A building has an entry the shape of a parabolic arch 96 ft high and 18 ft wide at the base. The height of the parabola from top to bottom is ninety six feet and its width from left to right is eighteen feet.
Find an equation for the parabola if the vertex is put at the origin of the coordinate system.

Question

A building has an entry the shape of a parabolic arch 96 ft high and 18 ft wide at the base. The height of the parabola from top to bottom is ninety six feet and its width from left to right is eighteen feet. 
Find an equation for the parabola if the vertex is put at the origin of the coordinate system.

anonymous · Answer

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anonymous · Answer

Just not really sure how to find the focus? would I just plug in a point for x and y to solve for 4p?

phi · Answer

I don't think you need to find the focus.

do you know the vertex form of the equation of a parabola ?

phi · Answer

see http://www.mathwarehouse.com/geometry/parabola/standard-and-vertex-form.php

anonymous · Answer

We are doing conics in my class currently. and the standard for we are learning now is, $$x^{2}=4py$$ but since this one opens downward it would be -4py

anonymous · Answer

form not for sorry

anonymous · Answer

i think in the graph the problem r given u a point on the graph

anonymous · Answer

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