My head hurts from this...
- Thread starter Lexifyy
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- Apr 12, 2005
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Generally, we distinguish between:
Variables:
x
y
And:
Parameters:
h
k
a
Parameters don't have to have any particular meaning, but the often do. Sometimes, they just suggest different members of a family of curves.
In this case:
Parameters:
h - x-coordinate of vertex of parabola
k - y-coordinate of vertex of parabola
a - Shape parameter. It is related to the distance from the vertex to the focus. There is another version of the equation of a parabola where this relationship is more clear. It appears in a different form and purpose as "2p". (or 1/a = 2p)
You should read your textbook very carefully. Parameters must be well-defined.
Variables:
x
y
And:
Parameters:
h
k
a
Parameters don't have to have any particular meaning, but the often do. Sometimes, they just suggest different members of a family of curves.
In this case:
Parameters:
h - x-coordinate of vertex of parabola
k - y-coordinate of vertex of parabola
a - Shape parameter. It is related to the distance from the vertex to the focus. There is another version of the equation of a parabola where this relationship is more clear. It appears in a different form and purpose as "2p". (or 1/a = 2p)
You should read your textbook very carefully. Parameters must be well-defined.
skeeter
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2005
- Messages
- 3,215
a > 0 ... parabola opens upward
a < 0 ... parabola opens downward
a > 1 or a < -1 ... skinny parabola
-1 < a < 1 ... fat parabola
a = 1 or a = -1 ... normal parabola
recommend you use a graphing program or calculator to graph [MATH]y=a(x-h)^2+k[/MATH] using different values for a, h, and k.
a < 0 ... parabola opens downward
a > 1 or a < -1 ... skinny parabola
-1 < a < 1 ... fat parabola
a = 1 or a = -1 ... normal parabola
recommend you use a graphing program or calculator to graph [MATH]y=a(x-h)^2+k[/MATH] using different values for a, h, and k.