"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message ...
I find it humorous the way the CatoptricReflector1.jpg is
drawn in such a way that it is misleading with the light
rays not all coming at a 90 degree angle from the light
source.

The drawing is correct, Wayne!

The light will reflect at the same angle you direct
the light source from the flat surface...

This is exactly how the parabolic reflector works IF...
IF is important: the light source has to be in the
focus poit of this parabole shape...

Of course - reflectors you can buy at the fish stores
are not perfectly parabolic, but they try to estimate
the shape with multiple stright bends of the sheet metal.

Here is a better picture of this process:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_%28physics%29