document.write( "Question 1087649: Find the equation of parabola whose focus is
\n" ); document.write( "(-8, -2) and equation of directrix is y = 2x - 9
\n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #701949 by Edwin McCravy(20056)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "We use the definition of a parabola:\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "A parabola is the set of points that are equidistant\r\n" );
document.write( "from the focus (a point) and the directrix (a line).\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Let (x,y) be an arbitrary point on the parabola. \r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Essentially we set the lengths of the two green lines \r\n" );
document.write( "equal to each other. \r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "The distance from the arbitrary point (x,y) to the \r\n" );
document.write( "focus is gotten by the formula for the distance\r\n" );
document.write( "between two given points:\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\"distance\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"sqrt%28%28x-%28-8%29%5E%22%22%29%5E2%2B%28y-%28-2%29%5E%22%22%29%5E2%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"sqrt%28%28x%2B8%29%5E2%2B%28y%2B2%29%5E2%29\" \r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "The distance from the arbitrary point (x,y) to the\r\n" );
document.write( "directrix is gotten by the formula for the distance \r\n" );
document.write( "from a given point to a given line.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "We write the equation of the directrix y = 2x - 9,\r\n" );
document.write( "as 2x-y-9 = 0, then the distance from the focus to \r\n" );
document.write( "the directrix is:\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\"distance\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"abs%282x-y-9%29%2Fsqrt%28%282%29%5E2%2B%28-1%29%5E2%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%0D%0A%0D%0Aabs%282x-y-9%29%2Fsqrt%284%2B1%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%0D%0A%0D%0Aabs%282x-y-9%29%2Fsqrt%285%29\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "So we set those two distances equal to each other:\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\"sqrt%28%28x%2B8%29%5E2%2B%28y%2B2%29%5E2%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"abs%282x-y-9%29%2Fsqrt%285%29\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Square both sides:\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\"%28x%2B8%29%5E2%2B%28y%2B2%29%5E2\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%282x-y-9%29%5E2%2F5%5E%22%22\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\"5%28x%2B8%29%5E2%2B5%28y%2B2%29%5E2\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%282x-y-9%29%5E2\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\"5%28x%5E2%2B16x%2B64%29%2B5%28y%5E2%2B4y%2B4%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"4x%5E2%2By%5E2%2B81-4xy-36x%2B18y\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\"5x%5E2%2B80x%2B320%2B5y%5E2%2B20y%2B20\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"4x%5E2%2By%5E2%2B81-4xy-36x%2B18y\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "That simplifies to\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\"x%5E2%2B4xy%2B4y%5E2%2B116x%2B2y%2B259\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"0\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Edwin
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" );