SOLUTION: How do I find equation of a parabola given just the focus and directrix?

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Question 824838: How do I find equation of a parabola given just the focus and directrix?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39618)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This question is a classic piece of instruction. The directrix is a line, and the focus is a point. The worded definition for a parabola can be stated as, the set of points in a plane equally distant from the focus and the directrix.

You would use the Distance Formula to set up your crude form equation and then simplify into a convenient form.

DO YOU HAVE SOME SPECIFIC GIVEN DATA TO BEGIN? Do you want a parabola with a horizontal axis or one with a vertical axis?

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