Question

Find the equation of a parabola with a vertical axis and its vertex at the origin and passing through the point (-2, 3)

Answer 1

a vertical axis, I assume it means a vertical axis of symmetry, thus it'd be a vertical parabola, like the one in the picture below.

$\bf ~~~~~~\textit{parabola vertex form} \\\\ \begin{array}{llll} y=a(x- h)^2+ k\qquad \qquad \leftarrow vertical\\\\ x=a(y- k)^2+ h \end{array} \qquad\qquad vertex~~(\stackrel{}{ h},\stackrel{}{ k}) \\\\[-0.35em] \rule{34em}{0.25pt}\\\\ \begin{cases} h=0\\ k=0 \end{cases}\implies y=a(x-0)^2+0 \\\\\\ \textit{we also know that } \begin{cases} x=-2\\ y=3 \end{cases}\implies 3=a(-2-0)^2+0\implies 3=4a \\\\\\ \cfrac{3}{4}=a~\hspace{10em}y=\cfrac{3}{4}(x-0)^2+0\implies \boxed{y=\cfrac{3}{4}x^2}$