.
6. For y  x 2 the vertex and y-intercept are the same point.
7. A parabola with vertex (2, 3) and focus (2, 4) has no x-intercepts.
8. The parabola with focus (0, 2) and directrix y  1 opens upward.
9. The axis of symmetry for y  a(x  2)2  k is x  2.
10. If a  1 and a  1, then p  1.
(4p) 4

13.2 EXERCISES
Reading and Writing After reading this section, write out 1
the answers to these questions. Use complete sentences. 8. y  x2
2
1. What is the definition of a parabola given in this section? 1
9. y  x2
4
1
10. y  x2
2. What is the location of the vertex? 12
1
11. y  (x  3)2  2
2
3. What are the two forms of the equation of a parabola?
1
12. y  (x  2)2  5
4
4. What is the distance from the focus to the vertex in any
parabola of the form y  ax 2  bx  c? 13. y  (x  1)2  6

14. y  3(x  4)2  1

5. How do we convert an equation of the form y  ax2 
bx  c into the form y  a(x  h)2  k?

Find the equation of the parabola with the given focus and
6. How do we convert an equation of the form y  directrix. See Example 2.
a(x  h)2  k into the form y  ax2  bx  c? 15. Focus (0, 2), directrix y  2

16. Focus (0, 3), directrix y  3


1 1
Find the vertex, focus, and directrix for each parabola. See 17. Focus 0,  , directrix y  
Example 1. 2 2


1 1
7. y  2x2 18. Focus 0,  , directrix y  
8 8
704 (1316) Chapter 13 Nonlinear Systems and the Conic Sections

19. Focus (3, 2), directrix y  1 35. y  x 2  2x  3

20. Focus (4, 5), directrix y  4

36. y  x 2  4x  9
21. Focus (1, 2), directrix y  2

22. Focus (2, 3), directrix y  1

37. y  3x 2  6x  1
23. Focus (3, 1.25), directrix y  0.75

17

24. Focus 5,  , directrix y  
8
15
8 38. y  2x2  4x  3
Write each equation in the form y  a(x  h)2  k. Identify
the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of each
parabola. See Example 3. 39. y  x 2  3x  2
25. y  x 2  6x  1

26. y  x 2  4x  7 40. y  x 2  3x  1

27. y  2x 2  12x  5
41. y  3x 2  5

28. y  3x 2  6x  7
42. y  2x 2  6

29. y  2x 2  16x  1

Solve each problem.
43. Worlds largest telescope. The largest reflecting tele-
scope in the world is the 6-meter (m) reflector on Mount
30. y  3x 2  6x  7 Pastukhov in Russia. The accompanying figure shows a
cross section of a parabolic mirror 6 m in diameter with
the vertex at the origin and the focus at (0, 15). Find the
equation of the parabola.
31. y  5x 2  40x

y
32. y  2x 2  10x

(0, 15)

Find the vertex, focus, directrix, and axis of symmetry of each

parabola (without completing the square), and determine
whether the parabola opens upward or downward. See
Example 4.
x
33. y  x 2  4x  1
6m
FIGURE FOR EXERCISE 43
34. y  x  6x  7
2
44. Arecibo Observatory. The largest radio telescope in the
world uses a 1000-ft parabolic dish, suspended in a val-
ley in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The antenna hangs above
 13.2 The Parabola (1317) 705

the vertex of the dish on cables stretching from two 49. y  x 2  3x  4

towers. The accompanying figure shows a cross section y  x 2  2x  8
of the parabolic dish and the towers. Assuming the ver-
tex is at (0, 0), find the equation for the parabola. Find
the distance from the vertex to the antenna located at
the focus.

y
Antenna
at focus

50. y  x 2  2x  8
y  x 2  x  12
200 ft 200 ft

x
1000 ft
FIGURE FOR EXERCISE 44

Graph both equations of each system on the same coordi-

nate axes. Use elimination of variables to find all points of
intersection.
45. y  x 2  3 46. y  x 2  3
yx 1 2
y  x 2  5 51. y  x 2  3x  4 52. y  x 2  5x  6
y  2x  2 y  x  11

47. y  x2  2 48. y  x 2  x  6
y  2x  3 y  7x  15
Solve each problem.
53. Find all points of intersection of the parabola
y  x 2  2x  3 and the x-axis.
54. Find all points of intersection of the parabola
y  80x 2  33x  255 and the y-axis.
55. Find all points of intersection of the parabola y  0.01x2
and the line y  4.
56. Find all points of intersection of the parabola
y  0.02x 2 and the line y  x.
57. Find all points of intersection of the parabolas y  x 2
and x  y2.
706 (1318) Chapter 13 Nonlinear Systems and the Conic Sections

58. Find all points of intersection of the parabolas y  x 2 c) Sketch the graphs x  2(y  3)2  1 and x 
and y  (x  3)2. (y  1)2  2.

GET TING MORE INVOLVED

59. Exploration. Consider the parabola with focus ( p, 0) G R A P H I N G C ALC U L ATO R
and directrix x  p for p 0. Let (x, y) be an arbi- EXERCISES
trary point on the parabola. Write an equation express-
ing the fact that the distance from (x, y) to the focus is 61. Graph y  x2 using the viewing window with 1  x  1
equal to the distance from (x, y) to the directrix. Rewrite and 0  y  1. Next graph y  2x2  1 using the view-
the equation in the form x  ay2, where a  1. ing window 2  x  2 and 1  y  7. Explain what
4p you see.
60. Exploration. In general, the graph of x  a(y  h)2  k
for a  0 is a parabola opening left or right with vertex 62. Graph y  x 2 and y  6x  9 in the viewing window
at (k, h).
a) For which values of a does the parabola open to the
right, and for which values of a does it open to the
left?
b) What is the equation of its axis of symmetry?
5  x  5 and 5  y  20. Does the line appear
to be tangent to the parabola? Solve the system y  x 2
and y  6x  9 to find all points of intersection for the
parabola and the line.

13.3 T H E C I R C L E
In this section we continue the study of the conic sections with a discussion of the
In this circle.
section
Developing the Equation
Developing the Equation
Equations Not in Standard
A circle is obtained by cutting a cone, as was shown in Fig. 13.3. We can also define
Form a circle using points and distance, as we did for the parabola.
Systems of Equations
Circle
A circle is the set of all points in a plane that lie a fixed distance from a given
y point in the plane. The fixed distance is called the radius, and the given point
(x, y) is called the center.

r
We can use the distance formula of Section 9.5 to write an equation for the circle
(h, k)
with center (h, k) and radius r, shown in Fig. 13.12. If (x, y) is a point on the circle,
its distance from the center is r. So

x 
(x  h
)2  ( 
y  k)2  r.
We square both sides of this equation to get the standard form for the equation of
a circle.
FIGURE 13.12
Standard Equation for a Circle
The graph of the equation
(x  h)2  (y  k)2  r 2
with r 0, is a circle with center (h, k) and radius r.