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Find the endpoints of the latus rectum of the parabola below.
(y - 1)? = 16(x + 1)

Find the endpoints of the latus rectum of the parabola below. (y - 1)? = 16(x + 1)-example-1

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Answer:

(3, 9) and (3, -7)

Explanation:

You want the end points of the latus rectum for the parabola defined by ...

(y -1)² = 16(x +1)

Vertex and scale factor

Compare the given equation to the form ...

(y -k)² = 4p(x -h)

we see that (h, k) = (-1, 1) and p = 16/4 = 4. The ordered pair (h, k) is the vertex of the parabola. The scale factor 'p' gives the distance from the vertex to the focus (and from the directrix to the focus). Larger 'p' values result in a "flatter" parabola.

Latus rectum

Since the squared term is a y-term, and the value of 'p' is positive, we know the parabola opens to the right. The end points of the latus rectum are ...

(h+p, k±2p) = (-1+4, 1±2·4) = (3, 9) and (3, -7)

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Additional comment

If the roles of x and y are interchanged (the parabola opens up or down), then the end points of the latus rectum are (h±2p, k+p).

On a graph of the parabola, the end points of the latus rectum lie on lines through the vertex with slope ±2 (parabola opens in x-direction), or with slope ±1/2 (parabola opens in y-direction).

Find the endpoints of the latus rectum of the parabola below. (y - 1)? = 16(x + 1)-example-1
User Brett Maytom PST
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