How do I find the standard form equation of a hyperbola given its vertices and asymptotes?

To find the equation of a hyperbola in standard form, we need to analyze the given information about the vertices and asymptotes. In this case, we have:

  • Vertices at (0, 8)
  • Asymptotes at y = 1/2 x

Step 1: Identify the Center of the Hyperbola

The vertices are located at (0, 8). Since a hyperbola has two vertices, we can determine the center by finding the midpoint of the vertices. Assuming the other vertex is at (0, 8 + 2a), where ‘a’ is the distance from the center to each vertex:

Let’s find the coordinates of the second vertex. Since both vertices are aligned vertically, we can write:

  • First Vertex: (0, 8)
  • Second Vertex: (0, 8 – 2a) = (0, 8 – 2) = (0, 6)

The center is the average of the y-values of the vertices:

Center: (0, (8 + 6)/2) = (0, 7)

Step 2: Determining ‘a’ and ‘b’

From the vertices, we can see:

  • Distance ‘a’ from the center to each vertex is 1 (because the vertices are 2 units apart, which gives us a = 1).

Next, we use the slopes of the asymptotes, which are given by the equation:

  • y = 1/2 x

This format indicates that the slopes of the asymptotes are ±b/a. Setting this equal to 1/2 gives:

  • 1/2 = b/a

Since we found that ‘a’ is 1, we can solve for ‘b’:

  • b = 1/2 * 1 = 1/2

Step 3: Write the Standard Form Equation

The standard form of a vertical hyperbola is:

    (y - k)²/a² - (x - h)²/b² = 1

Where (h, k) is the center. Substituting the values we have:

  • h = 0
  • k = 7
  • a = 1
  • b = 1/2

Plugging these into the standard form gives:

    (y - 7)²/1² - (x - 0)²/(1/2)² = 1,

This simplifies to:

    (y - 7)² - 4x² = 1.

Final Equation

Thus, the equation of the hyperbola in standard form is:

    (y - 7)² - 4x² = 1.

By following these steps, we derived the standard form equation for the hyperbola based on the given vertices and asymptotes.

Leave a Comment