Find the length of the latus rectum of the parabola y^2 = 16x.

Find the length of the latus rectum of the parabola y^2 = 16x.

Step 1: Identify the equation of the parabola. The given equation is y^2 = 16x.
Step 2: Compare the given equation with the standard form of a parabola, which is y^2 = 4px.
Step 3: From the standard form, identify that 4p = 16.
Step 4: Solve for p by dividing both sides of the equation by 4. So, p = 16 / 4 = 4.
Step 5: Use the formula for the length of the latus rectum, which is 4p.
Step 6: Substitute the value of p into the formula: Length of latus rectum = 4 * 4 = 16.

Parabola Properties – Understanding the standard form of a parabola and the relationship between its parameters, specifically how to derive the length of the latus rectum from the value of p.
Latus Rectum Calculation – Applying the formula for the length of the latus rectum (4p) to find the specific length based on the given equation of the parabola.