Problem Set 1

Find the focus, directrix and sketch the graph for the following

1) y2=5x

4p = 5 Set 4p equal to 5 (remember: y2 = 4px)

p=5/4 Divide both sides by 4

Since the y – term is squared and p is positive; the graph is horizontal and opens to the right.

F (5/4,0 )
Directrix x = - 5/4

2) 4y2- 16x=0

4y2=16x Set to std form by adding 16x to each side

2
y =4x Divide both sides by 4
4p=4 Set 4p equal to 4 (remember: y2 = 4px)
p=1 Divide both sides by 4

Since the y – term is squared and p is positive; the graph is horizontal and opens to the right.

F (1,0 )
Directrix x=- 1

3) 4x2- 36y=0

4x2=36y Set to std form by adding 36y to each side

2
x =9y Divide both sides by 4
4p=9 Set 4p equal to 9 (remember: x2 = 4py)
p=9/4 Divide both sides by 4

Since the x – term is squared and p is positive; the graph is vertical and opens upward.

F (0, 9/4)
Directrix y = - 9/4
4) 27y+9x2=0

9x2=-27y Set to std form by subtracting 27y from each side

2
x =-3y Divide both sides by 9
4p=-3 Set 4p equal to -3 (remember: x2 = 4py)
p=-3/4 Divide both sides by 4

Since the x – term is squared and p is negative; the graph is vertical and opens downward.

F (0,-3/4 )
Directrix y=3/4
Write the equation for the parabola and sketch the graph for the following

5) Focus F(0,4)

Since the coordinate is on the y-axis and is positive, the graph is vertical, opens upward and has the
standard form of x2=4py.

p=4
4p=16 Multiply both sides by 4.
2
x =16y Insert 16 into the std equation

Since p is positive, the directrix is y = -p, therefore directrix y= -4

6) Focus F(5,0)

Since the coordinate is on the x-axis and is positive, the graph is horizontal, opens to the right and
has the standard form of y2=4px.

p=5
4p=20 Multiply both sides by 4.
y2=20x Insert 20 into the std equation

Since p is positive, the directrix is y = -p, therefore directrix x= -5

7) Focus F(0,4/5)

Since the coordinate is on the y-axis and is positive, the graph is vertical, opens upward and has the
standard form of x2=4py.

p=4/5
4p=16/5 Multiply both sides by 4.
2
x =16/5 y Insert 16 into the std equation

Since p is positive, the directrix is y = -p, therefore directrix y= -4/5

8) Directrix x= -6

With the Directrix x= -6, then p= 6.

Since the directrix is a line passing through the x-axis, then the focus is located on the x-axis,
therefore Focus F(6,0).

With p being positive and the focus located on the x-axis, the graph is horizontal and opens to the
right.

p= 6
4p= 24
y2=24x
9) Directrix y= 9/8

Since the Directrix y= 9/8, then p= -9/8.

Since the directrix is a line passing through the y-axis, then the focus is located on the y-axis,
therefore Focus F(0,-9/8).

With p being negative and the focus located on the y-axis, the graph is vertical and opens
downward.

p= -9/8
4p= -36/8 = -9/2
x2=-9/2 y
Find the focus, directrix and sketch the graph for the following:

10) The original Batsignal from the 60’s finally went KAPUZ!! So Bruce Wayne decided to buy the
city of Gotham a new signal light. The one he purchased is 34” in diameter and has a 13” deep
reflector. Determine where Dick Grayson should align the bulb by calculating where the focus is
located.

Easiest way to solve a problem like this is to set the graph of the reflector opening upward and
symmetrical about the y-axis.

Since the reflector is 13” deep, set a point at (0, 13). Also, since the reflector is 34” in diameter, the
edges of the parabola would be located at points (-17, 13) and (17, 13).

Using the general parabolic equation, we can enter the points then solve for p :

(17)2=4p(13)
289=52p
289/52=p
The focus should be located at F (0,289/52)

Problem Set 2

Find the foci and vertices for the following ellipses, then sketch the graph.

1) x2/9+y2/4=1

From the equation we can find the following information:

The largest denominator is under the x-term, therefore the graph is horizontal.
a2=9→a=±3 and b2=4→b=±2

We can calculate c from the above information:

c2=a2-b2
c2=9-4=5
c=±√(5)
The vertices are (±3,0), the foci are (±√(5),0), and the end points of the minor axis are (0, ±2)

2) y2/25+x2/9=1

From the equation we can find the following information:

 The largest denominator is under the y-term, therefore the graph is vertical.
 a2=25→a=±5 and b2=9→b=±3
We can calculate c from the above information:
c2=a2-b2
c2=25-9=16
c=±4

The vertices are (0, ±5), the foci are (0, ±4), and the end points of the minor axis are (±3,0)
3) x2/100+y2/36=1

