Parts of a Parabola

Front

What is the axis of symmetry in a parabola?

Back

The axis of symmetry is a vertical line that divides the parabola into two mirror-image halves, and it passes through the vertex.

Front

How do you find the axis of symmetry for a quadratic function f(x) = ax^2 + bx + c?

Back

The axis of symmetry can be found using the formula x = -b/(2a).

Front

What does it mean if a parabola opens upwards?

Back

If a parabola opens upwards, it has a minimum point at its vertex.

Tags

CCSS.HSF-IF.C.7A

Front

What does it mean if a parabola opens downwards?

Back

If a parabola opens downwards, it has a maximum point at its vertex.

Tags

CCSS.HSF-IF.C.7A

Front

How many zeros can a parabola have?

Back

A parabola can have 0, 1, or 2 zeros (x-intercepts) depending on its position relative to the x-axis.

Tags

CCSS.HSF-IF.C.7A

Front

What is the vertex of a parabola?

Back

The vertex is the highest or lowest point of the parabola, depending on whether it opens upwards or downwards.

Front

What is the standard form of a quadratic function?

Back

The standard form of a quadratic function is f(x) = ax^2 + bx + c.

Front

What is the significance of the 'a' value in the quadratic function?

Back

The 'a' value determines the direction of the parabola (upward if a > 0, downward if a < 0) and its width.

Tags

CCSS.HSF-IF.C.7A

Front

How do you determine if a parabola has a maximum or minimum?

Back

If the 'a' value in the quadratic function is positive, the parabola has a minimum; if negative, it has a maximum.

Tags

CCSS.HSF-IF.C.7A

Front

What is the y-intercept of a parabola?

Back

The y-intercept is the point where the parabola crosses the y-axis, found by evaluating f(0).

Tags

CCSS.HSF-IF.C.7A