A simple paper-folding construction for a parabola is proposed. Besides providing a concrete, hands-on activity, the construction gives intuitive meaning to the role of the directrix and leads to a simple noncalculus proof of the reflection property of the parabola. The paper-folding technique can be generalized to ellipses and hyperbolas, and leads to their reflection properties as well.
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© 2001 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2001
American Association of Physics Teachers
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