5.1 Parts of a Parabola

Front

What is a parabola?

Back

A parabola is a symmetrical, U-shaped curve that can open upwards or downwards, defined by a quadratic function.

Front

What is the vertex of a parabola?

Back

The vertex is the highest or lowest point of the parabola, depending on its orientation.

Front

What does it mean if a parabola has a minimum?

Back

It means the parabola opens upwards and the vertex is the lowest point on the graph.

Front

What does it mean if a parabola has a maximum?

Back

It means the parabola opens downwards and the vertex is the highest point on the graph.

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.

Front

How do you find the axis of symmetry for a parabola given by the equation y = ax^2 + bx + c?

Back

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

Front

What are the roots of a parabola?

Back

The roots (or x-intercepts) are the points where the parabola intersects the x-axis.

Front

What is the y-intercept of a parabola?

Back

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

Front

What is the standard form of a parabola's equation?

Back

The standard form is y = a(x - h)^2 + k, where (h, k) is the vertex.

Front

What is the significance of the 'a' value in the parabola's equation?

Back

The 'a' value determines the direction of the parabola (upward or downward) and its width.