Question 624991: please help me solve this equation (Write the equation of a parabola with a vertex at (0, 0) and a directrix y = -1 Answer by jsmallt9(3758) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! With a vertex of (0, 0) and a directrix of y = -1, the directrix is below the vertex. This makes the parabola a parabola that opens upward (like a "u"). One form for the equation of these parabolas is:
where "h" and "k" are the x and y coordinates of the vertex and "p" is the distance from the vertex to the focus (or to the directrix). We are given that the vertex is (0, 0) so both h and k are zeros. And we can calculate "p". The distance from your vertex (0, 0) to the directrix is 1. So p = 1. Inserting these values into the standard form we get:
which simplifies to:
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