RWA: Unit M Concept 4: Parabola

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Parabola.html

1. A parabola is the set of all points the same direction from a point (vertex) and the line (directix).
2. The equation consists of only one term being squared. Depending on the squared term (x or y) and the +/or - value of p determines the direction that the parabola. The squared term is on one side and the constant and the other term is on the other side. The parabola can look like a wide U or a narrow U. It can go up, down,left, or right. It can be fat or skinny and this depends on the location of the Focus. The focus point is located inside the parabola.
The distance from the vertex to the directrix is equal to p distance from the focus to ANY point on the parabola straight down to the directrix is always the same (SSS Packet). If the x is squared the axis of symmetry is vertical. If the y is squared then the axis of symmetry is horizontal. P tells how far away the focus and directrix are from the vertex.
The eccentricity of a parabola is 1. The distance between the directrix increases, then the parabola widens. The parabola can appear as wide or narrow. (http://www.mathwarehouse.com/geometry/parabola/)
 3.

The formation in which the dolphin leaps from the ocean forms a parabola. The dolphin's distance from the ocean is the focus.

REFERENCES
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Parabola.html
http://www.schooltube.com/video/3079ad71ed4640288123/2.1%20Overview%20of%20Parabolas
http://www.mathwarehouse.com/geometry/parabola/
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=real%20world%20parabola&safe=active&client=firefox-a&hs=mJO&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&tbm=isch&tbnid=lFhJ_8_GvfaulM%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbritton.disted.camosun.bc.ca%2Fjbconics.htm&docid=bZKYayFU5KYxCM&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbritton.disted.camosun.bc.ca%2Fparaporpoise_lg.GIF&w=640&h=361&ei=y7D6UsnIFIngqQHPtIBA&zoom=1&ved=0CHgQhBwwDA&iact=rc&dur=252&page=1&start=0&ndsp=20&surl=1