How do I solve conic sections?

Question

 y2=8x-32.

Answer 1

Hey Penny -- we can reframe y^2 = 8x -32 ... x= (1/8)y^2 +4 ... this is a quite "flat"

U-curve opening right with a vertex at (4,0) ... Best wishes, ma'am :)

Answer 2

What exactly do you need to find?

 

y²=8x-32 is a parabola, it has x-axis as its symmetry axis, its branches are directed towards +x direction. The x=4 is the vertex point. In standard form:

 

(y-k)²=4p(x-h). In our case:

 

y²=8*(x-4); The coordinates of a vertex are (h,k),  in our case (4,0). Coordinates of a focus are (h+p,k), in our case p=2, so focus coordinates are (6,0).