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Determining Horizontal Parabola Orientation

An architectural lighting designer is using the horizontal parabolic equation x=a(y−k)2+hx = a(y - k)^2 + h to model the light distribution of a wall-mounted fixture. According to the properties of horizontal parabolas, what specific mathematical characteristic of the coefficient aa determines whether the light pattern opens to the left or to the right?

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Updated 2026-09-19

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