Real problems with conic sections (ellipse, parabola) part two

So suppose we have a parabolic curve and we want to find out stuff about it.

Its equation … Oh, we have no axes.

Its focus … That would be nice, but it is a bit out of reach.

Its axis, in fact its axis of symmetry … Fold it in half? But how?

Try the method of part one, with the ellipse. (previous post)

This looks promising. I even get another axis, for my coordinate system, if I really want the equation.

Now, analysis of the standard equation for a parabola (see later) says that a line at 45 deg to the axis, as shown, cuts the parabola at a point four focal lengths from the axis. In the picture, marked on the “vertical”axis, this is the length DH

So I need a point one quarter of the way from D to H. Easy !

and then the circle center D, with radius DH/4 cuts the axis of the parabola at the focal point (the focus).

Even better, we get the directrix as well …

and now for the mathy bit (well, you do the algebra, I did the picture)

Yes, I know that this one points up and the previous one pointed to the right !

All diagrams were created with my geometrical construction program, GEOSTRUCT

You will find it here:

www.mathcomesalive.com/geostruct/geostructforbrowser1.html

Rigid Transformations – Coordinate axes

A simple diagram with original axes in blue.
The coordinates of point E are (1,1)
A translation defined by x -> x + 2, y -> y + 1 moves point E to point D, with coordinates (3,2)

If the x axis is moved 2 steps left and the y axis is moved one step down then the coordinates of the original point E in the moved axes are (3,2)

This will be the case for any original point – the coordinates of each one of them will be the same as the coordinates of their new positions under the translation (in the original coordinate system).

This can be seen to be true for the other rigid motions, for example
rotation about the origin through an angle theta is equivalent to a rotation about the origin of the axes through an angle minus theta. So there is a one to one correspondence between rigid motions and change of axes (scales preserved).

On a lighter note, it does seem easier to rotate a pair of axes than rotating the whole plane ! ! !