Parabola - Activity Two (Is it a parabola?)

In this activity, students will identify the use of parabola in real world situation.Students will discuss and compare the design on the photo and their parabola. Each group will comments on other groups’ findings, discuss if their parabola best represent the design on their photo.

The radio telescope near Parks in central west NSW is 64m in diameter, and it is a good example of a parabolic design. The equation for this parabolic dish is y=x^2/108.

Parabola - Activity One

In this activity, students are asked to share their findings of the quadratic equation in the Popplet. Students will describe the features of their parabola by  1) factorisation 2) quadratic formula and 3) graph.

Each group will compare results and make connections of the terms, roots, vertex, axis of symmetry and concavity of the quadratic equation. Discuss and compare at least one feature of your quadratic equation that is similar or different from other groups' equations.