it's called the focus
All of the points on a parabola define a parabola. However, the vertex is the point in which the y value is only used for one point on the parabola.
directrix
"From the geometric point of view, the given point is the focus of the parabola and the given line is its directrix. It can be shown that the line of symmetry of the parabola is the line perpendicular to the directrix through the focus. The vertex of the parabola is the point of the parabola that is closest to both the focus and directrix."-http://www.personal.kent.edu/~rmuhamma/Algorithms/MyAlgorithms/parabola.htm"A line perpendicular to the axis of symmetry used in the definition of a parabola. A parabola is defined as follows: For a given point, called the focus, and a given line not through the focus, called the directrix, a parabola is the locus, or set of points, such that the distance to the focus equals the distance to the directrix."-http://www.mathwords.com/d/directrix_parabola.htm
Point
The parabola is a type of conic section, . The problem is that this is not a descriptive as the if the word "parabola" is used. The reason is that it is not the only geometric shape that can be derived by slicing a cone with a plane. Use the link below to see a drawing and learn more.
yes, three points in the least number of points that can be used to define a plane. if you used two points you would only have a line, and one point is a point
A point is a mathematical concept of something which has no dimensions, and which is used to define location.
The difference between a point and a dot is that a point is used in algebra (in numbers) whereas a dot is used in geometry to define the lenght of a given segment.
for strength
Descartes used the parabola to illustrate algebraic equations. He put these equations on a visible plane using the Cartesian coordinate system and they sometimes took the shape of a "u" curve, or a parabola.
are used to name and define clades phylogenetically.
In .NET, the class name is System.Windows.Forms.Control