From the equation we can find the following information:

The largest denominator is under the x-term, therefore the graph is horizontal.
a2=100→a=±10 and b2=36→b=±6

We can calculate c from the above information:

c2=a2-b2
c2=100-36=64
c=±8

The vertices are (±10,0), the foci are (±8,0), and the end points of the minor axis are (0, ±6)
4) y2/10+x2/7=1

From the equation we can find the following information:

 The largest denominator is under the y-term, therefore the graph is vertical.
 a2=10→a=±√(10) and b2=7→b=±√(7)
We can calculate c from the above information:
c2=a2-b2
c2=10-7=3
c=±√(3)

The vertices are (0, ±√(10)), the foci are (0, ±√(3)), and the end points of the minor axis are (±√(7),0)
Find the elliptical equation using the following information, then sketch the graph.

5) Foci F(0,±4) and Vertices (0,±6)

From the information provided we can determine the following:

 The points of the foci and the vertices are on the y-axis, therefore the graph is vertical.
 The Foci F(0,±c), therefore c=±4→c2=16
 The Vertices (0,±a), therefore a=±6→a2=36
Calculate for the end points of the minor axis by solving for b:
c2=a2-b2
16=36-b2
b2=36-16
b2=20
b - ±√(20)= ±2√(5)

Equation for a vertical ellipse:

x2/b2 + y2/a2 = 1
x2/20 + y2/36 = 1
6) Foci F(±√(6),0) and Vertices (±√(13),0)

From the information provided we can determine the following:

 The points of the foci and the vertices are on the x-axis, therefore the graph is horizontal.
 The Foci F( ±c,0), therefore c=±√(6)→c2=6
 The Vertices (±a,0), therefore a=±√(13)→a2=13
Calculate for the end points of the minor axis by solving for b:
c2 = a2 - b2
6 = 13 - b2
b2 = 13 - 6
b2 = 7
b = ±√(7)

Equation for a horizontal ellipse:

x2/a2 + y2/b2 = 1
x2/13 + y2/7 = 1
7) Foci F(0,±4) and length of major axis 16

From the information provided we can determine the following:

 The points of the foci are on the y-axis, therefore the graph is vertical.
 The Foci F(0,±c), therefore c=±4→c2=16
 The length of the major axis is 16, therefore the endpoints are the Vertices (0,±8). So,
a=±8→a2=64
Calculate for the end points of the minor axis by solving for b:
c2=a2-b2
16=64-b2
b2=64-16
b2=48
b = ±√(48) = ±4√(3)

Equation for a vertical ellipse:

x2/b2 + y2/a2 = 1
x2/48 + y2/64 = 1
8) Foci F(±7,0) and minor axis endpoints at (0,±3√(2))

From the information provided we can determine the following:

 The points of the foci on the x-axis and the minor axis points are on the y-axis, therefore the
graph is horizontal.
 The Foci F( ±c,0), therefore c=±7→c2=49
 The minor axis endpoints at (0,±3√(2)), therefore b=±3√(2)→b2=18
Calculate for the end points of the major axis by solving for a:
c2=a2-b2
49=a2-18
49+18=a2
a2=67
a = ±√(67)

Equation for a horizontal ellipse:

x2/a2 + y2/b2 = 1
x2/67 + y2/18 = 1
9) Vertices V(0,±10) and length of minor axis 4

From the information provided we can determine the following:

 The points of the vertices are on the y-axis, therefore the graph is vertical.
 The Vertices V(0,±a), therefore a=±10→a2=100
 The length of the minor axis is 4, therefore the endpoints are located on the x-axis at points
(±2, 0). So, b=±2→b2=4
Calculate for the end points of the minor axis by solving for c:
c2 = a2 - b2
c2 = 100 - 4
c2 = 96
c = ±√(96) = ±4√(6)

Equation for a vertical ellipse:

x2/b2 + y2/a2 = 1
x2/4 + y2/100 = 1
10) A satellite has an elliptical orbit around the earth. The minor axis of the orbit is 12,000 miles
long and the major axis is 14,000 miles. Since the planet is located at one of the foci, what are the
approximate coordinates of both the foci?

The easiest way to solve this problem is to place the orbit of the satellite horizontal and centered on
the origin of a graph.

The major axis is 14,000 miles in length, so the vertices will be at (±7,000, 0). The minor axis is
12,000 miles in length, so the endpoint will be at (0, ±6,000).

This information provides us with a and b of the ellipse equation.

Square each term as follows:

a2= (±7000)2=49,000,000
b2= (±6000)2=36,000,000

Now solve for c

c2 = 49,000,000 - 26,000,000
c2 = 13,000,000
c = 13,000,000 = ±1000√(13)
In a horizontal ellipse, the coordinates for the foci are:
(±c, 0)
(±1000√(13), 0)

Problem Set 3

Find the foci and vertices for the following hyperbolas, then sketch the graph.

