8:1 Parabola

When and Where Did I Find It: I was substitute teaching at Penfield High School for an Algebra 2- Trigonometry class. They were working on a review packet of quadratic equations and fractions. A student raised their hand and asked, “Is this graph of y=x^2  going to be a parabola?”

What It Means?: According to the directions the teacher provided on the review packet, a parabola is a U-shaped curve used to graph quadratic functions.

Level of Familiarity: I have a very low level of familiarity with this word. In high school when I took Algebra 2-Trigonometry, I often struggled with terms, definitions, and formulas. When I was asked by the student if the graph would be a parabola, I had no idea what they meant.

Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? I have little interest in perusing this word any further, but after researching it I doubt I will forget it. I have never had any interest in math and have found it to be challenging to the point where I would shut down. However, as a substitute teacher I feel obligated to prepare myself for any content I may be asked to teach.

Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well..if so Who and Why? I do not think this is a word people should strive to retain. Mathematical vocabulary terms are often difficult to apply in other discourses because of its low level of transportability. Unless you are in a profession of teaching or involving Algebra 2-Trigonometry, this world will be of little to no use.