Parabola — JEE Main practice

26 questions

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Sample questions with solutions

Q1 · 2026

Let O be the vertex of the parabola x2=4yx^2=4 y and Q be any point on it. Let the locus of the point P , which divides the line segment OQ internally in the ratio 2:32: 3 be the conic C . Then the equation of the chord of CC, which is bisected at the point (1,2)(1,2), is :

  • A.

    5x4y+3=05 x-4 y+3=0

  • B.

    x2y+3=0x-2 y+3=0

  • C.

    4x5y+6=04 x-5 y+6=0

  • D.

    5xy3=05 x-y-3=0

Answer: A
  1. Let O(0,0)O(0,0) be the vertex and QQ a point on x2=4yx^2=4y, parametrized as Q(2t,t2)Q(2t,t^2).

  2. Let P(x,y)P(x,y) divide OQOQ internally in the ratio 2:32:3. Using the section formula:

x=2(2t)+3(0)5=4t5,y=2(t2)+3(0)5=2t25x=\frac{2(2t)+3(0)}{5}=\frac{4t}{5},\qquad y=\frac{2(t^2)+3(0)}{5}=\frac{2t^2}{5}
  1. Eliminate the parameter tt. From the first equation, t=5x4t=\frac{5x}{4}. Substituting into the second:
y=25(5x4)2=2525x216=5x28y=\frac25\left(\frac{5x}{4}\right)^2=\frac25\cdot\frac{25x^2}{16}=\frac{5x^2}{8}
  1. So the conic C is:
5x2=8y5x^2=8y
  1. The equation of a chord of a conic S=0S=0 bisected at a point (x1,y1)(x_1,y_1) follows the standard "T = S1" rule. Here S5x28yS\equiv5x^2-8y, and (x1,y1)=(1,2)(x_1,y_1)=(1,2):
S1=5(1)28(2)=516=11S_1=5(1)^2-8(2)=5-16=-11
  1. Construct TT by replacing x2x^2 with xx1xx_1 and yy with y+y12\frac{y+y_1}{2}:
T=5x(1)8(y+22)=5x4(y+2)=5x4y8T=5x(1)-8\left(\frac{y+2}{2}\right)=5x-4(y+2)=5x-4y-8
  1. Setting T=S1T=S_1:
5x4y8=11    5x4y+3=05x-4y-8=-11 \;\Rightarrow\; 5x-4y+3=0

Hence, the answer is Option A.

Q2 · 2026

Let one end of a focal chord of the parabola y2=16xy^2 = 16x be (16,16)(16,16). If P(α, β)P(\alpha,\ \beta) divides this focal chord internally in the ratio 5:25:2, then the minimum value of α+β\alpha + \beta is equal to:

  • A.

    5

  • B.

    22

  • C.

    16

  • D.

    7

Answer: D
  1. For y2=16xy^2=16x, 4a=16a=44a=16 \Rightarrow a=4. Using parametric coordinates (4t2,8t)(4t^2,8t), the point (16,16)(16,16) corresponds to t1t_1 where 4t12=164t_1^2=16 and 8t1=168t_1=16, giving t1=2t_1=2.

  2. For a focal chord, the two endpoints satisfy t1t2=1t_1t_2=-1:

2t2=1    t2=122t_2=-1 \;\Rightarrow\; t_2=-\frac12
  1. So the other endpoint is:
B=(4(14),8(12))=(1,4)B=\left(4\left(\frac14\right),8\left(-\frac12\right)\right)=(1,-4)
  1. Since P(α,β)P(\alpha,\beta) divides the focal chord (with endpoints (16,16)(16,16) and (1,4)(1,-4)) internally in the ratio 5:25:2, there are two possible orderings, giving two possible points via the section formula:
P=(377,127) or (827,727)P=\left(\frac{37}{7},\frac{12}{7}\right)\ \text{or}\ \left(\frac{82}{7},\frac{72}{7}\right)
  1. Computing α+β\alpha+\beta for each:
377+127=7,827+727=22\frac{37}{7}+\frac{12}{7}=7,\qquad \frac{82}{7}+\frac{72}{7}=22
  1. The minimum of these two values is:
77

Hence, the answer is Option D.

Q3 · 2026

Let y2=12xy^2 = 12x be the parabola with its vertex at OO. Let PP be a point on the parabola and AA be a point on the xx-axis such that OPA=90\angle OPA = 90^\circ. Then the locus of the centroid of such triangles OPAOPA is:

  • A.

    y24x+8=0y^2 - 4x + 8 = 0

  • B.

    y29x+6=0y^2 - 9x + 6 = 0

  • C.

    y22x+8=0y^2 - 2x + 8 = 0

  • D.

    y26x+4=0y^2 - 6x + 4 = 0

Answer: C
  1. For y2=12xy^2=12x, 4a=12a=34a=12 \Rightarrow a=3, so let P=(3t2,6t)P=(3t^2,6t) be a point on the parabola using parametric coordinates.

  2. Let A=(x,0)A=(x,0) lie on the xx-axis. Since OPA=90°\angle OPA=90°, the product of the slopes of OPOP and PAPA is 1-1:

6t3t2×6t3t2x=1\frac{6t}{3t^2}\times\frac{6t}{3t^2-x}=-1
  1. Simplifying:
2t×6t3t2x=1    12=x3t2\frac{2}{t}\times\frac{6t}{3t^2-x}=-1 \;\Rightarrow\; 12=x-3t^2

So x=12+3t2x=12+3t^2.

  1. Now find the centroid of OPA\triangle OPA with O(0,0)O(0,0), P(3t2,6t)P(3t^2,6t), A(x,0)A(x,0):
h=x+3t2+03,k=0+0+6t3=2th=\frac{x+3t^2+0}{3},\qquad k=\frac{0+0+6t}{3}=2t
  1. Substituting x=12+3t2x=12+3t^2:
3h=12+6t2    h=4+2t23h=12+6t^2 \;\Rightarrow\; h=4+2t^2
  1. Since k=2tt=k2k=2t \Rightarrow t=\frac{k}{2}, substitute into h=4+2t2h=4+2t^2:
h=4+2(k2)2=4+k22h=4+2\left(\frac{k}{2}\right)^2=4+\frac{k^2}{2}
  1. Replacing hh by xx and kk by yy:
x=4+y22    2x=8+y2    y22x+8=0x=4+\frac{y^2}{2} \;\Rightarrow\; 2x=8+y^2 \;\Rightarrow\; y^2-2x+8=0

Hence, the answer is Option C.

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