What is the directrix of the parabola given by the equation y^2 = 8x?

Practice Questions

Q1
What is the directrix of the parabola given by the equation y^2 = 8x?
  1. x = -2
  2. x = 2
  3. y = -4
  4. y = 4

Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions

What is the directrix of the parabola given by the equation y^2 = 8x?
  • Step 1: Identify the given equation of the parabola, which is y^2 = 8x.
  • Step 2: Rewrite the equation in the standard form of a parabola, which is (y - k)^2 = 4p(x - h).
  • Step 3: Compare y^2 = 8x with the standard form. Here, we can see that 4p = 8.
  • Step 4: Solve for p by dividing 8 by 4. So, p = 8 / 4 = 2.
  • Step 5: The vertex of the parabola is at the origin (0, 0), which means h = 0 and k = 0.
  • Step 6: The directrix of a parabola is given by the formula x = h - p.
  • Step 7: Substitute h = 0 and p = 2 into the formula: x = 0 - 2.
  • Step 8: Simplify the equation to find the directrix: x = -2.
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