What is the equation of a parabola with a focus at (3,2) and a directrix at y=4?

1 Answer
Aug 4, 2018

The equation of the parabola is y=112(x3)21

Explanation:

The focus is F=(3,2) and the directrix is y=4

Any point (x,y) on the parabola is equidistant from the focus and the directrix.

y+4=(x3)2+(y2)2

Squaring both sides

(y+4)2=(x3)2+(y2)2

y2+8y+16=(x3)2+y24y+4

12(y+1)=(x3)2

y+1=112(x3)2

The equation is y=112(x3)21

graph{(y+1-1/12(x-3)^2)(y+4)=0 [-10, 10, -5, 5]}