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Forum URL: http://www.cut-the-knot.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/forumctk.cgi
Forum Name: High school
Topic ID: 195
Message ID: 1
#1, RE: Parabolas ...
Posted by alexb on Sep-03-02 at 10:03 AM
In response to message #0
>(btw, do i need to register or anything?

No, you do not.


>x=(a*c)/(a^2 b^2), y=(b*c)/(a^2 b^2)

This is correct.


>4c(ax by) 2abxy-a^2*y^2-b^2*x^2
>---------------------------------------------------------- =
>0
> a^2 b^2

This is correct, except you may remove the positive denominator.

>SUB getval (x)
> '
> ' formula used
> ' b -sqrt(b^2-4ac)
> '

But what are a, b, c, and x?

Assume you try solving Ay2 - By + C = 0. Then the formula will be

y1,2 = (B ± sqrt(B2 - 4AC))/2A.

In your case,

A = a2,
B = 4bc + 2abx,
C = b2x2 - 4acx,

where a, b, c, and x are as they are used in your problem description.