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View synonyms for parabola

parabola

[ puh-rab-uh-luh ]

noun

, Geometry.
  1. a plane curve formed by the intersection of a right circular cone with a plane parallel to a generator of the cone; the set of points in a plane that are equidistant from a fixed line and a fixed point in the same plane or in a parallel plane. Equation: y 2 = 2 px or x 2 = 2 py.


parabola

/ pəˈræbələ /

noun

  1. a conic section formed by the intersection of a cone by a plane parallel to its side. Standard equation: y ² = 4 ax , where 2 a is the distance between focus and directrix
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


parabola

/ pə-răbə-lə /

  1. The curve formed by the set of points in a plane that are all equally distant from both a given line (called the directrix) and a given point (called the focus) that is not on the line.


parabola

  1. A geometrical shape ( see geometry ) consisting of a single bend and two lines going off to an infinite distance.


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Notes

An object that is propelled away from the Earth and then drawn back by gravity , such as a fly ball in baseball, follows a path shaped like a parabola.
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Word History and Origins

Origin of parabola1

1570–80; < New Latin < Greek parabolḗ an application. See parable
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Word History and Origins

Origin of parabola1

C16: via New Latin from Greek parabolē a setting alongside; see parable
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Example Sentences

If you’ve ever taken an algebra or physics class, then you’ve met a parabola, the simple curve that can model how a ball flies through the air.

The most important part of a parabola is the vertex — its highest or lowest point — and there are many mathematical techniques for finding it.

New Shepard takes off like a traditional rocket, with a crew capsule separating near the peak of the flight parabola, arcing into space for three minutes of weightless sightseeing, and descending by parachute, while the rocket itself lands upright.

From Time

In math, parabolas are special U-shaped curves that form by slicing through a cone-shape.

If it wasn’t for the air, Ramirez says, the football would still trace a parabola because of gravity.

If the load travels the reverse way, the shearing force at the head of the train is given by the ordinates of the dotted parabola.

This parabola is the curve of maximum moments for a travelling load uniform per ft. run.

Now, except for very short bridges and very unequal loads, a parabola can be found which includes the curve of maximum moments.

Let we be the load per ft. run which would produce the maximum moments represented by this parabola.

The planet would then have moved in a parabola, or an hyperbola, curves not returning into themselves.

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parablesparabolic