1) x2/16-y2/9=1

From the equation we can find the following information:

 The x-term is positive, therefore the graph is horizontal.

 a2=16→a=±4 and b2=9→b=±3
We can calculate c from the above information:
c2 = a2 + b2
c2 = 16 + 9 = 25
c = ±5

Since the graph is horizontal, the asymptotes are y = ±bx/a = ±3x/4

The vertices are (±4,0), the foci are (±5,0), and the asymptotes are y = ±3x/4

2) y2/36-x2/64=1

From the equation we can find the following information:

 The y-term is positive, therefore the graph is vertical.

 a2 = 36→a = ±6 and b2 = 64→b=±8
We can calculate c from the above information:
c2 = a2+b2
c2 = 36+64 = 100
c = ±10

Since the graph is vertical, the asymptotes are y = ±ax/b = ±6x/8 or ±3x/4

The vertices are (0,±6), the foci are (0,±10), and the asymptotes are y = ±3x/4
3) x2/169-y2/225=1

From the equation we can find the following information:

 The x-term is positive, therefore the graph is horizontal.

 a2 = 169→a = ±13 and b2 = 225→b = ±15
We can calculate c from the above information:
c2 = a2+b2
c2 = 169 + 225 = 394
c = ±√(394)

Since the graph is horizontal, the asymptotes are y = ±bx/a = ±15x/13

The vertices are (±13,0), the foci are (±√394 ,0), and the asymptotes are y = ±15x/13
4) y2/4-x2/5 = 1

From the equation we can find the following information:

 The y-term is positive, therefore the graph is vertical.

 a2=4→a = ±2 and b2 = 5→b = ±√(5)
We can calculate c from the above information:
c2 = a2+b2
c2 = 4+5 = 9
c = ±3

Since the graph is vertical, the asymptotes are y = ±ax/b = ±2x/√(5)

The vertices are (0,±2), the foci are (0,±3), and the asymptotes are y = ±2x/√(5)
Find the hyperbolic equation using the following information, then sketch the graph.

5) Foci F(0,±5) and Vertices (0,±2)

From the information given we can find the following information:

 The points are located on the y-axis, therefore the graph is vertical.
 a = ±2→a2 = 4 and c = ±5→c2 = 25
We can calculate c from the above information:
c2 = a2+b2
25 = 4+b2
21 = b2
b = ±√(21)

Since the graph is vertical, the asymptotes are y = ±ax/b = ±2x/√(21)

The equation for the graph is y2/4-x2/21 = 1
6) Foci F(±√(13),0) and Vertices (±√(6),0)

From the information given we can find the following information:

 The points are located on the x-axis, therefore the graph is horizontal.
 a = ±√(6)→a2 = 6 and c = ±√(13)→c2 = 13
We can calculate c from the above information:
c2 = a2+b2
13 = 6+b2
7 = b2
b = ±√(7)

Since the graph is horizontal, the asymptotes are y = ±bx/a = ±(x√(7))/√(6)

The equation for the graph is x2/6-y2/7 = 1
7) Foci F(0,±6) and Vertices (0,±4)

From the information given we can find the following information:

The points are located on the y-axis, therefore the graph is vertical.
a = ±4→a2 = 16 and c = ±6→c2 = 36

We can calculate c from the above information:

c2 = a2+b2
36 = 16+b2
20 = b2
b = ±√(20) or ±2√(5)

Since the graph is vertical, the asymptotes are y = ±ax/b = ±4x/(2√(5)) or±2x/√(5)
The equation for the graph is y2/16-x2/20 = 1
8) Foci F(±4,0) and assymptotes y = ±(x√(14))/√(2)

From the information given we can find the following information:

 The points are located on the x-axis, therefore the graph is horizontal.
 b = ±√(14)→b2 = 14, a = ±√(2)→a2 = 2 and c = ±4→c2 = 16
The equation for the graph is x2/2 - y2/14 = 1
9) Foci F(0,±√(19)) and assymptotes y = ±(2x√(3)) / √(7)

From the information given we can find the following information:

 The points are located on the y-axis, therefore the graph is vertical.
 a = ±2√(3)→a2 = 12, b = ±√(7)→b2 = 7 and c = ±√(19)→c2 = 19
The equation for the graph is y2/12-x2/7 = 1
10) Foci F(±11,0) and assymptotes y = ±(2x√(10)) / 9

From the information given we can find the following information:

 The points are located on the x-axis, therefore the graph is horizontal.
 a = ±9→a2 = 81, b = ±2√(10)→b2 = 40 and c = ±11→c2 = 121
The equation for the graph is x2/81-y2/40 = 1