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View Full Version : Find the focus of a parabola


longjohnsilver
May 11, 2011, 09:27 AM
the reflections are modeled by the equation y = 1/4p( x - h )2 + K

if the width of the dish if 4m and the depth is 0.4m where is the focus?

jcaron2
May 11, 2011, 06:46 PM
Just do the algebra to get the equation in the form y=ax^2+bx+c, and then use the definition of the focus. It's coordinates are:

\( \frac{-b}{2a} , c-\frac{b^2+1}{4a} \)

Can you do that?

longjohnsilver
May 12, 2011, 07:08 AM
Thanks for your help I figured it out