Characteristics of Quadratics Vocabulary

Front

Does the graph of a quadratic function have a minimum or a maximum?

Back

The graph of a quadratic function can have either a minimum or a maximum point, depending on the direction of the parabola. If it opens upwards, it has a minimum; if it opens downwards, it has a maximum.

Front

What do we call the highest or lowest point of a quadratic?

Back

The highest or lowest point of a quadratic function is called the vertex.

Front

What is the graph of a quadratic function called?

Back

The graph of a quadratic function is called a parabola.

Front

What is the axis of symmetry in a quadratic graph?

Back

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

Front

What is the vertex of a quadratic function?

Back

The vertex is the point where the parabola changes direction, representing the maximum or minimum value of the function.

Front

What is the y-intercept of a quadratic function?

Back

The y-intercept is the point where the graph intersects the y-axis, found by setting x=0 in the quadratic equation.

Front

What is the domain of a quadratic function?

Back

The domain of a quadratic function is all real numbers, as the function is defined for every value of x.

Front

What is the range of a quadratic function?

Back

The range of a quadratic function depends on the vertex; if it opens upwards, the range is from the vertex's y-value to infinity; if it opens downwards, it is from negative infinity to the vertex's y-value.

Front

What does it mean for a quadratic to open upwards?

Back

A quadratic opens upwards if the coefficient of the x² term is positive, resulting in a U-shaped graph with a minimum point.

Front

What does it mean for a quadratic to open downwards?

Back

A quadratic opens downwards if the coefficient of the x² term is negative, resulting in an upside-down U-shaped graph with a maximum point.