(n.) A line along which a point in another line moves, or which in any way governs the motion of the point and determines the position of the curve generated by it; the line along which the generatrix moves in generating a surface.
(n.) A straight line so situated with respect to a conic section that the distance of any point of the curve from it has a constant ratio to the distance of the same point from the focus.
Example Sentences:
Parabola
Definition:
(n.) A kind of curve; one of the conic sections formed by the intersection of the surface of a cone with a plane parallel to one of its sides. It is a curve, any point of which is equally distant from a fixed point, called the focus, and a fixed straight line, called the directrix. See Focus.
(n.) One of a group of curves defined by the equation y = axn where n is a positive whole number or a positive fraction. For the cubical parabola n = 3; for the semicubical parabola n = /. See under Cubical, and Semicubical. The parabolas have infinite branches, but no rectilineal asymptotes.
Example Sentences:
(1) The major variation in these patterns can be modeled by families of parabolas with a single degree of freedom.
(2) The relation between concentration and absorption in an eight step calibration series is well described by a parabola of the 2nd degree.
(3) It was shown that the women used a parabola with a larger margin over the top of the hurdle than the men: A lower parabola would shorten the hurdle step, and would require the lengthening of the three interhurdle steps.
(4) Three to eight parabolas were averaged for subjects in each posture; the mean for each posture was calculated.
(5) It was found that the velocity profile of the FITC labelled RBC in straight microvessels was blunt as compared to a parabola.
(6) The "excitability ratio" is the first derivative of the response parabola and as such becomes a linear function of the actual arterial CO2 partial pressure.
(7) The equation of the resulting parabola, corresponding to the upper frontal arch, can be applied to every maxillary dimension.
(8) This increase is satisfactorily expressed by a cubic parabola.
(9) A not previously described relationship between HbA2 and total Hb was demonstrated and probably conformed to a second degree parabola.
(10) The shape of protrusive condyle path was like a section of parabola curved forward and downward.
(11) Evaluations of the arterial and venous bleeding were conducted at 3 rates x 3 parabolas, and capillary bleeding was evaluated with 5 parabolas x 2 methods (pig's foot and sponge).
(12) The flow velocity profile in the venule seems to deviate slightly from the Newtonian parabola.
(13) The concentration of factor VIIIa can be obtained from the quadratic coefficient of the equation describing the parabola.
(14) Pointing accuracy improved movement-to-movement but not parabola-to-parabola, indicating that prolonged exposure is needed for sustained adaptation.
(15) A "reference parabola" is introduced making the fluid pressure concept more understandable.
(16) Transcranial Doppler data with accompanying acceleration information were analyzed in three segments in each parabola.
(17) The following objectives are addressed in this study: 1) to discuss present techniques and two new radiographic measurement systems; 2) to establish mean, standard deviation, and normal range values for these measurement systems; 3) to determine if these measurements vary with foot size; and 4) to use the results to establish general guidelines for metatarsal parabola reconstruction.
(18) Reaction patterns of 90 cortical neurons to acetylcholine approximated by two parabolas have been divided on simple and complex.
(19) Each parabola included a period of 1.8 Gz, then approximately 20 seconds of weightlessness, and finally a period of 1.6 Gz; the cycle repeated almost immediately for the remainder of the set.
(20) The constant delta C model is explored and a physically more realistic model is advanced which allows for a temperature-dependent delta C which changes sign at some temperature within the range of stability of the native protein; delta G(T) then has the form of a skewed parabola.