Can someone explain step by step how to find the equation of a parabola

Question

anonymous · Answer

What information are you given?

anonymous · Answer

They gave me 2 points, (-4, 0) and (2, 0)

amistre64 · Answer

you cant find the equation of a parabola from 2 points, unless those two points mean something like vertex, and focus

anonymous · Answer

Whats a focus?

amistre64 · Answer

y^2 = 4ax

if the focus is at (2,0) and the vertex at (-4,0)

we get: y^2 = 4ax

a = distance between F and V which here equals 6

y^2 = 4(6)x

y^2 = 24x

you vertex aint at 0, we moved it +4 to get there so:

y^2 = 24(x+4)

amistre64 · Answer

a focus is the point inside the curve of a parabola that is the same distance from the vertex as the vertex is from the directix

amistre64 · Answer

do you know what kind of an equation you are looking for?

amistre64 · Answer

y^2 = 4ax

   OR


ax^2 +bx + c  ????