Parabolas

A parabola is a curved, U-shaped line that appears in various contexts, such as physics and mathematics. It is defined as the set of all points equidistant from a fixed point called the focus and a straight line called the directrix. Parabolas often occur in the trajectories of projectiles under gravity and in satellite dishes and car headlights, where their shape helps focus energy or signals efficiently. Mathematically, they are described by quadratic equations, typically in the form y = ax² + bx + c, where the coefficients determine their steepness and direction.